Would you be pissed off if you were taken hostage?

Question

When people are taken hostage the governments always say that they won't negotiate with terrorists. A lot of people go out and die because they think they owe something to their country, yet if they get caught no one seems to do much apart from watch. If I got taken hostage and they did that I would be mightily pissed off. How about you?

Answer 1

I Think if Bush’s daughters got kidnapped by local or foreign terrorist the answer might just be different.

And getting pissed of is most likely

Answer 2

Putting the military and government aside, which is something I do regularly, most private companies including my own will have this covered for their staff that have to travel to unstable areas, and they will negotiate for the safe return of their employees.

I travel on business to the middle east (admittedly not in conflict areas), but kidnap can happen anywhere, my company provide up to $10 million dollars to negotiate a safe return for their employees. This is primarily provided by a 3rd party insurance company, but to avoid negative press, the company would probably top that up if it wasn't enough.

I would think it would depend on the organisation that does the kidnapping and what they are looking to achieve, glorified press coverage or funding. However the allure of ransom generally outweighs glorified press coverage I've been told, not sure how true this is though, particularly with organisations such as Al Quaeda.

If I were to get kidnapped, then I would want to be kidnapped by the organisations that were looking for funding rather than trying to make a point, I have a good chance of getting home that way.

So basically if you military personnel, then you are screwed, your governments think you are dispensible. Now, I'm not a big fan of the military, but isn't it sad that someone thinks my life is worth $10m and a soldiers life is worth nothing. Hmmmn.... the mind boggles.

Answer 3

Yea, I would really be pissed!! I would feel totally isolated and alone. Especially to know my country did not give a rats ba-tu-tie about me. I can understand the risk and why they do not give in, but it still does not change the fact of being taken hostage and thinking they might cut my head off like they did the first guys. That was SICK!! I watched the video on the internet and those guys suffered. No since in what they did.

Answer 4

The government is right to not negotiate with terrorists. They do a lot behind the scenes to secure a safe release of captives but it's a covert action that we don't know about. If I were taken hostage, I would be far too frightened to be angry. Anger might make me say or do something that would get me killed, so I would try instead to cooperate and pray, pray, pray!!!

Answer 5

I doubt that you would have any time to be pissed off. You would probable be to busy just trying to survive the ordeal. And these people who risk their lives don't do so in ignorance. They know full well what policies are in place as far as hostages go.

Answer 6

I would only be mad at my own government for pissing off someone so bad that just because I'm from this country that someone else would wanna even take me hostage that would make me think damn... things in my world aren't all peaches and cream

Answer 7

I wouldn't be pissed as much as I would be scared..But I get your point it is heart breaking to know our lives aren't worth a whole lot..I would feel hard at our goverment but I feel that way now..I want our soldiers home all of them..So being taken as a hostage is in most cases a very deadly situation..

Answer 8

Yup. I'd be hella pissed. But there is a lot of things people can do to avoid being in that situation. Like, if you are not in the military, stay the hell out of Iraq!

Answer 9

well, while they dont always negotiate with terrorists, they usually try to get a recon mission on the downlow..

i might be pissed at the people keeping me captive, depending on how bad the conditions were and what they were trying to get..

Answer 10

ya, but i'd never put myself into a situation like that. at the end of the day, you can put your neck on the line for your country, but they will do what works for them, not you.....my immediate family is the most important thing to me, so i would never willingly jeopardise that for anybody, or anything.