Shocked by the ISIS’ brutal beheading of three American hostages one after another in recent weeks, President Barack Obama has ordered a comprehensive review of the US policy on dealing with hostage cases.
Obama ordered the review as a “result of the increased frequency of hostage-taking of Americans overseas, and the recognition of the dynamic threat posed by specific terrorist groups”, The Daily Beast reported, citing a top Pentagon official’s communication to a lawmaker.
The review had actually been initiated in summer, CNN reported subsequently, citing the White House. “President Obama directed relevant departments and agencies, including the Departments of Defense and State, the FBI, and the Intelligence Community, to conduct a comprehensive review of how the US government addresses these matters,” according to National Security Council spokesman Alistar Baskey.
“While we are not in a position to detail every effort or every tool we are using to try to bring American hostages home, we will continue to bring all appropriate military, intelligence, law enforcement, and diplomatic capabilities to bear to recover American hostages,” Baskey said, adding those efforts continue every day.
The review was apparently initiated in the wake of the criticism by the family of journalist James Foley, the first of three American hostages beheaded by ISIS, on how the Obama administration handled the case.
Foley’s father, Michael, had said that more could be have been done by the authorities in the matter, adding: “I really, really hope that Jim’s death pushes us to take another look at our approach to terrorist and hostage negotiations.”
One of the problems he highlighted related to the US position that it does not negotiate with terrorists, thus shunning ransoms and prisoner swaps. There is no word yet on whether the administration will rethink this position as part of the current review.