Family of James Foley upset that US saved Bowe Bergdahl but not their son. Justified?

[diddle]

After the Obama administration bargained for Bowe Bergdahl’s life, the family of ISIS hostage James Foley begged the White House for the same treatment—only to be denied.

The parents of James Foley, the journalist ISIS beheaded in August, learned about the U.S. government’s attempt to rescue him about an hour before the rest of us did.The grieving parents got word from President Obama himself.

“I told Obama that Jim worked hard to get him elected,” John Foley, James’s father, told The Daily Beast. “He believed till the end his country would come and get them.”

White House spokesmen have said that there was never any intention to share with the public details of the failed rescue mission in Syria. Word of the mission began to leak out on August 20, a day after James Foley was beheaded in a gruesome and slickly produced internet video narrated by a man with a thick British accent. White House officials briefed reporters that afternoon on the failed mission.

For the Foleys, it was a tragic ending to an awful ordeal. Since their son first went missing right before Thanksgiving in 2012, Diane Foley, in particular, began a mission to find any way she could to try to get her son back alive. She pressed the White House, the FBI and the State Department for any information she could find on James. Often, she and John would tell the FBI about what they learned from other European hostages who were released this year by ISIS. The response the Foleys received was, for the most part, beyond disappointing—little more than a “pat on the head,” John said.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...t-our-son.html

What do you think of all of this?

There was a failed attempt to save Foley, so you can't say they didn't try to rescue him while simultaneously putting others lives' in danger. However the government wasn't willing to make a deal in the same manner as the Bergdahl situation.

While I admit that it is very different given he is military, he wandered off a base and went AWOL which led to his capture. Allegedly US soldiers were injured and or killed in the extensive search to initially find him but we still don't know the whole story. Bergdahl was an idiot who thought he'd go on a spirit quest in the middle of a warzone, and Foley was just an independent journalist trying to cover a conflict.

Bergdahl was traded for 5 taliban commanders, who more than likely will eventually join back in their jihad.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...-who-they-are/

Either way it sadly does support even more hostages being taken in both situations, military or civilian. Although some European countries do actually pay hefty ransoms for their civilians, which is kind but foolish in my opinion, I think it's still worse in that it encourages the taking of hostages.

Back to point, do you think that military personnel that recklessly get themselves captured and civilian hostages should be treated differently? Do you think that James Foley's parents have a justified reason for being upset?

[Notchris]

Bergdahl was a prisoner exchange.

ISIS didn't want a prisoner exchange. They wanted a ransom, something ludicrous like $130million.

[Deleted]

you. don't. fund. terrorists.

6000th post yaaaay

[Tierbook]

5 Taliban commanders whom I hope have GPS tractors embedded in their body to where they can't get them out. I see no reason to be worried about them.

[Shelly]

It's already been covered. The demands of the Taliban were reasonable with regards to Bergdahl, the demands of ISIS in regards to their various prisoners were unreasonable and unmeetable.

That said the anger and sadness of the Foley family is completely reasonable and understandable.

[diddle]

It's already been covered. The demands of the Taliban were reasonable with regards to Bergdahl, the demands of ISIS in regards to their various prisoners were unreasonable and unmeetable.

That said the anger and sadness of the Foley family is completely reasonable and understandable.

At the same time though, don't you think we'd have an easier time outsmarting ISIS? Personally I could easily see setting up the exchange for the money and backstabbing them once we have Foley. (Of course that would put other American soldiers at risk, so I'm split either way.)

[Tierbook]

At the same time though, don't you think we'd have an easier time outsmarting ISIS? Personally I could easily see setting up the exchange for the money and backstabbing them once we have Foley. (Of course that would put other American soldiers at risk, so I'm split either way.)

Don't get to cocky they did manage to take over half of 2 countries.

[taliey]

You have to admit, ISIS is so extreme, that even Al Qaeda was like, damn, you crazy.

So you know, everything in life, especially terrorists, is relative.

[Crissi]

Don't get to cocky they did manage to take over half of 2 countries.

Syria is a clusterfuck and Iraq's army is a mess.

[Notchris]

Syria is a clusterfuck and Iraq's army is a mess.

It's still a feat for a group that was essentially crazy dudes with small arms and pick-up trucks, before the Iraqi army shit a brick and left all their advanced weaponry behind.

[diddle]

you. don't. fund. terrorists.

6000th post yaaaay

It would be a lot easier if European countries put more military skin in the game. At the moment they just keep encouraging them.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/30/wo...tron.html?_r=0

[Deleted]

At the same time though, don't you think we'd have an easier time outsmarting ISIS? Personally I could easily see setting up the exchange for the money and backstabbing them once we have Foley. (Of course that would put other American soldiers at risk, so I'm split either way.)

You severely underestimate them, the bulk of them might be right fucking idiots but the men at the top are very smart and manipulative.

[Independent voter]

There's a bunch of European tourists who come out to the desert. Grab one, put him down an abandoned mineshaft, ask the appropriate embassy for $10 million. You wouldn't want to go out to the mineshaft often because that would attact attention so you'd leave him a jug of water and some dried snacks. Not that I've been thinking about this.

[Ghostpanther]

You have to admit, ISIS is so extreme, that even Al Qaeda was like, damn, you crazy.

So you know, everything in life, especially terrorists, is relative.

I can assure you many of those in ISIS were once in Al Qaeda. A mad dog can be one of many different breeds.

We should never negotiate with any terrorist groups. Ever.

[Daethz]

Give ISIS millions to recover person.
ISIS uses money to steal more people and demand more millions.
Eventually ISIS would be the richest organization on earth.

[Mooninites]

They shouldn't have made an exchange for Bergdahl in the first place

[Conspicuous Cultist]

Give ISIS millions to recover person.
ISIS uses money to steal more people and demand more millions.
Eventually ISIS would be the richest organization on earth.

Just like printing money.

[Deleted]

The problem is America makes a big deal about its soldiers and veterans. It ain't good for morale if you leave them to die, even if they are somewhat responsible. "oh shit, ain't nobody coming to save me if I get caught" is not a reassuring battlefield thought.

[habitsbreaker]

Bergdahl was a prisoner exchange.

ISIS didn't want a prisoner exchange. They wanted a ransom, something ludicrous like $130million.

they were going to free him if the us freed Aafia Siddiqui

- - - Updated - - -

It's already been covered. The demands of the Taliban were reasonable with regards to Bergdahl, the demands of ISIS in regards to their various prisoners were unreasonable and unmeetable.

That said the anger and sadness of the Foley family is completely reasonable and understandable.

yet a lot of European countries managed to free their people, only the British and the Americans are still captives

[Mormolyce]

Syria is a clusterfuck and Iraq's army is a mess.

Yeah basically two big power vacuums. Our puppet government in Iraq and their paper armies were worthless.

- - - Updated - - -

Give ISIS millions to recover person.
ISIS uses money to steal more people and demand more millions.
Eventually ISIS would be the richest organization on earth.

I'm confused over item (2). How much money does it cost to abduct someone?