if there had been an opportunity to pay a ransome quietly, it should have been done. whether that existed is still unclear, but certainly a few million dollars is worth paying to avoided a terrorist group being able to do that and gain that propaganda value. governor, does it mean it is no longer the negotiator verses the hostage, but now there are other party whose are stake holders in the outcome of these encounters? yes, there is i do believe that social media, especially when the beheadings, those cruel beheadings of the americans and the britts, this does put more pressure on policy makers on american british policy makers. the whole world is watching and everyone is clammoring for a response. this gives our intelligence agent wees with their sophisticated efforts, i hope, a detecting and finding out where the social media is emanating from, additional tools to find out about their location, their motivations. the fact that we were able to aid ofie the killer of james folly, or the british were able to, but my point here, ray, is yes, there's an array of new play

abandon it's no ransome policy, stay with us. you are watching inside story. today on the program, a look at u.s. policy regarding the negotiations for release of american hostages. it is the official policy of the united states not to pay ransoms demanded by captain tors. we are taking a closer look at that policy and other parts of it this time on the program. joining us, former u.s. ambassador, and governor of new mexico he has l has led negotiations around the world. matthew advantage dine, who was held hostage a friend of james foley, he was held in libya at the same time as his friend james, and zachary goldman, director of law and security at new york university school of law. let me start with you, you heard dianne talk about how in the dark the family was for much of the time of james' captivity, are hostages themselves just as much in the dark? i am sure it varies from case to case, but were you aware of efforts to win your release. >> when knives libya, i was essentially a prisoner of war. i had been captured on a reconnie sans mission, but no i had

does not pay ransom to terrorists. the families of american journalists were reportedly advised by someone in the white house they could be prosecuted if they tried to pay a ransom. three of the four americans had been beheaded. the latest was a 26-year-old aid worker who was dedicated to helping victims of the syrian civil war. one american female aid worker remains captive. 15 others were released after their governments paid ransom. an average of $2.5 million according to the "new york times." should the united states reconsider the policy of not paying ransom? joan wallace and sarah short is a visiting scholar at uc berkeley. she was held prisoner in iran for 410 days. i want to get to you in a moment, sarah. joan, what should be united states policy when someone there in the islamic state or anywhere in the east say we want x number of millions of dollars for the safe release of someone. >> i think we need to stick with the policy we have around ransom. i think isis is stitting on $125 million because they were ab

from ransom and ki kidnap for ransoms a source of funding. >> a strong statement dependence paying ransom, we seem to know european countries are secretly paying them. i couldn't even get david cohen to take a strong position of official censure against these positions, i assume there are back conversations going on not to pay them or paying them indirectly. >> as you mention there was a big discussion at the d-8, previously there was clearly a u.n. resolution that was passed on this matter. so i think it's something that publicly everybody signs up to. i think the bottom line is, when you have got families knocking on the door of your government in paris or in germany or in austria, it's difficult to say no. >> so -- and the discussion of president obama says we are going to have about how we handle hostages, i mentioned there's nobody i've heard from who says it's likely to change. the policies about ransom are likely the change and if the policy is not going to change what about negotiating would change to allow the release of u.k. or u.s. hostages? >> well, it's interesting, to note i

government does not pay ransoms.nofficial policy, though, and this is what jim foley's mother was talking about, when a family or organization wants to pay ransom for decades the u.s. government has turned a blind eye and what happened in the foley case, they were warned that it is -- and it is technically illegal, paying ransom to a designated terrorist organization is material support to a terrorist organization and the foleys, again, for the first time it appears in many years, were warned that they could be breaking the law, that has to be clarified. so that's one thing that could help in terms of what comes out of the review. >> david, you and i have talked about this. we've seen the images of european hostages who were released by isis earlier this year. ransom was paid through intermediaries. isn't the real problem, at least as far as the u.s. government is concerned, former isis prisoners released because of ransom, isn't the real problem in the view of the president that european allies continue to pay ranso

