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lunatica

(53,410 posts)

21. The US has never negotiated for Americans captured by terrorists

Thu Aug 21, 2014, 12:18 PM

Aug 2014

If it had there would have been a deluge of kidnappings just in my lifetime. I'm 66 years old and can remember when business men were kidnapped in South America. There were no negotiations by the US government. Eventually the victims were dropped off somewhere where they could get help. The families of the victims were the ones who had to do whatever they could to get their father, brothers, sons home. Kidnapping Americans isn't lucrative so they rarely happen.

ISIS has some saavy Americans working with them. Just like their executioner in this case.

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Before Killing James Foley, ISIS Demanded Ransom From U.S. [View all] flamingdem Aug 2014 OP

Obama said "we don't pay ransom monies" but europe does, and did, and got their prisoners. TheNutcracker Aug 2014 #1

And that is why more Europeans are kidnapped frazzled Aug 2014 #13

Is this going to become the next House GOP investigation? Why didn't Obama pay a ransom? McCamy Taylor Aug 2014 #16

Whatever you pay for you get more of. Psephos Aug 2014 #68

Either action or inaction on ransoms is a loser. Paying gets more hostages taken but saves lives. kelliekat44 Aug 2014 #95

Other countries pay... FarPoint Aug 2014 #2

Seems like people who work in the ME need special insurance policies flamingdem Aug 2014 #3

Seems like they should stay out of there. former9thward Aug 2014 #23

Common sense. Psephos Aug 2014 #69

I'm furious about this. Fantastic Anarchist Aug 2014 #4

Bullshit. IronGate Aug 2014 #5

The US traded Gitmo prisoners for Bergdahl. candelista Aug 2014 #8

Different thing. Prisoner swap near the end of hostilities. TwilightGardener Aug 2014 #9

So what? candelista Aug 2014 #11

1) The US Army had a clear responsibility to bring Bergdahl home, since they put TwilightGardener Aug 2014 #14

Excellent post leftynyc Aug 2014 #17

Actually not. candelista Aug 2014 #33

And it's a bit disturbing that you would also put American lives IronGate Aug 2014 #36

The deal we make with our military leftynyc Aug 2014 #38

"The deal we make with our military"? candelista Aug 2014 #40

You were never told leftynyc Aug 2014 #42

Tell that to all the MIAS. candelista Aug 2014 #48

BULLSHIT leftynyc Aug 2014 #50

Sure we have! :) candelista Aug 2014 #52

BULLSHIT. IronGate Aug 2014 #54

It's what I was told. IronGate Aug 2014 #49

Read this from Stars and Stripes candelista Aug 2014 #56

I don't give a fuck what you post, IronGate Aug 2014 #61

Brilliant repartee! candelista Aug 2014 #64

I wonder if he would intervene to stop genocide. Starboard Tack Aug 2014 #71

One might think that anyone resorting to the petulance of "brilliant repartee" would have sourced th LanternWaste Aug 2014 #96

Amen Iliyah Aug 2014 #75

The government doesn't have a responsibility to US citizens? candelista Aug 2014 #30

We sent the MILITARY to leftynyc Aug 2014 #46

The US HAS paid ransom in the recent past. candelista Aug 2014 #51

And look at the bloody dividends for that leftynyc Aug 2014 #58

I would gladly be activated from Reserve status to help exterminate this vermin. IronGate Aug 2014 #63

Thank you for your service leftynyc Aug 2014 #66

I think it would. IronGate Aug 2014 #67

Very reasoned post. Rhinodawg Aug 2014 #53

So what? Fantastic Anarchist Aug 2014 #20

We are not at the end (or near) of hostilities. former9thward Aug 2014 #24

They wanted the money from the company harun Aug 2014 #100

Not bullshit. Fantastic Anarchist Aug 2014 #19

That doesn't even make sense. IronGate Aug 2014 #26

To save lives. Fantastic Anarchist Aug 2014 #41

So we continue to feed these terrorists with money because they continue to IronGate Aug 2014 #44

