Posted on 04/26/2015 12:30:26 PM PDT by Libloather
An advisory group reviewing U.S. hostage policy for the White House is expected to recommend that families of Americans held overseas not face the fear of prosecution if they pay ransoms, according to a report Sunday.
"There will be absolutely zero chance of any family member of an American held hostage overseas ever facing jail themselves, or even the threat of prosecution, for trying to free their loved ones," one of three senior officials familiar with the review said in a report on ABC's "This Week."
The family of slain American journalist James Foley, who become the first American executed by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) last fall, had publicly spatted with the White House over the policy, alleging they were told several times it was "illegal" to pay a ransom their son.
"There's a lot that needs to be fixed," Foley's mother, Diane Foley, said Saturday in an interview with ABC News, which reported that officials discussed the new policy with her last week.
In February, U.S. aid worker Kayla Mueller became the fourth American killed by ISIS, which also executed two British citizens, two Japanese citizens and one Jordanian in publicly released videos.
Debate over the U.S. hostage policy was renewed last week following the apparent accidental killing of American aid worker Warren Weinstein, whose family blasted assistance from the Obama administration as "inconsistent and disappointing" since his capture in 2011.
"To put families like the Foleys in the situation they were in, I think that is tough," Rep. John Delaney (D-Md.), who represents in his district the Weinstein family, said on ABC's "This Week"
While Delaney said Sunday he strongly supported the U.S. maintaining a policy of not itself negotiating a ransom for Americans held hostage overseas, he said a potential shift for the policy for families of those hostages "could make sense."
This shows the loss of American power that Obama thinks okay to let families pay ransom to encourage further kidnappings instead of using American power to put the fear of God in people should they touch an American. It will take serious effort by a future president to undo this damage and restore America to be respected and feared.
Another thing-where does this lead when the “less fortunate” financially start asking why their relatives have to die just because they’re not rich, and demand that the government pay the ransom? You know this would happen eventually.
“You mean I’m being marked down?!?!?”
“I’ve been kidnapped by K-Mart.”
Maybe the U.S. government will figure out the risks of this change in policy after ISIS "kidnaps" wealthy young Muslims from families living in the U.S. with boring regularity ... only to release them after billions of dollars in ransoms are paid through Islamic "charities" based in the U.S.
"Thank Allah my family was able to pay $10 million for my release, and saved me from my comrades -- uh, those savages. Let me get on the first flight back to the Middle East to see if we can do this again."
Or the less politically favored... a handful of enemy generals plus cash in exchange for your deserter son, while nothing for a patriot armed service member caught in Mexico after a wrong turn.
What happens if a family pays ransom, and the person still gets killed? Does the US government have to pay them back the money? It only seems fair, doesn’t it?
"Enormous Benefit to Terrorism"
When will this horror show of a president ever end?
Okay what’s the prreisdent’s cut?!
Then Obama will just Blame the Families if anyone dies
You’re damn skippy.
The US government should let loose our Rangers, Seal Team 6, Green Berets, CIA, drones, and everything else on these bastards and at least attempt to rescue American hostages. We should be bringing down the Wrath of Gd on anyone who kidnaps a US citizen.
That said, the threat of prosecution wouldn’t stop me from *trying* to save my husband or son in any way possible. I’m a wife and a mother. That’s my job.
But it’s the job of the US gov’t to not put us in that position.
Where I have very little sympathy are with stupid people who intentionally put themselves in harms way, then expect the rest of the planet to put their lives on the line to save them.
Only a week Kenyan national would yield to this kind of coercion. Clearly Obama has NO solution for keeping Americans safe except to drink more at banquets, play more golf, and avoid the media.
I want to say no, because paying anything will only increase the frequency, but I have no idea what such a family would be going through. So long as this does not become a government funded event, perhaps it may work. Did’nt Ross Perot assist in rescuing some employee’s loved one who was captured in Iran?
This is telling foreign enemies of all types, “Hey! here’s a dandy way to make some extra cash to finance your activities!”
Maybe the U.S. government will figure out the risks of this change in policy after ISIS "kidnaps" wealthy young Muslims from families living in the U.S. with boring regularity ... only to release them after billions of dollars in ransoms are paid through Islamic "charities" based in the U.S.
You are exactly right. There will be an epidemic of traveling Americans being kidnapped for cash.
What a stupid, stupid thing to say.
Nice, the govt. just opened the floodgates of kidnappings. Forget the middle man, go straight to the families for the kidnapping demands.
Of course it’s also dumb to go to a Muslim country as well without any protection.
That’s an idiotic statement. I presume you have never been to a Muslim country.
Thee will be no bad consequences from this/S
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