NCJ Number
143357
Journal
Sea Power Dated: (February 1992) Pages: 45-46
Date Published
1992
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article outlines the lessons learned from terrorist hostage-taking in Lebanon.
Abstract
With the exception of one or two of the hostages, all were unarmed and easy targets due to their failure to take adequate security precautions, including making their personal schedules unpredictable. Only four of the American hostages seized since 1984 had justifiable reasons for being in Lebanon. Most placed themselves at risk in the face of U.S. government warnings that they were in danger. This suggests that U.S. passports should be invalidated for travel to dangerous areas and that consideration should be given to seizing the passports of Americans who willfully defy U.S. government travel restrictions and warnings. The hostage episode lasted as long as it paid the hostage-takers to hold their captives. They were released only when the governments of Iran and Syria believed it to be in their interest to repair relations with the West. U.S. policy toward hostage-takers should be conceived out of an objective assessment of the strategy most likely to be effective in securing release of the hostages. As long as U.S. foreign policy is at all restricted by concern for hostage safety and as long as media publicity and the complaints of hostages' families pressure the government to make concessions or take dangerous risks, then the hostage- takers are likely to keep their hostages. A policy of working quietly behind the scenes and refusing to make the hostage issue an ongoing media event proved to be successful under the Bush administration. Efforts should be made to bring the hostage-takers to justice. If there is only positive potential and no negative consequences for hostage- taking, it will continue whenever it suits terrorist groups.