Iraqi Politicians Disagree about Hostage Release

Iraq's minister for higher education said that a number of people kidnapped the other day from a ministry building were tortured and killed. He says 70 are still missing. A number were taken to Shiite eastern Baghdad.

Prime Minister Maliki disagrees, saying that the numbers kidnapped totaled around 40 and almost all of those 40 were released.

But after the release of large numbers of kidnapped persons by the Shiite militias or gangs that were holding them, is it any wonder that Americans complain that the Maliki government doesn't do as much as it can about sectarian militia activity?

It seems to be within Maliki's power to tell at least some Shiite militias what to do some of the time.