They fucking do it anyway. Fantastic Anarchist Aug 2014 #65

So why continue to pay them if they're going to continue kidnap Americans? IronGate Aug 2014 #70

I've already answered your question once. Fantastic Anarchist Aug 2014 #72

So it's a vicious circle, IronGate Aug 2014 #73

We keep invading ... Fantastic Anarchist Aug 2014 #76

Care to answer the question? nt. IronGate Aug 2014 #78

I did. Several times. Fantastic Anarchist Aug 2014 #79

And in the process, fund the opposition to more effectively carry our further ransom activities. LanternWaste Aug 2014 #97

They are already funded. Fantastic Anarchist Aug 2014 #98

A sad truth. Poor Foley. Sure seemed like a great dude. He knew what he was getting into. Man, zonkers Aug 2014 #83

Richard Engel on msnbc said all hostages are forced to convert to Islam flamingdem Aug 2014 #6

Your post covers it why it's not wise to pay terrorists for ransom, flamingdem.. So sad for Cha Aug 2014 #81

One hundred million dollars for more weapons to kidnap more people so they can do it again? McCamy Taylor Aug 2014 #15

The US has never negotiated for Americans captured by terrorists lunatica Aug 2014 #21

This has NOTHING to do with the "macho" characteristic you are inferring. These animals have been still_one Aug 2014 #29

I agree with you on this. n/t Paper Roses Aug 2014 #57

I'd rather support a full scale invasion cosmicone Aug 2014 #7

We've been there, done that & got the T-shirt. candelista Aug 2014 #10

The original Iraq war was stupid and I opposed it cosmicone Aug 2014 #18

It's depressing to have to explain this isn't it? lunatica Aug 2014 #22

Sorry you haz a sad. candelista Aug 2014 #27

no you can't. This is going after a criminal element who are killing innocent civilians, mostly still_one Aug 2014 #31

I understand this much: candelista Aug 2014 #35

It isn't war. It's a response to terrorists who can't wait to attack us in the US lunatica Aug 2014 #80

There were "moral reasons" then too, chrisa Aug 2014 #25

Congratulations on opposing the "stupid" original Iraq War. candelista Aug 2014 #28

Ok, can you point out the innocent bystanders that have been killed IronGate Aug 2014 #34

Point them out? candelista Aug 2014 #37

Have there been any reports of innocent bystanders being killed? nt. IronGate Aug 2014 #39

These things don't get reported until much later, if at all. candelista Aug 2014 #43

So, no reports? nt. IronGate Aug 2014 #47

:) candelista Aug 2014 #59

Pay ransom, get more hostages taken, it becomes an industry all unto itself. TwilightGardener Aug 2014 #12

Pay ransom, allows Isil to buy more weapons, and kill more people. Hmmmm. Not rocket science still_one Aug 2014 #32

Who gave weapons to IS in the first place? candelista Aug 2014 #45

ok...Why again is that important to what ISIS is doing now? Rhinodawg Aug 2014 #55

The lesson is that the US should get out and stay out of the Middle East candelista Aug 2014 #62

What a perfect way to prove leftynyc Aug 2014 #74

There's a reason why they think that ... Nihil Aug 2014 #85

At least for us it was better FrodosPet Aug 2014 #82

Most Iraqis rightly agree that things were better under Saddam. candelista Aug 2014 #86

Most of the weapons used by IS, at least in the early stages, were of Russian orgin. Kaleva Aug 2014 #87

"In the early stages"? candelista Aug 2014 #88

You are the one who made the claim it was the US that provided the arms to IS Kaleva Aug 2014 #89

You're wrong on this. candelista Aug 2014 #91

Kind of vague article Kaleva Aug 2014 #94

And the weapons they're using now IronGate Aug 2014 #90

Here. candelista Aug 2014 #92

I already read it. IronGate Aug 2014 #93

Déjà vu all over again, ucrdem Aug 2014 #60

truly. Estimates are 50k jihadis between Syria and Iraq flamingdem Aug 2014 #77

about 80? journalists have been killed. What media corp sent this journalist? Sunlei Aug 2014 #84

An outfit called Global Post flamingdem Aug 2014 #99