>> paying ransoms, we're making it clear to other organizations we're willing to pay ransoms only puts american citizens at greater risk. >> we will talk to the mother of james foley about what grieving parents want from the president. >>> and the battle for jerusalem. that's what israel's prime minister says is at hand after a deadly attack on a synagogue. still, the faithful remain. >> we're staying here, we're not moving anywhere. we're going to have to move on with our life. this terrorist attack is not going to change anything. we're going to continue with our life. >>> good day, everyone, i'm andrea mitchell in washington. and we begin with that record-breaking deadly snowstorm crippling western new york state with as much as 6 feet of snow in only 24 hours, trapping hundreds of vehicles on impassable roads. lake effect snow falls are routine in this part of the country but nothing as dramatic as this prompting the twitter #buffalosnow trending worldwide with photos like these. could even more snow be heading their way. mike bettes has managed to dig out and has the latest from h

isil did not pioneer kidnapping for ransom. it's been around for thousands of years and other terrorist organizations including al qaeda's affiliate in yemen and north africa also rely and ransom as a key revenue source. as i've said before kidnapping for ransom is one of the most significant terrorist financing threats today. for isil, these ransom payments are irregular but each one can be a significant boon. this spring i so released capture journalists and other hostages from several european countries. in return according to press reports i so received several billion dollars in payments. all in all isil has taken in at least $20 million in ransom this year. third, like its predecessor al qaeda in iraq, isil raises money up to several million dollars a month or a sophisticated extortion racket. in iraq and syria isil extracts payments from those who pass through, conduct business in and seek to live in territory where it operates. in the iraqi city of mosul for instant isil tears are going home to home business to business

there was no ransom offered.there was no ransom paid. >> but kirby acknowledged there is a gray area in u.s. policy. the pentagon or c.i.a. will pay for sources for the whereabouts and conditions of u.s. captives. >> on occasion to obtain information sometimes in the field there are--there are such exchanges. that's a fact. >> in britain the government is seeking to stop british insurance companies from r reembursting families of hostages. >> i'm delighted that it's being revisited. all i would ask is that families be invited to the discussion. >> diane foley said that while her son was being held she faced a bureaucracy where no one was accountable. >> there as period to be no one who could share information for us or advocate for jim's situation. so it was a very lonely experience. >> the white house said that the review will focus on how the u.s. government manages itself in hostage situations and how the many agencies involved communicate with the families of the victims. many of whom say they feel abandoned

to pay ransoms. but is there anything to stop the parents or the family members of these victims from raising the money themselves? legally, i guess. >> any part of a negotiating process is really establishing communications channel. it's communicating with those that are presenting the official negotiators on behalf of isis. there are many individuals within the local region which inevitably have presented themselves as supposedly a spokespers spokesperson. as you want to call it, ambassadors for them. it can be discussed or entered into dialogue with to try and effect any kind of concession but ultimately for any family to take this individually or independently would be fraught with all sorts of potential difficulties. the negotiation process is complex, even when you're organized with or arranging these processes with a group that's highly organized and is professional. as we've seen with other criminal groups around the world. it is a money-making exercise for them in many respects. when it's es

the military was in the business of paying ransom for bo this year, and was a ransom paid. >> no, a ransom was not teamed. >> so there was no attempt for his release involving the fbi and supposedly going to the border of pakistan and afghanistan? >> well, i certainly can't speak for other agencies in the government, but speaking for the defense department, no ransom bags wade for bowe bergdahl or an it attempt for release through a ransom. >> and you talked about how the military has at times paid significant ransom for information, and was there money paid respect to bergdahl, and ransom in. >> well, i don't have any indication as i said earlier that that was the case in the bergdahl situation, and it is a fact that in the past, we have used money as an incentive to get information to help our operators in the field. and that's a practice that has occurred. but again, i don't have any indication that that was done in this case. >> turning to iraq, the reports that the iraq governor of mosul was killed in an airstrike on wednesday, and where are we in leadership? >> i can't confirm those

