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Originally Posted by Team Sergeant
A good place to start is with the Iraqi government. Then he might try the US State Department, it their job to conduct business with foreign nations on behalf of the United States.
I would also inform your friend that he needs to realize that this is exactly how terrorists conduct business transactions "all over the world" and to pay them any ransom not only encourages this type of activity but also expands their worldwide ring of terror.
If your friend speaks Arabic he may want to join the fight with the US military and put a real hurt on those that perpetrate these acts of terror against his family.
Or, of course, he can sit back safe in the knowledge that as a citizen of the United States he will be protected by the United States and its military and just complain about his homeland and its degraded moral state while others fight and die attempting to free the Iraqi people from internal Oppression.
I know how your friend must feel, I also have family in Iraq, they are all the members of the United States military.
Once the country of Iraq is stable and every US Soldier, Sailor, Marine, Airman and Coast Guard, and all the other coalition forces risking their lives on a daily basis have returned home I promise to personally look into your friend’s problem.
De Oppresso Liber,
Team Sergeant
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Team Sergeant,
Thank you for your response and suggestions. I'm sorry if I have offended or annoyed you. I absolutely understand that your primary concern is with the well-being of American citizens, especially your brothers in arms. I would not ask for or expect anything different.
Regarding my friend, he has lived in the US for most of his life and he is very proud to be a citizen. He loves this country and does NOT complain about or otherwise badmouth the US. He is fluent in Arabic and I have encouraged him several times to consider service in the military or other government intelligence areas. He has not yet chosen to do so. Perhaps this event will push him in that direction.
As far as the ransom goes, he didn't have anything to do with the payment and I didn't find out about the situation until it was already done. I am not especially well-versed in these circumstances, but I know enough to realize that was probably a very bad idea and would have cautioned them against it.
With respect,
jfhiller