Times Chronicle & Public Spirit

President Biden, where is the action on Austin Tice?

- By Tony Hunter Chairman and CEO, McClatchy Tony Hunter is chairman and CEO of McClatchy, a local news company in 30 communitie­s.

Ten years. An American, a veteran U.S. Marine, a man who became a foreign correspond­ent so that his fellow Americans would know what was happening in Syria, has been missing for 10 years.

President Joe Biden knows about Austin Tice. So did President Donald Trump and President Barack Obama.

Some of them engaged; none of them with apparent results.

Trump’s team said it had evidence that Tice, who worked as a freelance correspond­ent for McClatchy before his capture, was alive. The administra­tion sent its hostage envoy to Damascus to gather informatio­n about him.

Biden’s team — after some prodding — agreed to allow Austin’s parents, Debra and Marc Tice, to meet with the president in early May.

In that meeting, the Tices say the president asked his team to get a meeting with the Syrians and find out what they want and to work with them to get Austin released. It’s three months later, and little has changed.

Biden has issued a statement calling on Syria to bring an end to Austin’s captivity and to work with his administra­tion to bring him home.

“There is no higher priority in my administra­tion than the recovery and return of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad,” the statement read. “We must name them, keep them in our hearts and minds, and make recovery and return a priority.”

Statements like these are encouragin­g, but words do not amount to action. We need to see actions and results.

If the U.S. government has evidence of Austin’s whereabout­s and circumstan­ces, it is beyond time to pull out all the stops to reach a solution. That starts with direct engagement with the Syrian government — not working through intermedia­ries or back channels.

For a decade, Austin Tice has been missing from family gatherings, from holidays and celebratio­ns — from moments big and small.

As a father and grandfathe­r, my heart breaks for Debra and Marc Tice. They deserve better from their president, from this government.

To my colleagues in the press, do not let Austin Tice be forgotten. Keep asking tough questions and demanding answers until the administra­tion takes action and makes his release a priority.

And to the president, step up and insist your team find a pathway to Austin’s release. Bring Austin Tice home.

 ?? ?? Marc and Debra Tice, the parents of Austin Tice, who is missing in Syria for nearly six years.
Marc and Debra Tice, the parents of Austin Tice, who is missing in Syria for nearly six years.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States