does not pay ransom to terrorists.ey said the feds threatened to prosecute them if they tried to pay a ransom for his release. james foley was the first american hostage the militants bee headed in august. analysts say isis still control large parts of iraq and syria and investigators say all three of the americans isis kill has gone missing in syria. >>> the islamic state is reportedly holding another american hostage, 26-year-old woman, after somebody kidnapped her in syria. >> john bussey is with us here. they've never killed a woman on camera. >> what happened today at the white house, they talk about this program they undertook in the summer to address this issue, and the issue is more pronounced because there are more are more hostage-taking. what did they decide to do? they decided they're going to work on coordination between agencies, which still get in the way of each other in terms of communicating, the fbi, defense department, cia, and other agencies, and they're going to do a better job of communication wi

to pay ransom for captured americans. and all the evidence shows that where and if a country is paid a ransom there are many more people who are taken hostage. >> according to the u.n. security council's counte counterterrorism committee, including between 35 and $45 million to i.s.i.l. republican representative duncan hunter has accused the u.n. joint special operations command of leaving a botched effort to capture beau bergdahl, held by the hakani organization, designated a terrorism group by the u.s., quoted sources as saying a payment was made to an afghan medi media intermediary. >> there was no ransom offered, there was no ransom paid. >> but kirby acknowledged there is a gray area in u.s. policy, the pentagon or cia will pay sources for information about the whereabouts and condition of u.s. captives. >> on occasion to obtain information sometimes in the field there are such schaingts. exchanges. that's a fact. >> in britain the government is seeking to stop, tree hostages to terrorists, review of its hostage will

they don't want to contribute to the $45 million a year that isil earns from hostage ransoms. but there is a loophole. jamie mcintyre has the report. >> the u.s. says flatly it will never pay ransom to secure the release of those kidnapped by isil fighters. but it did trade soldiers for bowberg dal. you. >> before isil fighters beheaded james foley, he watched other hostages being released. >> the united states has set a heart-ending but necessary example by refusing to pay ransom for captured americans. all of the evidence shows that where and if a country has paid a ron some, there are many more people taken hostage. >> according to the security council, . >> hunter in a letter to outgoing defense secretary quoted sources as saying a payment was paid to an afghan intermediatary who disappeared with the money and failed to negotiateberg dal's release. j. >> on occasion to obtain information sometimes in the field there are such exchanges. that's a fact about in i. >> the white house says the review of its hostage policy will not change its stand on ransoms. >> i am so delight

while i understand that we can't pay ransoms, i have been with them and while i don't feel their pain, i have seen the evidence of it. you are in a tough position but i want you to do all that you can, please, please do all that you can to try to get these people who are being held hostage returned home safely. is a balancing act, it is contrary to what our policy is and i understand this but we have got to do everything we can to prevent these dastards from performing the dastardly deeds that have been shown worldwide. if you could, please, kind sir, kindly give some indication as to the balancing act, what we are trying to do to make sure this mother gets her son returned home safely. >> congressman, i think you put it beautifully and it is an incredibly difficult issue. i share your feelings that you describe the. i can't imagine the pain a family goes through in this situation. our policy is one, as you know, that is intended to protect americans by removing the incentive to take hostages in the first place and to not provide another source of funding to these horrific organizatio

doesn't pay groups ransom like -- ransom to groups like isis and we know that neither does the britishgovernment. we do know that some european countries do, however. those countries are believed to include germany, france, italy and spain. however, the foreign ministers of those countries have denied that they pay ransom to terrorists. we want to discuss this with the director of the allison center for foreign policy studies at the heritage foundation. first of all, i think we can both agree it's heartbreaking to see the press conference of peter kassig's family having to address the fact that their son has been brutally murdered. >> for any family to lose a loved one this way in such a horrible fashion in front of the whole world, it just tears you apart. >> it really does. but let's talk about the fact that now the president is said to be considering looking at this policy and reviewing it. where do you stand on this? do you think the no ransom policy is part of what should be reviewed or do you have concerns about that? >> well, i think that the review of the policy, all of our pol

