Friday, June 23, 2017

Bill Richardson: America’s hostage negotiation strategy is broken



"The blame is theirs. The lesson for us is that America’s hostage negotiation strategy is broken."


The following op-ed from Bill Richardson, former governor and US Ambassador to the UN, shares his thoughts that are worth reading and coming to your own conclusions. There's some interesting overlaps with our work in crisis/hostage negotiation, especially in terrorist incidents. Specifically check out the last section of the snippet below:


Otto Warmbier was laid to rest June 22 by his loving family in their town outside of Cincinnati, nine days after he was brought home in a coma after 17 months of imprisonment in North Korea. The North Korean government described him as a prisoner of war, so by their own definition, his death is their absolute responsibility, pursuant to the Geneva Conventions. That the North Korean government kept him in an unresponsive state without proper medical assistance constitutes a crime in terms of international law and flouts common decency.

The blame is theirs. The lesson for us is that America’s hostage negotiation strategy is broken.
I’ve helped rescue hostages from around the world and from North Korea, specifically. In 1994, I negotiated the return of downed Army helicopter pilot from North Korea and the remains of his co-pilot. In 1996, I helped bring American Evan Hunziker back from North Korea. I, and the team at my center, worked for 15 months to try to gain Otto’s release, including a visit to Pyongyang in September.
...First, we have to recognize that time is no longer neutral. In past instances, all that mattered was working toward an outcome, no matter how long it might take. But urgency must be the new norm if we’re to have a chance at curtailing the physical and mental abuse that prisoners can face, particularly when dealing with unpredictable actor

Read more from Bill Richardson's op-ed at the Washington Post [HERE].

Monday, June 19, 2017

NTOA Annual Crisis Negotiation's Conference



  • Access to over a dozen courses, debriefs and breakout classes
  • Two-day trade show with more than 200 vendors
  • Food and drinks at the two-day trade show
  • Breakout classes at the trade show
  • Private function at Arizona Diamondbacks Baseball game Sponsor by Vista Outdoor
  • Tactical Conference Opening Ceremony with keynote speaker
  • Welcome Reception networking event on Monday night
  • Custom Voodoo Tactical Backpack
Get more information by visiting the NTOA site [HERE]. 

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Melbourne Terrorist Attack and Hostage Situation


The innocent employee fatally shot during a terror attack at a Melbourne apartment building yesterday has been identified as a father-of-one who recently got married. 
Police are investigating whether the Somalian-born Roxburgh Park man deliberately lured them into a deadly ambush after it was revealed he had booked a female escort, whom he took hostage, and triggered an alert on his tracker.
The 29-year-old suspect, who was on parole, was holed up in one of the ground floor apartments with a shotgun and the female escort, and called the Channel Seven newsroom, stating: "This is for IS, this is for al-Qaeda".
The subject was shot and killed after he exited the location shooting at police officers with a shotgun. Two officers were shot and are hospitalized.

Read more at 9News.com.au [HERE].  



As the situation unfolded, the 9News reporter earlier said: "There is a man holed up in a Bay Street apartment who seems to be holding another woman against her will."
They said police had flooded the area to reports of explosions or "loud bangs" - but police were negotiating trying to bring the situation to a peaceful end, but the situation was "very volatile"

Read more from Mirror.co.uk [HERE].