Indeed, my heart breaks for his family, do they send out a soldier to tell that family that their husband/dad/son has changed status? Isn't that the real cruelty of this situation?
On another note the timing of this is awful...but maybe that office of misinformation hasn't been closed(did they really have to open one, come on this is war)
Call me cold-blooded, but if I was in charge, I would issue an ultimatum: "Our airman has suffered long enough. We have decided to do something about it. If you do not release him unharmed within twenty four hours, we will vaporize your cities, to ensure that our airman is given an instantaneous, painless death."
Then I'd do it -- unless they released him unharmed.
This man is not the first nor will he be the last militay person that is written off with the stroke of a pen. To the military/government mindset, it tends to keep the books clear and the government unencumbered. Once the pen writes the man off, it is nearly impossible to move the military to right a wrong.
Since WW2 our history is replete with men whose lives were answered for with the action of a pen.
Mine too...