Washington D.C. – The News & Observer, December 19, 2024
In the 12 years since Austin Tice was abducted in Syria, his family and his coworkers at McClatchy have grieved at his absence, despaired at silence from the Syrian government and prayed that promises from three U.S. presidents would turn into actions that brought Austin home.
Now, more than any moment since he was taken from us, we have a reason to believe that Austin may return. The government of Bashar al-Assad has fallen in Syria. Rebels and others are opening the gates of Assad’s many prisons, and the world is watching as captives walk from their cells to freedom. We hope the next one will be our colleague, Austin.
But that hope is also tinged with disappointment that President Joe Biden isn’t doing all he can to make that happen.
At this moment, journalists and non-governmental organizations are on the ground in Syria, traveling from prison to prison searching for clues to Austin’s whereabouts. The U.S. military, the FBI and the CIA are standing by should information surface.
But representatives from our State Department have not joined them. That includes Roger D. Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs.
“No U.S. government organization has been on the ground in Syria as of yet,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters this week at a briefing. Miller indicated that security was a concern and said that U.S. officials have been “in communications with groups on the ground in Syria.”
Miller was more blunt in another briefing this week: “No, there is no one there; there is no one on the way,” he told reporters. “We will continue to assess the situation and when we decide it’s appropriate to send personnel in, I’ll come out and make an announcement about it.”
Americans deserve better answers. Why is a president who said it’s a top priority to return American hostages not taking full advantage of this critical moment? The rebels who toppled Assad have said they would work directly with the U.S. government to help find Austin, and some reports indicate he has been moved regularly while in captivity, including perhaps being placed more recently in the basement of the Syrian Air Force intelligence building.
