Judy26
Pearl Clutcher
MOTFY Bitchy Nursemaid
Posts: 2,974 
Location: NW PA
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Post by Judy26 on Dec 6, 2014 14:33:24 GMT
I just read about the failed attempt to rescue Luke Somers. My prayers go out to his family, I am confused as to why we attempted to rescue him but not the other Americans who were beheaded by terrorists. My only thought is perhaps they had military backing in Yemen?
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Post by freecharlie on Dec 6, 2014 14:38:05 GMT
Or maybe they had better intelligence to where this guy was or the risk was less?
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wellway
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,203
Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
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Post by wellway on Dec 6, 2014 14:41:10 GMT
Maybe it's not a case of who they try to rescue but whether it is feasible to carry out a rescue. Some locations might be stacked against a rescue attempt. I don't know, just musing.
My thoughts are with the family.
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Post by anxiousmom on Dec 6, 2014 14:46:21 GMT
My understanding was that, at least with the American hostages of ISIS, there was a rescue attempt but the hostages had been moved before the rescuers got there.
They (they being a guy on CNN) said something this morning about how it happens. I wasn't paying a whole lot of attention (trying to get the boy out the door to the SAT) but it is a process that begins with the planning group (missed who this was exactly) then goes to the Sect. of Defense for approval and then to the President for his approval. Apparently, in this case, the process didn't take more than a couple of days and the President's approval happened shortly thereafter.
They didn't say what the criteria was to start the process though.
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Post by ahiller on Dec 6, 2014 14:52:59 GMT
Just because it's reported that any particular hostage is a missionary or aid worker doesn't mean it's actually true. They could be CIA or from some other government agency. I'm not talking about this particular case but rather in general. Yes, I watch too much tv.  ? |
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Deleted
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Aug 18, 2025 19:30:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2014 14:55:16 GMT
They have to weight the intelligence, situation, location, etc of each one very carefully. Sadly we can't save everyone. And I don't think going in guns blazing blind just to try would ever be a good thing.
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Post by myshelly on Dec 6, 2014 14:57:48 GMT
I think there are a whole lot of factors.
There are lots of unsuccessful rescue attempts we never hear about. It wouldn't make sense for us to hear about them - it would endanger the hostages and make future attempts harder. We only hear about them when something goes horribly wrong like it starts a fight or results in loss of life as here.
It probably depends on tons of factors - whether we have intelligence about a particular hostage, where the hostage is located and whether we have permission or support from that country's gvmnt, the skill set/weapons/intelligence/technology of the captors, whether civilians are in the way, whether locals would interfere, etc.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:30:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2014 14:59:37 GMT
They rescue those who are there on government "orders" to do government work. They may go undercover as a journalist, missionary, humanitarian (whatever job will look natural for the areas they want the person to be in) People who go in as actual journalists ect that is not government directed/orderd don't get rescued.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:30:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2014 15:02:30 GMT
They rescue those who are there on government "orders" to do government work. They may go undercover as a journalist, missionary, humanitarian (whatever job will look natural for the areas they want the person to be in) People who go in as actual journalists ect that is not government directed/orderd don't get rescued. Hmmm I don't think that is quite true. How about James Foley? |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:30:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 6, 2014 15:14:47 GMT
I think there are far more rescue attempts going on that we,the public,are told about. Some without doubt are aborted at the last minute when the risks become too apparent. It doesn't mean that no one has tried.
The powers that be are hardly going to make it news to everyone that they are in the process of carrying one out are they? So I don't think it's a matter of who they choose to rescue. They " choose" based on the intelligence that is available at the time and the risk involved, to both the rescuers and the victim.
We only hear about it when any of them are actually successful which is usually very rare or they sadly end up like this one.
I did wonder why they made the attempt when it was said that the South African teacher that was also killed was going to be released in a couple of days. Would a couple of days have made a difference,would he have been released......who knows?
Thoughts are with both families.
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Post by ScrapsontheRocks on Dec 7, 2014 6:33:42 GMT
We have a local sad twist to this attempted rescue. A South African Family attached to the Gift of the Givers organisation have been fundraising for almost a year to get (Pierre) Korkie home. His wife Yolandie (sp?) was released about mid-year to help with fund-raising. The negotiations were successful and the funds paid. He was due to be released this Sunday  and was killed with Mr. Somers. |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:30:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2014 11:13:42 GMT
We have a local sad twist to this attempted rescue. A South African Family attached to the Gift of the Givers organisation have been fundraising for almost a year to get (Pierre) Korkie home. His wife Yolandie (sp?) was released about mid-year to help with fund-raising. The negotiations were successful and the funds paid. He was due to be released this Sunday and was killed with Mr. Somers. I can't imagine what his wife and family are feeling right now ScrapsontheRocks. Must be truly heartbreaking for them. |
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Post by ScrapsontheRocks on Dec 7, 2014 13:56:45 GMT
We have a local sad twist to this attempted rescue. A South African Family attached to the Gift of the Givers organisation have been fundraising for almost a year to get (Pierre) Korkie home. His wife Yolandie (sp?) was released about mid-year to help with fund-raising. The negotiations were successful and the funds paid. He was due to be released this Sunday and was killed with Mr. Somers. I can't imagine what his wife and family are feeling right now ScrapsontheRocks. Must be truly heartbreaking for them. Thanks for your thoughts. I know a little about this case (do not know the family at all) because a similar appeal for funds not long before the Korkie one resulted in extreme donor fatigue: the couple concerned were sea-jacked /pirated, held for ages but made it safely home after a ransom (publicly funded) was raised. They then started behaving like entitled a**es and demanding that surplus funds be paid to them instead of retained to help others who might land up in a similar situation. An acquaintance had to fight even harder to get the Korkie fund off the ground (same catchment area, can't think of a better term) and now this. Thanks again. |
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and was killed with Mr. Somers.