enhanced_deficit
06-05-2014, 12:33 PM
While SWC Obama is under attacks from some Republicans, more names of US hostages are leaked in media:
Seven Americans being held overseas whom the White House has yet to free
The release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl in exchange for five Taliban commanders has prompted all kinds of debate in the U.S. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-defends-decision-to-trade-5-guantanamo-detainees-for-bergdahl/2014/06/03/759151a8-eb10-11e3-b98c-72cef4a00499_story.html?hpid=z1) about the nature of Bergdahl's conduct and the logic of his release. But, while Bergdahl was the last American prisoner of war known in captivity, he isn't the only American being held by foreign forces in politically charged, hostile circumstances. For example, a number of American journalists have been abducted while reporting in Syria (http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/11/an-epidemic-of-journalist-kidnappings-in-syria/281574/), including Austin Tice (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/journalist-austin-tices-family-pleads-to-have-him-home-for-christmas-after-capture-in-syria/2012/12/20/1db2cd6a-4b00-11e2-b709-667035ff9029_story.html), a freelancer for The Post (the exact number of American journalists missing in Syria is unclear as some cases are not being publicized). Here are some others who should not be forgotten.
Alan Gross: Imprisoned by Cuba since December 2009
http://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2014/06/03/Editorial-Opinion/Images/Secret_Cuban_Twitter-081a8-ZMWQ.jpg
(James L. Berenthal/AP)
Former U.S. government contractor Gross was arrested more than four years ago while working in Havana. The 64-year-old Maryland native was detained after distributing communications equipment to Jewish groups in Cuba, where he was working under a contract with USAID. He was accused of working against the Cuban state and sentenced to 15 years. His imprisonment is a key stalling block in potential talks between Washington and Havana.
Kenneth Bae: Imprisoned by North Korea since November 2012
http://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/files/2014/06/North_Korea_Jailed_American-0ccc5-SSFL-1024x772.jpg
(Kim Kwang Hyon/AP)
Bae was arrested in November 2012 while visiting North Korean state, and sentenced to 15 years in prison for allegedly trying to overthrow the North Korean government (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/north-korea-sentences-american-on-charges-he-tried-to-topple-government/2013/05/02/03498dfc-b2dd-11e2-bbf2-a6f9e9d79e19_story.html). Bae is believed to have been working as a Christian missionary in the country. The 45-year-old has been moved to a hospital due to poor health (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/missionary-bae-jailed-in-n-korea-wants-us-to-help-him-get-home/2014/01/20/617be37e-8218-11e3-8099-9181471f7aaf_story.html) since his imprisonment began. Former NBA star Dennis Rodman has been criticized for making trips to North Korea but not helping Bae.
Warren Weinstein: Held by al-Qaeda since August 2011
http://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/files/2014/06/CROP-AP433276546454.jpg
Robert Levinson: Kidnapped in March 2007 by an unknown group
http://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2013/12/12/National-Security/Images/Missing_American_Iran-068a2.jpg
This undated handout photo provided by the family of Robert Levinson after they received it in April 2011, shows retired-FBI agent Robert Levinson. (Levinson Family/AP)
Levinson, a former FBI-agent, disappeared on the Iranian island of Kish in March 2007. The U.S. government believes that Levinson, in the area to investigate cigarette smuggling, may have been captured by Iranian intelligence officials to be used used as a bargaining chip, but Iran has repeatedly denied any knowledge of what happened to him, and some evidence suggests that he may have been taken out of Iran. In December 2013, it was revealed that he may have gone to Iran (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/ex-fbi-agent-who-went-missing-in-iran-was-on-rogue-mission-for-cia/2013/12/12/f5de6084-637b-11e3-a373-0f9f2d1c2b61_story.html) at the direction of certain CIA analysts who had no authority to run operations overseas. Unfortunately, Levinson's inclusion on this list needs a caveat: It is not known if Levinson is still alive. The last known proof of life was released over three years ago. He would be 66 years old.
Caitlan Coleman: Kidnapped by Taliban in late 2012
http://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/Wires/Images/2014-06-04/AP/Afghanistan_Missing_Couple-0cf37.jpg
This frame grab from video provided by the Coleman family shows Caitlan Coleman and Joshua Boyle. (AP Photo/Coleman Family)
Following the release of Sgt. Bergdahl, the families of U.S. citizen Caitlan Coleman and her Canadian husband Joshua Boyle decided to release video that appears to show the pair in captivity in Afghanistan. 28-year-old Coleman and her husband had gone missing in Afghanistan in late 2012 while traveling in a mountainous region near Kabul; Coleman was pregnant at the time. According to the Associated Press (http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ap-exclusive-videos-of-couple-held-in-afghanistan/2014/06/04/2a250e02-ec0b-11e3-b10e-5090cf3b5958_story.html), the families received the video from man who claimed that the Taliban was holding the couple. This post has been updated to include the news of the video showing Coleman.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/06/04/six-americans-being-held-overseas-whom-the-white-house-has-yet-to-free/
Related
New Videos Show Western Couple Held Captive in Afghanistan
June 4, 2014
http://time.com/2823046/new-videos-show-western-couple-held-captive-in-afghanistan/
<em>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNzrJCSMaMA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNzrJCSMaMA
Seven Americans being held overseas whom the White House has yet to free
The release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl in exchange for five Taliban commanders has prompted all kinds of debate in the U.S. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-defends-decision-to-trade-5-guantanamo-detainees-for-bergdahl/2014/06/03/759151a8-eb10-11e3-b98c-72cef4a00499_story.html?hpid=z1) about the nature of Bergdahl's conduct and the logic of his release. But, while Bergdahl was the last American prisoner of war known in captivity, he isn't the only American being held by foreign forces in politically charged, hostile circumstances. For example, a number of American journalists have been abducted while reporting in Syria (http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/11/an-epidemic-of-journalist-kidnappings-in-syria/281574/), including Austin Tice (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/journalist-austin-tices-family-pleads-to-have-him-home-for-christmas-after-capture-in-syria/2012/12/20/1db2cd6a-4b00-11e2-b709-667035ff9029_story.html), a freelancer for The Post (the exact number of American journalists missing in Syria is unclear as some cases are not being publicized). Here are some others who should not be forgotten.
