Quote:
Originally Posted by Slava
I don't mean to turn this political at all, but I'm ashamed that the government seemingly did very little to help bring her home. Her family was doing the fundraising and trying to push the issue where the government seems to have stepped in at the last minute? (Clearly I don't know all of the points of the case here).
I like to think that when Canadian citizens are kidnapped abroad that there is some support from the government and they would actively campaign for their release. I do agree that the ransom is a bad precedent, but there isn't a doubt if this was a family member of mine (or me!) I would want that ransom paid. I also think its pretty poor taste to criticize a familys actions here in this situation!
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I think ashamed is a pretty strong word. In the case of this specific kidnapping and most of the pirate attacks that are happening the governments hands are effectively tied.
They can't pay the ransom, it sets a bad policy statement that could realistically endanger other lives. Once you as a government starting paying ransoms then the target list for these gangs shifts and Canadian's probably go to number 1.
There is no government to negotiate with, there's really no military to liase with, and these countries don't have effective police or intelligence agencies that either can or will do anything (Lets face it chances are these police forces are probably getting a cut of any ransom thats paid)
The government can't negotiate directly with the kidnappers, again that both gives them credibility and emboldens them.
You can't intervene militarily (ie sending in JTF2) to pull a rescue.
At some point if you as a citizen ignore travel warnings and you get snatched you've screwed yourself over cause your own government is fairly powerless.
This isn't even a party issue, the Liberal's would react the same way as the conservatives did.
Personally I was only have joking with the above post. Hire a mercenary group that will go in and rescue the hostage while killing the hostage takers.
the Russian's set an example in this about 20 years ago in the middle east when when of their minor diplomats was kidnapped and the Russian's snatched up the kidnappers family and started sending body parts to the Kidnappers until the hostage was released.