Austin Tice
The U.S. could improve its relations with the Damascus government and restore public communications, if the Syrian authorities release missing American journalist Austin Tice, Washington’s special envoy for hostage affairs said in a recent interview with the National.
“The president has made it very clear that if you want to have better relations with the US, if you want the atmosphere for better relations, then don’t hold our hostages, or help us find our hostages if they’re missing in your country,” Robert O’Brien said in the interview that was released on April 10.
37-year old Austin Tice, a former U.S. Marine Corps infantry officer, went missing while he was covering the battles in the outskirt of the Syrian capital in August of 2012. The free-lance journalist was moving with local Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters.
In September 2012 a 47-second video of Tice blindfolded and surrounded by Islamic radicals was released. Despite this, the U.S. insists that the journalist is being held by Syrian authorities.
O’Brien said that the Damascus government should release Tice, if it wants to re-enter the community of nations and have a better atmosphere with the U.S. The diplomat citied North Korea, who released four U.S. captives without conditions, as an example and revealed that the release of these hostages resulted in presidential talks between the two countries.
“We are calling upon the government in Syria to do everything they can to help us find Austin as well as other Americans in Syria,” O’Brien added.
The Damascus government has not commented publicly on the issue of Austin Tice yet. However, many reports claim that Syrian and U.S. security officials held several secret meetings to resolve this issue during the last few years.
“…O’Brien said that the Damascus government should release Tice, if it wants to re-enter the community of nations and have a better atmosphere with the U.S…”
Likewise, if the US wants to re-enter the community of nations and create a better atmosphere with them, then the US should consider getting the fuck out of Syria, returning its stolen land/resources to the Syrian people and stop trying to overthrow their government.
O’Brien sounds like a two-bit mafia lieutenant making ‘suggestions’ to a shopkeeper that the gang is trying to extort.
One hand arrests a journalist assange, while the other hand says release our journalist or else.
I hope syria tells usa your reporter went to play with al nusrah, ask them. Double standarded dipshits
Lol. Good observation.
A US operative was a member of an terrorist force attacking the Syrian capital trying to over through a freely elected government. Terrorists deserve death even if they are employed by the USA. Signed US Vet.
To defend ones country is a noble act. To invade another country is a cxnt act. I have also been a cxnt, but now I am cured.
On the positive side, one could look at this as a face saving olive branch. If the Syrians deliver the journalist the US government might normalize relations again. The operative word being might, with the US government you never know. But since they specifically alluded to North Korea, it is possible.
Which would last all of 5 minutes as Syria would immediately be sanctioned and attacked unless they cut all ties with the Iranian government. Then sanctioned again for buying Russian weapons. Then sanctioned again for not handing over Golan Heights to Israel. Then sanctioned again for not cheering USA, USA at the olympics. Then tariffs would be placed on Syrian sand because it competes unfairly with US beach sand. …….. .
I was expecting a reply like this, but not like this. Well done! LOL.
it’s so ludicrous that one has to question the sanity of the party issuing the stupidity – friend of fatso – yeah would think so since they sort of stem from the same source which is the mother of all stupidities – the white house ánd/or state department.
and to be blunt – the f”cker was most likely trying out as a cia operative under the journo-cloak, was found out and is now most likely 6 feet under – that’s how spies are treated, in moronistan and in syria.
Most likely. I know of another case where the journo was almost certainly an operative.
ex marine ? sound like he is a spy to me.
If Assad release him, America will be thinking of free EU Visa.
Yeah yeah sure. As if any sane person would believe or trust the USA. An unexpected accident should be arranged for Tice.
Stoopid Murican journo willingly associates with a terror gang and gets abducted or killed, so it must be Assads fault…
This is what passes for adult thinking in todays Uh-Murrikkka…
“Washington Could Soften”
So they have cured their constipation?
Hey, U$, get f-ck out of Syria! Neither president Assad nor Syria needs you!
Diplomacy at work, I love it. First it was “Assad can stay in power”, and now it’s, “Assad can have better relations with the US”, but only on one condition. If I was Assad I’d wholeheartedly accept that one simple ‘condition’, and help the US find as many of these wanted opposition spies as possible, the media is watching afterall, and we all know how much the MSM love happy endings, and they also love the heroes that make it happen, which means Assad can kill 2 birds with the one stone, the US and the MSM. And the US didn’t even have any extra demands, I wonder why, that’s very strange, a whole host of other demands are usually bundled up with an offer like this, but not this time, this time it’s just one simple condition, and it’s a very simple and easy condition to fulfill too, mmmm. This is a good omen from my perspective.
Did USA soften stance on North Korea after it abandone weapons test.Did USA soften stance after Maduro wins elections.Did USA soften stance after Crimea re unite with Russia.
Did USA soften stance on Assange.
How can you release a missed person ? The person is missed !!
This US statement is seeking out to do two things; firstly, attempting lay blame for a missing US citizen on Damascus, despite reality the individual was either engaging in existential war tourism, or a military field operative liaising with and/or directly assisting the FSA factions, and traveled to conflict environment of own free will, and secondly, attempting to draw Damascus into a diplomatic catch-22, in what would likely become an expanding and goal-shifting series of US demands, always linked to suggestion of future normalized relations, with each US request designed to be more difficult or impossible for Damascus to achieve. The purpose of this whole exercise – for US to maintain its ongoing public narrative of Syria as the belligerent bad guy – ie, US can publicly state, irrespective of what Damascus does or doesn’t do in response, that US has offered Damascus a process and latter has refused to participate or fully take required steps. It is just a two pronged US public relations trap for Syria.
Maybe Assad should separate a bucket of mixed grain into its individual components too? Or find a goose that lays golden eggs? Or rescue Zelda?!
The best thing the world could do right now is just cut that mid-Atlantic cable, and down communications with the American entity.