US Hostage Policy Review To Focus on Family Communication - East Idaho News
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US Hostage Policy Review To Focus on Family Communication

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Getty 042415 PhoneCall?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1429910019514iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) — The White House is looking at ways to better communicate with the families of American hostages held overseas, as part of its broader policy review in the wake of the killing of two innocent civilians by a U.S. drone strike.

“There is a premium on clear, direct, specific, regular, reliable communication with these families, and that can be difficult when you have a wide range of agencies that are involved in those conversations,” Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters at the daily briefing on Friday. “The effort is to try to streamline those communications, to make that a communication more effective and more sensitive to the needs of these families.”

As part of this effort, the White House is seeking input from the families of those who have been held hostage.

“Throughout this process the administration has been committed to incorporating the viewpoint of families that have been unfortunately involved in this process,” Earnest said. “We have, on the front end, solicited some input from families of those who have been held hostage.”

One option on the table is the creation of a “fusion cell” to coordinate responses and enable a “whole-of-government response” to overseas hostage situations.

Earnest suggested that this cell could be an alternative to the idea of a “hostage czar” that some, including the Weinstein’s congressman, have proposed.

 “I’m not in a position where I’m ruling out the creation of a hostage czar. I’m just pointing out that the proposal that’s being discussed right now is one that’s — that is in pursuit of a similar goal, but with a different composition,” he said.

Earnest did not offer a timeline for this review, but said families would have an opportunity to offer feedback based on their own personal experiences.


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