i certainly wouldn't want to limit the media's free reign over iraq but...
a distinct difference between post WWII and now-a-days is the constant round-the-clock hunt for a shred of news to plaster over every front page.
if a couple village idiots end up picking up some poor contractor over there and holding him hostage... it is broadcasted worldwide. late night talk shows and internet boards
talk and talk about the implications of their actions.
back then, there would be nowhere near this exposure... eleminating much of the motivation for the terrorist's actions.
i mean seriously, if it came down to it... anyone of us could pull a civilian off the street and parade him around. there is nothing especially groundbreaking about that. All you have to do now is find a journalist wandering the country looking for a story and give him a 10 second interview from the back of your nissan.
we give these jokers an international platform by our insatiability for context-free news. this is something the post WWII forces never had to face.