08-20-2014, 12:30 AM
It's very sad for Foley's family and friends. They'd gone through his kidnapping in Libya and had to live without knowing what happened to him for 6 weeks while he was held in a Libyan prison. When he was released, I read an interview where he said that was the worst part of the terrible ordeal -- knowing what his parents must have been going through.
But, he had a real passion for what he did (he was a really good journalist, IMO) and he wanted to cover Syria. So, off he went. I'd guess and hope he spoke with his parents about the dangers and everyone understood the risks after the Libyan kidnapping. But, that sure doesn't make it any less sad, especially given the brutality of how he died.
The Foleys are from Rochester, New Hampshire. His mom posted on her FindJamesFoley website just a bit ago. She said that she and Mr. Foley had never been prouder of their son, who was so compassionate towards the Syrian people. She asked that the family be left to grieve James. James had reported from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya before Syria.
The Foleys were originally told almost two years ago that the Syrian government had captured James (which never made a bit of sense to me). I don't think it made sense to them either. After a while, they met with Syrian higher-ups whom the Foleys described as compassionate and helpful. They were told by a Syrian foreign minister that it was his belief that a radical faction of the rebel forces had captured James and possibly another journalist. They believed him, and that appears to be what happened.
IMO, the reclaiming of the strategically important Iraqi Mosul Dam by US-aided Kurds is what prompted the timing of this beheading and warning message to America today. The airstrikes have hurt IS.
Today's beheading and warning won't get IS anything but contempt from the US, though. Sotloff will be beheaded, if that's what IS really plans on doing if the US doesn't heed their warning and follow their orders. If he's the only American captive they've got, they might decide to keep him alive until they wanna send another lethal message. But, they won't ever get any leverage outta having him and they know it, if they've done their homework (and I'd be very surprised if they hadn't).
Non-military westerners have been kidnapped in various countries by groups labeled as terrorists, with growing frequency, over the last 15 years. The governments of the Austria, Canada, Swtizerland, Italy....have payed some very heavy ransoms for the return of their citizens kidnapped abroad, using intermediaries to negotiate and deliver the money -- it's now a sophisticated and profitable business for some terrorist groups. Few US hostages have been taken over the past few years though because the American government thus far has refused to pay a dime or give up anything. So, all the terrorists are left with is people to guard for no gain or dead bodies to dispose of. IMO, today's murder was an attempt to provoke fear, and a means by which to push propaganda in order to rally their own forces and attract new IS recruits.
Anyway, I'm sad for those who are killed and for their families, but I agree with the policy of not negotiating with terrorists. I always feel for our soldiers who are lost in war and appreciate their service, whether I agree with the war or not. I feel similarly about journalists who take the known risk of reporting in warring territories in order to keep us informed about what is really happening on foreign grounds. What they do matters a great deal.
![[Image: BGinterview.jpg]](http://www.freejamesfoley.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/BGinterview.jpg)
RIP James Foley, 40.
But, he had a real passion for what he did (he was a really good journalist, IMO) and he wanted to cover Syria. So, off he went. I'd guess and hope he spoke with his parents about the dangers and everyone understood the risks after the Libyan kidnapping. But, that sure doesn't make it any less sad, especially given the brutality of how he died.
The Foleys are from Rochester, New Hampshire. His mom posted on her FindJamesFoley website just a bit ago. She said that she and Mr. Foley had never been prouder of their son, who was so compassionate towards the Syrian people. She asked that the family be left to grieve James. James had reported from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya before Syria.
The Foleys were originally told almost two years ago that the Syrian government had captured James (which never made a bit of sense to me). I don't think it made sense to them either. After a while, they met with Syrian higher-ups whom the Foleys described as compassionate and helpful. They were told by a Syrian foreign minister that it was his belief that a radical faction of the rebel forces had captured James and possibly another journalist. They believed him, and that appears to be what happened.
IMO, the reclaiming of the strategically important Iraqi Mosul Dam by US-aided Kurds is what prompted the timing of this beheading and warning message to America today. The airstrikes have hurt IS.
Today's beheading and warning won't get IS anything but contempt from the US, though. Sotloff will be beheaded, if that's what IS really plans on doing if the US doesn't heed their warning and follow their orders. If he's the only American captive they've got, they might decide to keep him alive until they wanna send another lethal message. But, they won't ever get any leverage outta having him and they know it, if they've done their homework (and I'd be very surprised if they hadn't).
Non-military westerners have been kidnapped in various countries by groups labeled as terrorists, with growing frequency, over the last 15 years. The governments of the Austria, Canada, Swtizerland, Italy....have payed some very heavy ransoms for the return of their citizens kidnapped abroad, using intermediaries to negotiate and deliver the money -- it's now a sophisticated and profitable business for some terrorist groups. Few US hostages have been taken over the past few years though because the American government thus far has refused to pay a dime or give up anything. So, all the terrorists are left with is people to guard for no gain or dead bodies to dispose of. IMO, today's murder was an attempt to provoke fear, and a means by which to push propaganda in order to rally their own forces and attract new IS recruits.
Anyway, I'm sad for those who are killed and for their families, but I agree with the policy of not negotiating with terrorists. I always feel for our soldiers who are lost in war and appreciate their service, whether I agree with the war or not. I feel similarly about journalists who take the known risk of reporting in warring territories in order to keep us informed about what is really happening on foreign grounds. What they do matters a great deal.
RIP James Foley, 40.