Captive American Warren Weinstein feels 'totally abandoned and forgotten'

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: CNN

(CNN) -- Saying he feels "totally abandoned and forgotten," kidnapped U.S. government contractor Warren Weinstein called on President Barack Obama to negotiate for his freedom in a video released by al Qaeda on Christmas.

The 72-year-old Weinstein was abducted from his home in the Pakistani city of Lahore in August 2011.

In the 13-minute video provided to the Washington Post, Weinstein appeals to the President, Secretary of State John Kerry, the American media, the American public and finally his family.

"Nine years ago, I came to Pakistan to help my government and I did so at a time when most Americans would not come here," he said. "And now, when I need my government, it seems I have been totally abandoned and forgotten."

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/26/world/asia/pakistan-captured-american/

[atreides1]

1. "And remember Mr. Phleps..."

"As always, should you or any of your I.M. Force be caught or killed, the Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions."

[mbperrin]

2. Perhaps if people would stay closer to home to help solve some of our own

problems instead of taking high-paying jobs inside overseas danger zones, there'd be less of this.

I feel for Mr. Weinstein, but I also feel for the thousands of troops posted overseas, the prisoners at Gitmo, all the children killed in all military actions in the world at any time, and many others who are victims of money-making wars.

[Sunlei]

3. what CORP did he contract for and why is the CORP silent? private companies made massive profits,

how many other employees have the war profiteers abandoned in foreign countries? Pay a ransom for this man Cheney, you can afford it.

[Sienna86]

4. He assumed a risk when he took the position

The US government takes the position of not negotiating with terrorists. The company he worked for assuredly made huge profits. Perhaps they can pay the ransom. Maybe that should have been in the contract this gentleman signed.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. That was the Bush government back then, eh?

Wonder what J.E. Austin Associates, a world wide contractor, is doing about their employee.

[notadmblnd]

6. Shouldn't the hired gun's company be fighting for his release?

[penultimate]

13. You realize that not all overseas contractors are "hire guns", right?

In fact, this guy wasn't anything like that. He worked for this company http://jeaustin.com/

Do you believe that if someone goes overseas as something like a telecommunications engineer, management consultant, or whatever, that they are fair game? I will say he must have known the risk he was taking when he went over there, but that doesn't mean he's a horrible person by default and he should just STFU and die.

[cheapdate]

7. "Weinstein was employed by J.E. Austin Associates Inc.,

a U.S. consulting firm based in Arlington, Virginia, that is a USAID contractor. He is a world-renowned development expert, according to the company's website."

As already mentioned here, I'm sure his company was billing the government many hundreds of dollars an hour for his work. Weinstein was, I'm sure, being very well compensated for his time, surely at several times over the rate of pay that we give to public sector employees in this country.

I don't want to sound callous, but he knew the risk and assumed it willingly with the expectation of great financial reward.

[Kelvin Mace]

8. You went there to make money

not "serve your country".

Certainly you don't belong in prison, but certainly you don't expect anyone from a country run by corporate oligarchs to rescue you? They see it as one less person to split the money with.

[Jesus Malverde]

9. Sounds similar to the Howard Levinson case...

I wonder if they are related. Levinson was said to be in tribal areas based on one of the released hostage videos.

[lunatica]

10. I keep thinking about who is holding the camera

Al Qaeda released this tape. He's saying what they want him to say which seems to me to be their way of not being forgotten, not his.

I feel a great sadness for him, but we shouldn't forget that he's in Al Qaeda hands and they aren't known for being humanitarians. Especially to Americans.

[Orsino]

12. Sad though his captivity is, i read the release of the video...

...as al-Qaeda saying they feel forgotten, and won't president Obama please negotiate with them? They hold an uncomfortably warm potato.

[Comrade Grumpy]

11. Wow, not a lot of sympathy for this guy.

[cheapdate]

14. I've got sympathy for this man, but...

he undoubtedly knew that the job entailed a high level of risk, which he was willing to accept in exchange for a high level of compensation. I have sympathy for slain US State Department employee Chris Stevens, but as Secretary Clinton pointed out, Stevens was well aware of the risk and was willing to accept the assignment anyway. Lisa Ling knew the risk when she was arrested by the North Korean government. Her objective presumably was to increase American's awareness and understanding of the world beyond our borders. She knew the risk and paid a price, not as high a price as Weinstein, but a significant price.

I have sympathy for all three of these people, but each of them had a different mission. Ling (increase awareness and understanding), Stevens (national service), Weinstein (billable hours).

I don't know exactly what Weinstein's employer J.E. Austin Associates Inc. was in Lahore, Pakistan to accomplish on behalf of USAID, but they're not the Peace Corps.

Sorry.