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Hostage Situation Unfolds at BP Oil Field

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    Former CIA Operative Mike Baker on the hostage situation in Algeria.

  • Duration 4:37
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-- news to bring you a tense situation in Algeria where hostages are being held headed beast heat and gas field.

Americans are among those being held and the US confirms a drone is being used in the skies above to monitor the situation we're lucky -- -- Mike Baker here he's in our go to guy and he's such a situation send former CIA.

Operative -- up operated I believe in Algeria in the past we've had a number of conflicting reports already today in in his what -- definitely a fluid situation what's going on with these -- is just the what's your take well I mean it's reflecting induced because there's very little coverage right now and it's a really remote region -- -- -- This is -- a part of Algeria.

That is kind of a waste land that's about 600 miles or so from the Mali border in -- been in the news recently -- gotten in the news a lot sooner because some problems.

So this is all -- -- connect nothing happens in a bubble in this region.

The that did the Algerian Army has been fighting extremists for years and years and years had a operations out there as there was the ninety's and it was -- incredibly dangerous place to be.

Because the Armed Islamic Group idea was out there fighting the army and you lost hundreds of thousands of lives.

Now what that means is that in a way.

Not to be -- this with the Algerian Army is very good and they're very effective -- very aggressive because they've been dealing with extremism for a long time.

They came to grips with the extremists at a certain point and they tried to assimilate them into society.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has been operating.

At the same time in Algeria for years now.

And other extremist groups so this has been a hot -- of of extremism for a while that's always escaped because we've.

SATA -- is fretting and worrying about Afghanistan Afghanistan hasn't been a hotbed of al-Qaeda and extremism for years.

So we've misdirected.

This now -- look at Libya.

Libya fell Gaddafi was overthrown.

Weapons were everywhere.

-- they made their way down to Algeria with a lot of the insurgents that -- fault in the Libyan fighting.

A lot of those made their way down the Molly took over the northern part of that country so you could see -- what I'm trying to say is.

Nothing happens a bubble it's all very literate so you know plants involved in -- and well and in France comes in the Molly takes unilateral action -- we're trying to decide what to do.

And you know now we're providing some assistance in terms of if you know air support not not combat -- support but would troop movement.

Some surveillance assistance and the it leaders of this hostage taking situation at this.

Gas plant that's jointly operated by -- Norwegian companies to -- a little BP.

-- they have said very directly this is because of the French involvement.

And foreign involvement in Mali.

How does this progress Mike is this going to be an isolated situation how does the US.

Prevent this from happening going forward would we do as a nation right well.

First what you can't stop trying to negotiate with the with the with some of these individuals of people that are involved in this are are hardened extremists they've been around since the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan -- -- -- cut their teeth.

In this.

And they've been involved in a variety of kidnappings there there are French hostages and -- right now.

But.

Kidnap and ransom.

In Algeria and moving into northern Mali -- that's been a big business for quite some time the fellow who's been responsible for this particular incident now that we're covering up has been around for a long time it it's rumored that as lieutenant again -- -- borrow.

It might have been killed in the Algerian military -- initial assault.

-- the facility but the bottom line with the French involved.

As a set nearby and Molly that potentially drags us into a situation costing the United States that we didn't wanna be in.

Another American citizens involved because the you know one as you say is connected to the other so.

With what could get involved in China will we get we we could get involved.

The likelihood is it yes -- already involved in Mali and providing some of the support you know electronic communications and surveillance and other things and in some intelligence.

But I I'd I don't know so I think that's a bad -- because this is where the problem is cut again for years we've been bring in not having a discussion Afghanistan saying why is it still on national security interest we routed al-Qaeda in spring of 2002.

You know I think frankly a -- of nation building we need to be thinking of how how al-Qaeda and how the extremist elements operate how they -- how they adapt.

And we need to be a little bit more thoughtful and surgical and going after -- shall we have to go after them.

In in -- a we have to go after them and limited weighs on the talking about building a democratic society and any of these countries anymore I think that's simple good that we're good at tactical strategic missions are C.

My -- and military and a lot of other organizations just might get might -- -- I could maker.

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