As far as the crappy job the Aruban police did. True. There is a lot that can be said of how the initial contact with LE, the Twittys and the VDSs was handled. But how many hours does it take before steps are taken in the US before one is considered a missing person, etc.? What is one of the first questions asked when one reports someone (especially a teenager) missing in the US?
Not many if suspected kidnapping is involved.
Since it was assumed by some that Natalee was a run-a-way or was hiding out somewhere because she did not want to return home.
It was only "assumed" to be a runaway by people who had a vested interest in diverting this story away from what really happened.