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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
Gov. Richardson secures hostage aid
2008-04-28
CARACAS, Venezuela, April 27 (UPI) -- New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said he has persuaded Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to intervene to help secure the release of three U.S. hostages. "President Chavez has agreed to try and help," the Democratic governor said.

Richardson met Saturday with Venezuelan officials who agreed to let the former presidential candidate negotiate with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia, or FARC, to release three military contractors -- Tom Howes, Marc Gonsalves, and Keith Stansell -- held since 2003.

Richardson engaged FARC and Venezuelan officials in January and said the agreement from Chavez will allow negotiations to move forward, the Santa Fe New Mexican said Sunday. "I'm going to try and engage the best I can to secure the release of these hostages to promote the humanitarian accord," he said.
And himself for Obama's vice-president ...
The Bush administration backed away from negotiations to free the hostages, saying it is against U.S. policy to negotiate with terrorist groups.
There's a reason for that. Think about it, Gov ...
Posted by:Steve White

#6  That's great, Bill. Your next mission, since you seem to find being governor of New Mexico boring, is to find out who killed Biggie and Tupac...
Posted by: tu3031   2008-04-28 14:03  

#5  Chavez is FARC's biggest supporter. Sucking up to him only encourages them.
Posted by: DoDo   2008-04-28 11:19  

#4  New Mexico's legislature finishes it business by the end of March, Bill's got to find something to do since he dropped out of the Prez race. I don't think they stick Ritalin in the water in Santa Fe, so he's got to do 'something'.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2008-04-28 09:24  

#3  How many Democrat Senators are their currently illegally engaged in diplomacy?

Time to start charging them.
Posted by: Excalibur   2008-04-28 09:14  

#2  "We could scoop up Jimmuh, John Kerry, Richardson, Jesse Jackson and many other useful useless, traitorous idiots."

Fixed that for ya', Rambler.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2008-04-28 01:42  

#1  FARC is listed as a terrorist group, right, so it is considered to be hostile to the US. Too bad there isn't some kind of law that prevents private citizens from negotiating with hostile groups.
Oh wait! The Logan Act. Of course. Too bad it hasn't ever been enforced. We could scoop up Jimmuh, John Kerry, Richardson, Jesse Jackson and many other useful idiots.
Posted by: Rambler in California   2008-04-28 01:36  

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