a harsh policy to correct and don't pay ransom.e are undercut the even our closest allies who'd you pay ransom. when you pay ransom, matter how worthy the individual is your only guaranteed the there will e more kidnappings. how do you deal with these kidnappings? it is tough. as a young man, julius caesar was kidnapped by pirates, finally ransom doubt, he did the right thing, he went back and killed every one of them. when they kidnappings are on such a grand scale, $45 million involving beheadings, international threats, it is a military problem and the response has to be absolutely brutal. you kill them. martha: when you say that, i wonder what you thought when president obama said we need to review how the united states reviews when they're taken hostage in light of all of the beheadings that happened recently, what do you think he meant by that and what do you think he is contemplating? >> and you say you are going to review something that means i don't have any idea what is going on here. sure, obama wants to free the hostage

ordinary folks paying ransom to get files back. >> it's going to be warm this week. you'll find it hard to believe. i'll have the accu-weather forecast coming up in just a moment. abc7 news at 6:00 continues. hey john,whoa!k it out. yeah, i was testing to see if we really can turn any device in your house into a tv. and the tablet worked just fine. but i wanted to see if the phone would work as well. so i shrunk sharon. every channel is live just like on tv. but it's my phone. it's genius. shh! i'm watching tv. tiny sharon is mean. i'm right here. watch any channel live on any device around your home. download the xfinity tv app today. ( siren wails ) ( pop music playing ) ♪ when you're ready ♪ ready, ready, ready ♪ come and get it ♪ get it, get it ♪ when you're ready, come and get it ♪ ♪ na na na na ♪ na na na na na na na ♪ ♪ when you're ready, come and get it ♪ ♪ na na na na... female announcer: it's a great big world and it can all be yours. here and only here. ♪ come and get it. >>> a number of cities tracking down drivers stuck on intersections. abc7 news joins

sort of paying ransom.be kidnapped repeatedly to talk to our hostage takers. he had nothing to offer them, and he said that, and it took awhile but he con vevinced them that was the case that there was little they could get out of it and they let us go. isis is different. >> it is, and i'm curious about that too, when you compare your experience with your captors to what we're seeing right now from isis, when you look at that different, what do you see? >> isis is a new thing in this situation. we have not seen anything like this before. they're not only well organized and managed, but they're ruthless. how do you negotiate with someone like that. the fact is it is a guess, but we think the europeans paid up to $150 million to isis for hostages and that's a lot of money to get to a terrorist organization. this is not an easy decision to make. it's not an easy policy to hold. nobody really knows what you can do that is effective short of paying ransom, but do we really want to be funding them to the tune of

ransom payments. as i noted, one of the ways they have been funding themselves is through taking innocent civilians hostage, ransoming the people for their freedom. they have taken over $20 million in ransom. we are working to ensure that they no longer have access to ransom payments. there are - then the final, you know, piece of this is the extortion networks in iraq, where they are, you know, forcing people to pay up. the way, really, the best way to counteract that is not with treasury, it's with the tools of our counterparts in the iraqi security forces, in the coalition military, to push back i.s.i.l. from the territory where they are operating, and that will deprive them of the ability to extort funds. >>> coming up, turkey's complicated role in the battle against i.s.i.l., we look at n.a.t.o.'s muslim majority member that refused to commit troops to fight against i.s.i.l. and you'll hear what david cohen says about i.s.i.l. smuggling oil across turkey's border - including this... >> the issue

and the turkish president said no ransom was paid. the president of the united states said no ransom was paid. but there are a lot of different ways to compensate for someone. and i think it is kind of outside of isol's pattern here of releasing hostages even though you state they're using hostages to raise money. are you absolutely sure that there was no quid pro quo to releasing those hostages and isol? >> congressman, recognizing these are open hearings, i think this topic may be better addressed in a closed session. i can tell you it is the u.s. policy not to make a concession or ransom to any type of hostage-shaking terrorist organizations. we are very aggressive in our efforts to ensure that others around the world adhere to a similar policy. we believe that is the best way to protect all of our citizens is for everyone to adhere to no ransom policy. >> final question before my time runs out. what are the metrics that you use to -- in other words you have this plan you use. what are the metrics that indicates okay, we're being s