Alan Gross: Imprisoned by Cuba since December 2009
http://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2014/06/03/Editorial-Opinion/Images/Secret_Cuban_Twitter-081a8-ZMWQ.jpg
(James L. Berenthal/AP)
Former U.S. government contractor Gross was arrested more than four years ago while working in Havana. The 64-year-old Maryland native was detained after distributing communications equipment to Jewish groups in Cuba, where he was working under a contract with USAID. He was accused of working against the Cuban state and sentenced to 15 years. His imprisonment is a key stalling block in potential talks between Washington and Havana.
Kenneth Bae: Imprisoned by North Korea since November 2012
http://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/files/2014/06/North_Korea_Jailed_American-0ccc5-SSFL-1024x772.jpg
(Kim Kwang Hyon/AP)
Bae was arrested in November 2012 while visiting North Korean state, and sentenced to 15 years in prison for allegedly trying to overthrow the North Korean government (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/north-korea-sentences-american-on-charges-he-tried-to-topple-government/2013/05/02/03498dfc-b2dd-11e2-bbf2-a6f9e9d79e19_story.html). Bae is believed to have been working as a Christian missionary in the country. The 45-year-old has been moved to a hospital due to poor health (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/missionary-bae-jailed-in-n-korea-wants-us-to-help-him-get-home/2014/01/20/617be37e-8218-11e3-8099-9181471f7aaf_story.html) since his imprisonment began. Former NBA star Dennis Rodman has been criticized for making trips to North Korea but not helping Bae.
Warren Weinstein: Held by al-Qaeda since August 2011
http://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/files/2014/06/CROP-AP433276546454.jpg
Robert Levinson: Kidnapped in March 2007 by an unknown group
http://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2013/12/12/National-Security/Images/Missing_American_Iran-068a2.jpg
This undated handout photo provided by the family of Robert Levinson after they received it in April 2011, shows retired-FBI agent Robert Levinson. (Levinson Family/AP)
Levinson, a former FBI-agent, disappeared on the Iranian island of Kish in March 2007. The U.S. government believes that Levinson, in the area to investigate cigarette smuggling, may have been captured by Iranian intelligence officials to be used used as a bargaining chip, but Iran has repeatedly denied any knowledge of what happened to him, and some evidence suggests that he may have been taken out of Iran. In December 2013, it was revealed that he may have gone to Iran (http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/ex-fbi-agent-who-went-missing-in-iran-was-on-rogue-mission-for-cia/2013/12/12/f5de6084-637b-11e3-a373-0f9f2d1c2b61_story.html) at the direction of certain CIA analysts who had no authority to run operations overseas. Unfortunately, Levinson's inclusion on this list needs a caveat: It is not known if Levinson is still alive. The last known proof of life was released over three years ago. He would be 66 years old.
Caitlan Coleman: Kidnapped by Taliban in late 2012
http://img.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/Wires/Images/2014-06-04/AP/Afghanistan_Missing_Couple-0cf37.jpg
This frame grab from video provided by the Coleman family shows Caitlan Coleman and Joshua Boyle. (AP Photo/Coleman Family)
Following the release of Sgt. Bergdahl, the families of U.S. citizen Caitlan Coleman and her Canadian husband Joshua Boyle decided to release video that appears to show the pair in captivity in Afghanistan. 28-year-old Coleman and her husband had gone missing in Afghanistan in late 2012 while traveling in a mountainous region near Kabul; Coleman was pregnant at the time. According to the Associated Press (http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ap-exclusive-videos-of-couple-held-in-afghanistan/2014/06/04/2a250e02-ec0b-11e3-b10e-5090cf3b5958_story.html), the families received the video from man who claimed that the Taliban was holding the couple. This post has been updated to include the news of the video showing Coleman.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/06/04/six-americans-being-held-overseas-whom-the-white-house-has-yet-to-free/
Related
New Videos Show Western Couple Held Captive in Afghanistan
June 4, 2014
http://time.com/2823046/new-videos-show-western-couple-held-captive-in-afghanistan/
<em>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNzrJCSMaMA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNzrJCSMaMA