I would think there should be armed law enforcement protecting employees and contractors at overseas refining facilities.
I have some friends who work for Delta Airlines who flies to Lagos , Nigeria and apparently they stay at an armored compund on layovers and are not allowed to leave. Sounds like a place we should be doing business with.
Clarification/response: Not sure if they're armed, but I do know that terrorists "raided" the BP Oil Plant and have since held them hostage there, so if anything there's a concern about security within as opposed to around.
I never said that but my guess is Delta is paying for the security of their employees in a dangerous place that we are not liked. I doubt the Nigerian government is doing this out of the kindness of their heart.
Updates: -Algeria has surrounded the compound -Terrorists threatening to blow-up the compound -Report: Libyan accents -Report: They attempted to hijack a bus. That was unsuccessful, so they proceeded to raid the compound. -Confirmed: At least 3 American hostages and 5 British hostages; 1 dead Brit and 1 dead French; Uncertain whether dead Brit is one of the 5 (or if there are 6 British hostages).
I think the oil companies should have to provide their own security. There's no reason the US government or UN or anyone else should have to provide troops or armed officers to protect an investment for an oil company that is pretty much taking the resources from the country and keeping all the profits for themselves. I don't think it should have to come out of taxpayers' pockets. And fuck BP. Worst oil company in the history of oil companies. I really hope nobody else gets hurt or killed, but they should burn that place to the ground.
This isn't about protecting the oil company this is about protecting US citizens who were attacked on the ground by a para-military terrorist organization probably in retaliation for the French support of Mali. This has zero to do with protecting BP's oil interests. US citizens on vacation or working aren't fair game undeserving of their countries protection.
Many updates, details are murky but basically we know that 34 or 35 hostages were killed in a rescue attempt by the Algerian Government that did not consult foreign governments and 7 are still held captive including 2 Americans. BP has withdrawn all non-essential personnel from the country and the White House has released a statement saying that they're "seeking clarity" on the situation from the Algerian Government. Sad day.
Pretty much close to a 0% chance that any of the American hostages (or any of the other 7 still held) are going to get out alive. Very very sad.
These US citizens have chosen to work in harms way. At most the government needs to have a warning system for the area in place. There is no reason we should have armed soldiers at every oil and gas station in the world. If one chooses to work in a high risk / high pay area they are responsible for that not the tax payers. This situation is tragic, but it is not a reason to over react with a mandate to put more of our troops in harms way.
You can't protect everybody all over the world on an hour by hour basis. It's just not possible even if it was a good use of resources. The question of rescue/retaliation is an easier call and I'm sure that every administration since 1972 or so has had fast response teams ready to go on a moment's notice. In the case of hostages and terrorists even rescue/retaliation becomes less effective. That's where we are right now. It's not like the US has any way to ramp up the pressure on Al-Qaida and it's affiliates at this point. We're already going full steam there. We're probably not going to be able to rescue the hostages from a suicide team that has no way out. It's just a sad situation.
Too bad your joke sucked. Maybe you should have mentioned kindergarten kids. I have a concealed carry licence and regularly pack a small caliber handgun. That i am trained well to use. But, I have reason in my area to carry it. Then again, most of you would be safe in my presence if something unfortunate happened. Because you are like a bunch of big, fat, helpless children.
Sorry I missed the earlier post. We shouldn't provide armed guards for work but if our citizens are taken we need to step in and protect them. Working in Algier is not in harms way anymore then working in the WTC was. The US should respond to this attack on US citizens. How we respond is the trick.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton orders review of the security of American interests in Algeria and the region. This kidnapping hopefully represents a major shift in America's approach to the War on Terror.
Who implied that? Should a US taxpayer with a US passport have the support of the US government abroad? Who do you think is paying for our diplomatic corp and Army? WTF do we have them for if not to protect US interests and when are US citizens not part of that interest.