what is the difference between that and paying ransom?ankly, erin, i'm not here to justify that move. at the time it was disturbing. i understand the humanitarian urge to get our srgt bergdahl -- sergeant buergdahl break and evn though we did a slight of hand and worked through a third party, at the end of the deal we were giving up something in order to get an american returned. that was very discomfortable. >> and discomfortable because it does seem hard to understand one and not the other. if you are willing to do one -- it appears inconsistent to some. >> it is. >> but on the ransom issue. europeans held hostage by the same isis killers who beheaded americans said they were released for money. they talked about it. and diane folly whose son was beheaded by isis spoke to cnn about this. i want to show her takeaway from that. >> jim believed until the end that his country would come to their aid. >> other countries will pay ransom. other people will pay ransom so what does the u.s. accomplish by being the only ones who don't? >> two dyn

and the turkish president said no ransom was paid. the president of the united states said no ransom was paid. but there are a lot of different ways to compensate for someone. and i think it is kind of outside of isil's pattern here of releasing hostages even though you state they're using hostages to raise money. are you absolutely sure that there was no quid pro quo to releasing those hostages and isil? >> congressman, recognizing these are open hearings, i think this topic may be better addressed in a closed session. i can tell you it is the u.s. policy not to make a concession or ransom to any type of concession to hostage-shaking terrorist organizations. we are very aggressive in our efforts to ensure that others around the world adhere to a similar policy. we believe that is the best way to protect all of our citizens is for everyone to adhere to no ransom policy. >> final question before my time runs out. what are the metrics that you use to -- in other words you have this plan you use. what are the metrics that indicates ok, w

american law not only prevents the government from paying ransom, it bars its citizens for paying ransom, too. >> the united states has set a heartrending but absolutely necessary example: by refusing to pay ransom for captured americans. and all of the evidence shows that where and if a country has paid a ransom, there are many more people who are taken hostage. >> reporter: according to the u.n. security council's counterterrorism committee an estimated $120 million in ransom was paid to terrorist groups between 2004 and 2012, including between 35 and $45 million to i.s.i.l. republican senator duncan hunter hassing accused designated a terrorist organization by the u.s. hunter in a letter to outgoing defense secretary chuck hagel quoted sources by saying, a payment was made to an afghan mediintermediary. >> there was no ransom paid. >> condition of u.s. captives. >> on occasion, why to obtain information sometimes in the field, there are -- there are such exchanges. that's a fact. >> in britain the government is seeking to stop british insurance companies for reimbursing families while

by refusing to pay ransom for captured americans. all the evidence shows that where and if a country has paid a ransom, there are many more people that are taken hostage. >> reporter: according to the u.n. security council, 120 million was paid in ransom between 2004 and 2012. including $34 million to i.s.i.l. the pentagon's joint command is accused of a botched rescue plan. hunter, in a letter to outgoing defense secretary chuck hagel quoted sources as saying: it's an allegation that the pentagon denies. >> i tell you, i said this before, there was no ransom offered. there was no ransom paid. kirby acknowledged there is a grey area in u.s. policy. the pentagon or c.i.a. will pay sources for information about the whereabouts or condition of u.s. captives. on sayings, to obtain information in the field, there are - there are such exchanges. that's a fact. >> in britain the government is seeking to stop companies paying ransoms. the white house says its review of the hostage policy will not change. families want other changes. >> i'm s

there was no ransom paid.s no money exchanged at all to secure sergeant bergdahl's release. nor was there an attempt to do so that failed. >> you'll remember the president released five top taliban prisoners from quaguantanamo bao secure bergdahl's release. congressman hunter, we learned, received an answer from defense secretary hagel in writing on november 21st. it said, again, no ransom was paid for bergdahl's release. gretchen. >> very interesting. all right. jennifer griffin with the latest on bergdahl. thanks much. >>> we're still waiting on that turkey situation, but it's not happening yet at the white house. so we'll bring that to you when it does. in the meantime, have you made it to grandma's house yet over the sxhilz through the woods? i hope so. >> with the president's action on immigration, he once promised no benefits for those illegals, right? turns out that's not entirely true. we'll tell you why those illegal immigrants could get a handful of state benefits like medicaid and even social securi

