Algerians royally screws up rescue operation of kidnapped gas workers, many die

[Yreka]

If western foreigners choose to work at an oil processing facility overseas, then they know there is a chance that they maybe be killed by terrorists. They get paid extra for taking the risks. So sue the Oil company if they did not provide the security. Not my problem. Greed makes people take risks.

Aah the Death Star Contractor paradigm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQdDRrcAOjA

 

[randomrogue]

Aah the Death Star Contractor paradigm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQdDRrcAOjA

lol I have to watch Clerks again.

 

[poohbear]

Why? Why the constant need to fight in other people's countries when not invited?

The government there didn't want outsider help, that's their business. The people working there chose to go there knowing the risks of working under an incompetent government in a country with loads of violence. They chose the money over safety and lost that risk/reward decision.

This.

The government there wants to send a clear message to potential terrorists, "we dont give a damn WHO u take hostage, we'll kill all of u for terrorism". End of story.

I really think some of us can be hypocrites in the west, saying countries in the middle east are lax on terrorism, yet when of them is hard as rock on the subject we complain anyways.

To the idiot that said western specials ops have killed "far" more terrorists than Algerian forces, u DO realize the government had a decade long civil war with Islamists that left over 200,000 dead? Do a little research before u spout ur nonsense.

 

[Tango]

I can't imagine any of those people being tourists. Nobody goes to Algeria for tourism. They chose to be there for work.

Nobody? I traveled to Algeria three times in the last eight years.

(There is quite a lot of misinformation about all-things-Africa on these forums)

 

[StrangerGuy]

This.

The government there wants to send a clear message to potential terrorists, "we dont give a damn WHO u take hostage, we'll kill all of u for terrorism". End of story.

That is something I can approve of. Imagine how much more people are spared in the long run if terrorists realized they can't take hostages or hide within civilians because doing so will still get them blown to oblivion. Yeah, some innocents still have to die but that is the fault of terrorists, not the other side.

 

[Nebor]

This.

The government there wants to send a clear message to potential terrorists, "we dont give a damn WHO u take hostage, we'll kill all of u for terrorism". End of story.

I really think some of us can be hypocrites in the west, saying countries in the middle east are lax on terrorism, yet when of them is hard as rock on the subject we complain anyways.

To the idiot that said western specials ops have killed "far" more terrorists than Algerian forces, u DO realize the government had a decade long civil war with Islamists that left over 200,000 dead? Do a little research before u spout ur nonsense.

I don't think anyone is really complaining about how the Algerians handled the situation, are they? Some are saying they should have accepted our help, but that's about it.

You do realize we've been at war with Islamists for over 20 years and killed hundreds of thousands of people in Iraq alone, right? Though I don't think general warfare against a population relates directly to the efficacy of special forces in hostage rescue. I stand by my claim that Western special forces have killed far more Islamists and participated in far more hostage rescues than Algerian special forces.

 

[werepossum]

This.

The government there wants to send a clear message to potential terrorists, "we dont give a damn WHO u take hostage, we'll kill all of u for terrorism". End of story.

I really think some of us can be hypocrites in the west, saying countries in the middle east are lax on terrorism, yet when of them is hard as rock on the subject we complain anyways.

To the idiot that said western specials ops have killed "far" more terrorists than Algerian forces, u DO realize the government had a decade long civil war with Islamists that left over 200,000 dead? Do a little research before u spout ur nonsense.

I agree that the Algerian government probably intentionally went it alone to avoid looking weak to its people - although supposedly the terrorists were trying to escape with their hostages, so if true the Algerians would have had little time to make an attack. It's possible that Algeria would have loved Western advice or help, but in stopping the escape hostages were killed either intentionally or unintentionally and therefore the Algerians had to jump right at that moment.

Regarding your other point, not everyone fighting to establish an Islamic caliphate qualifies as a terrorist. Fighting a conventional civil war, or even a guerrilla civil war, is considerably different from executing a complicated take-down in a very large (both in numbers and geographically) hostage situation. The very fact that taking Western hostages for money is the biggest revenue source for Algerian Islamic terrorists argues against the Algerian military having a special competency in combating it.

 

[klinc]

I have a list of countries I will never visit under any circumstances barring sweeping political/cultural change. Algeria is on said list.

Frankly I say we show them the same courtesy, kindly (with no notice) send in Delta Force to do the job right and show them up in their own back yard.

And that is why the USA have never walked with their heads held high saying mission accomplish against armies using guerrilla tactics. Vietnam, Somalia now Iraq. Biggest and best equipped army with a huge budget and latest technology has no use in guerrilla warfare. Neither will kill ratio's.

 

[irishScott]

And that is why the USA have never walked with their heads held high saying mission accomplish against armies using guerrilla tactics. Vietnam, Somalia now Iraq. Biggest and best equipped army with a huge budget and latest technology has no use in guerrilla warfare. Neither will kill ratio's.

Oh we could win. We just lack the staying power because no one sees the point in staying. Especially when we could just keep some drones flying over, picking off anything mean that sticks its head too far out.

 

[Murloc]

I think that having foreigners help would have made the algerian army look weak willed.

Also remember that the screw-up happened when islamists were under siege and they tried to escape on a bus.
There was no way to get hostages alive out of that.

The SAS might have handled it better maybe, but look at what happened to the french in somalia against terrorists with ONE hostage. I don't think there was the possibility of a clean ending.