White House Says More Than 30 Americans Held Hostage Abroad

[Purveyor]

Washington (CNN)The U.S. government will now communicate with terrorist groups holding the more than 30 Americans currently hostage abroad, one of a slew of changes to the nation's hostage policy that President Barack Obama announced Wednesday.

The U.S. government will stick to its "no concessions" policy -- often incorrectly interpreted as "no negotiations" -- while also allowing government officials going forward to talk with terrorist groups like ISIS that have kidnapped Americans, according to a presidential policy directive Obama outlined on Wednesday.

More than 30 Americans are currently held hostage abroad, Obama's chief counterterrorism adviser Lisa Monaco, who oversaw the policy review, told reporters on Wednesday.

The tally includes those who are held hostage by terrorist groups as well as criminal gangs and cartels, according to a senior official, who said the government couldn't provide a further breakdown for safety reasons.

The changes to the hostage policy, which also include the creation of an interagency "fusion cell" to streamline efforts to free American hostages and improve communication between the government and families, follow a months-long review of U.S. policy that included interviews with nearly two-dozen families of current and former U.S. hostages.

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http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/23/politics/hostage-policy-review-changes-white-house/

[sub.theory]

1. This may be a really bad idea

I'd like to believe that pragmatism is at the heart of this decision and not emotion. I know many in the administration feel terrible about what happened with the ISIS hostages, and they are getting lots of heat from the families. It's very upsetting, and of course that was its intent.

It is a very dangerous game to be engaging hostage takers, though. Encouraging them in any way really does endanger more lives in the long run. I know any of us would want to do anything we could for a loved one in such a terrible situation, but we can't collectively allow emotion to force our hand into making a decision that ultimately puts even more lives in that situation. I'm just so skeptical about all this.