million ransom.th that kind of money without a kidnap insurance policy. ransoms aside, some of the groups they want that image. the image they keep sending with the propaganda videos. no amount of ransom is going to do anything otherwise to bring those people back grabbed by a group like isis or isil. >> thank you. for more on the story and others check out cnn.com. >>> just ahead i'll talk to former nfl defensive end marcellus wily who says that nfl trainers and doctors pumped him full of powerful pain killers to keep him playing and didn't tell him about the dangers. alright, so this tylenol arthritis lasts 8 hours but aleve can last 12 hours. and aleve is proven to work better on pain than tylenol arthritis. so why am i still thinking about this? how are ya? good. aleve. proven better on pain. then boom... what happened? stress, fun, bad habits kids, now what? let's build a new, smarter bed using the dualair chambers to sense your movement, heartbeat, breathing. introducing the sleep number bed wi

ordinary folks paying ransom to get files back. >> it's going to be warm this week. you'll find it hard to believe. i'll have the accu-weather foreca coming up in just a moment. abc7 news at 6:00 connues. ♪ ♪ first impressions are important. you've got to make every second count. banking designed for the way you live your life. so you can welcome your family home... for the first time. chase. so you can. oh chris, did you remember to pay the dog sitter? oh, i knew i forgot something. i'll just do it now. well, we're boarding. no, i'll use citi mobile. it takes two seconds, better safe than sorry, right? yeah, who knows if we'll even get service on the island? what! no service? seriously? you guys might actually have to talk. to each other? we do it all the time. i like it. should we? no. bank from almost anywhere with the citi mobile app. to learn more, visit citi.com/easierbanking >>> a number of cities tracking down drivers stuck on intersections. abc7 news joins us live with the details. carolyn? >> they're talking about it today. this is what they're talking abou

my feelings are ambivalent on this topic of kidnapping for ransom. it is my understanding that isil has received as much as $20 million. i also understand that this undercuts the goal of eliminating their access to funds if we -- if we don't take a strong position on these kidnappings. my feelings are ambivalent because i have a constituent who has a son who is being held captive. we're not sure who is holding her son captive. but i visited with this mother and father. and i know that they want their son returned home safely. and while i understand we can't pay ransomes, i have been with them. and while i don't feel their pain i have seen the evidence o them. and while i don't feel their pain i have seen the evidence of it. and you're in a tough position. but i want you to do all that you can, please, please do all that you can to try to get these people who are being held hostage returned home safely. it's a balancing act. it's contrary to what our policy is. and you understand that. i understand this.i understanu . but we've got to do everything th

and knowing that organizations can extract ransom from the united states. if they take a hostage only puts american citizens at a greater risk.cfé >> ifill: some relatives of beheading victims have urged the government to do more. the review may consider whether to let the families offer to pay ransoms themselves. >> woodruff: the national football league today suspended minnesota vikings star adrian peterson for the rest of the season, without pay. he's pleaded "no contest" to a texas misdemeanor charge of striking and injuring his son with a wooden switch. the running back has not played in a game in two months, and today's announcement means he can't be reinstated until april at the earliest. the players' union plans to appeal. >> ifill: the forest service will permit limited "fracking" to search for oil and gas in the largest national forest in the eastern u.s. the compromise plan was unveiled today. it allows the process formally known as "hydraulic fracturing" to be used in the "george washington national forest", which covers parts of virginia and we

