IP: Bush: U.S. willing to pay ransoms to kidnappers! (but we want the money back...)

[Dave Farber <dave@farber.net>]

http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/02/20/us.hostage.policy/index.html

U.S. may pay ransom for hostages under new policy

February 21, 2002 Posted: 5:08 AM EST (1008 GMT)


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a major policy reversal on international
hostage-taking, Bush administration officials said Wednesday that the United
States might sometimes pay ransom to kidnappers.

However, the officials also stressed that the government would be aggressive
in recovering the money once a hostage was safely released.

The message, one senior U.S. official said, is that "we're going to get you.
We're not going to walk away."

The amended policy -- which President Bush signed last week -- was announced
Wednesday. 

<snip>

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