Diane Foley: I feel our country let Jim down
When her son, journalist James Foley, was kidnapped in Syria by ISIS, Diane Foley, along with the rest of her family, became tireless advocates for his safe return. For 21 months, they showed strength and grace, even as they learned the very worst happened to him.
Diane Foley spoke exclusively to Anderson Cooper about the son she loved and the James Foley Legacy Foundation. She also candidly discussed her belief that the U.S. government did not do enough to bring James and Steven Sotloff home safely.
She explained the situation saying:
'Jim was killed in the most horrific way. He was sacrificed because of a lack of coordination, lack of communication, and a lack of prioritization.'
Watch part 2 of Anderson's interview with Diane Foley.
We invited the White House to provide someone to comment on Diane Foley's assertions, but they declined. However, during an interview with National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Wolf Blitzer asked about it. You can watch her response, along with Anderson's conversation with Dan O'Shea, a former hostage negotiator at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and Maajid Nawaz, a former jihadi recruiter.
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Post by: AC360 Filed under: ISIS • James Foley |
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@iec410, you sound like you have served. I am in total agreement with you on this and I can understand Mrs. Foley's anger but, I think it is misguided! I feel sympathy for the loss of her son and the horrendous way he died! Unfortunately his chosen line of work took him to areas that are not friendly to Americans.
This was the second time he was kidnapped. After the first time in Libya I would have changed professions! He was able to talk the Libyan militia into releasing him and he left the country. His irresponsible actions led to putting other mother's sons into harm's way to retrieve him! Is that fair to those mothers? It is not like he was taken off the street in the USA, he was in a war zone!
Her annoyance comment about how she felt the family was treated is true, by his even being in Syria throws an unneeded monkey wrench into the political situation that is already chaotic!
The ransom issue is a non-starter as it just legitimizes the kidnapping of Americans and encourages it to happen again. The EU member states kicked a hornet's nest when they started paying these ransoms for their citizens off the coast of Somalia. To take a hostage from the EU almost guarantees a big payoff for these people. I personally disagree with the Bergdahl swap, not because of his controversial status but; as it now set a precedence. If they take a service member then they can get their captured combatants people back! Again we have rewarded kidnapping....
I am truly sorry for the losses the Foley family and Sotloff family have had to endure but, both of those individuals were in Syria by their own choice. Our government is not responsible for the bad choices made by its citizens and the end results of those choices! It is time the entitled perspective goes away, and people need to take responsibility for their actions.
I feel sorry that this woman lost her son but the US did not send him over there. He knew the risk. Navy seals risked their lives to try to save him and she had this to say. I will just say she is in mourning but never say the US let her son down when he put himself in harms way.
This woman's courage and poise are astonishing. I would be so angry if I were her. I understand, and agree with, our country's position on negotiating with terrorists (the Bergdahl episode notwithstanding.) But to threaten prosecution if the family tries to raise a ransom is unconscionable to me.
tet1953...what is courageous for being in mourning. How about the mother who had her son shot down in cold blooded on the streets of Ferguson, was she courageous too? Elitist things when they lose a love one everyone must feel their mourning is special. Personally, this is not the time for CNN to even interview her. She came off as an elitist in your condemnation of the US. No one in the govt sent him there. When we travel outside of this country, especially in the Middle East, we put ourselves in harms way and don't blame the US when you get in trouble. Both men should not have been executed but ISIS is a vicious organization and the President is doing the best he can.
First of all the mother in Ferguson had a son who strong arm robbed a convenience store and threatened the store clerk (see video of robbery) Then he assaulted a police officer. When the grieving mother raises a criminal why should she be given press time-yet I saw her repeatedly interviewed as if he were just walking down the street and shot for no reason. James Foley was there to report on the suffering of the Syrian people at the hands of Assad. Foley was a decent person not a thief. He was there doing good not robbing a convenience store like that man in Ferguson. Second of all the President is doing the best he can- at fundraising for his Democratic cronies and improving his golf game and milking this Presidency for everything he can get. He is NOT looking out for the American people but for himself. The entitled American public elected someone who had little to no experience in government except as a community organizer for his present inner circle of Chicago political hacks. He does not know how to lead a state let alone a nation