Quote:
Originally Posted by Nathan
Wouldn't you get a hell of a lot more kidnappings (and not just by ISIS) if the kidnappers knew they'd get a reward of that sum though
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The kidnappers will always take any Westerner they can it seems, I don't think they're that bothered if they get the ransom or if they kill them. If the former then they get their money, the latter gives them the chance for a powerful propaganda stunt like this one, either outcome suits them really
And there's the problem that if you're gonna have the 'no negotiation' policy then you've gotta be consistent with it, but basically every Western country has paid ransoms in the past and so it still makes it worthwhile for any kidnappers. Quite a few other European countries seem to have paid them recently, and even us and the States have done it not too long ago, the US with the solider if Afghanistan and the UK with that couple who were kidnapped by Somali pirates a few years back. It's true though that if you always paid ransoms then it may encourage more kidnappings but then the focus should be on avoiding that in the first place, I don't think journalists and non-combatants should ever be in that position that they may be captured and its worrying that they are now apparently seen as fair game in a lot of conflicts