French Muslims charge that the United States is deliberately stirring up violence in Iraq, to interfere with the release of the two kidnapped French journalists: French Hopes for Speedy Iraq Hostage Release Fade.

Asked about speculation that attacks by United States forces around Latifiya, a town south of Baghdad where the hostages were said to be held, had hindered the release, Ladsous said:

“We have never doubted that our aim of securing the release of the hostages as quickly as possible is shared by others.”

A French Muslim leader who visited Iraq last week to help seek the hostages’ release said Monday the U.S. offensive around Latifiya seemed to be a bid to thwart the release — a charge included in the Internet statement.

“The U.S. and Iraqi forces don’t want this release,” Mohamed Bechari, head of the National Federation of French Muslims, said on LCI television.

“Even without being a great strategist, one can suppose that firefights and bombings do not offer the ideal conditions for calmly negotiating the details of the release,” the daily Le Monde observed dryly.

Meanwhile, France continues their nuanced policy of being nice to the head-chopping holy warriors:

“As the days pass by, doubt is creeping in,” the daily Le Telegramme in the Atlantic port of Brest wrote in an editorial that questioned France’s strategy of relying on its opposition to the Iraq war to win favor with the hostage takers.

“Demonstrations of friendship carry little weight in a region where the only audible language is that of the guns. Playing buddy-buddy is not enough,” it said.