eh
I almost hate myself for saying this, but while I wish that couple could be rescued, I'm not certain it's worth a complete policy u-turn especially if there is a private intervention happening. Whether the kidnappers get what they want or not, the government has to be seen to have clean hands on the matter which is why they'd allow a private intervention which saved the couple's lives, but not a public one that offers precedent
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 9:50, 1 reply, 16 years ago)

The government won't be seen to have clean hands
if they end up being executed in high definition.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 9:52, Reply)

Sadly they won't be the first
or I guess the last. There have been a rash of these sorts of kidnapping and ransoming over the past few years. Sometimes none of it makes the news in a big way. I feel that the chance of the execution is relatively low
( Amberl was stripey and dominated Europe, Tue 2 Feb 2010, 9:54, Reply)

The thinking behind it is
that if the government officially caves and pays a ransom, it creates a precedent and leaves itself open to future expectations of ransom paying.

I propose sending in the special forces to covertly drop a big box full of kitten on the pirate ship. That way the pirates will be distracted by the fluffiness, and the hostages can quickly escape.

The downside is, of course, the hostages themselves may be overwhelmed by the kitten love and thus not be able to make a break for it. Its swings and roundabouts, really.
(Spleep Shit, or get off the internet., Tue 2 Feb 2010, 10:03, Reply)