if she wanted them back she would have to pay a ransom. >> they actually called it a ransom. you have to pay a ransom. >> it is the work of an under world organization called cryptowall operating in russia or eastern europe. christina tried to open other documents and all were locked. 20 years of case files, bank records, tax returns, photos and letters. >> every one of them with the same pop up. i knew it was not a scwoak. >> some victims are paying upwards of $10,000 to get their files back. >> keith jarvis is investigating cryptowall as is the fbi. criminals in fect computers with a virus called ransomware that basically kidnaps files and holds them hostage. they have affected 800,000 computers worldwide since @-a quarter million in the united states alone. already victims have paid out more than $1 million in ransom. >> they will first charge you $500. that's if you pay immediately or within a few days. that's the price. if you wait a few more days, they will jack the price up to a thousand. >> they steer victims to this screen with a count down clock like this one. 95 ho

again, highlights the challenges of the american policy not to negotiate with terrorists through ransom payments. it is something european k countries have secretly chosen to do in engs change for the lives of their citizens. speaking in washington, d.c., this morning, secretary of state john kerry offered a stern defense of the u.s. policy. >> as for kidnapping, the united states has set a heart rending example for refusing to pay ransom. all of the evidence shows that where and if a country is paid a ransom, there are many more people taken hostage. >> ransom payments are not the only they have taken from europe. >> in addition to the british citizen known as jihad john, a man who has appeared in prior isis beheading videos, a frenchman and another man from wales are believed to be among the militants in the propaganda videos. they believe there is a strong possibility one of the militants was french citizen maxine ochard. in an interview with bfm telehe vision, he said he was expecting and hoping for death. from a personal point of view he said my objective is to be a martyr. followi

>> i felt the no ransom policy is better.se if the united states is the wealthiest state on earth, if you know we will pay ransom, that will put americans traveling just about anywhere at risk of countries so they can get ransom for us. i would much rather improve our ways of detecting what the people are and use military action to go after them as we have in the past. >> thank you so much. the judiciary chairman. >> running back adrian peterson is suspended without pay for the rest of the season. he will not be considered for reinstatement before april 2015 for violating the personal conduct policy. he was indicted on injury to a child in abusive december that he inflicted on his 4-year-old son last may. he pleaded no contest. in a letter, roger goodell said the timing of the reinstatement will be based on the results of the counseling and treatment program. the player's association is appealing the suspension. you are watching msnbc. listen to this sweet symphony of flavor. beautiful! gorgeous! here comes the fruitful cresc

because they know that they will not get paid ransom. it obviously does not work in every instance as the situation you're citing identifies. and reflects. but -- it protects our citizens over the long-term and as a whole. in terms of getting our citizens back who are held hostage, i'm sure you're aware over the summer there was a rescue attempt made to try and free james foley who was being held hostage by isol. it unfortunately, was not successful. but the fact that we will not pay ransoms or make other concessions to terrorists does not mean that we are leaving our citizens in the hands of these dastardly people. we try everything we possibly can ourselves and working with partners to free our hostages, short of conceding to their demands for ransom payments or other concessions. it is as you say an emotionally fraught difficult issue. but it is a policy that i think we need to employ ourselves and frankly we need to get our partners around the world to employ. because it is the the benefit of our citizens, ultimately. >> thank you, m

prosecute cases where family members or those trying to get individuals out of harm's way are paying ransom. they would decide not to charge them with material support to terrorism. that's something that the federal government can decide not to prosecute. >> reporter: what is not mentioned in the letter is the issue of ransom payment. it has long been u.s. policy not to pay. yesterday, secretary of state john kerry called that policy heart rendering, but absolutely necessary. >> all of the evidence shows that where and if a country is paid a ransom, there are many more people who are taken hostage. >> isis still hold, other hostages, including a female american whose identity has not been revealed. >>> a controversial pipeline faces a major political test today. the fate of the keystone xl project could come down to a single vote. susan mcginnis is in washington. susan, good morning. >> anne-marie, good morning. a bill approving the completion of this controversial pipeline has already passed the house. today, it's the senate's turn. and it is so close with supporters have some scrambling t

kidnappings and more ransoms. so it's sort of a vicious cycle. perhaps the best definition of a vicious cycle, carol. >> all right. joe johns reporting live from the white house this morning. >>> president obama is one senate vote away from a confrontation with congress over the keystone oil pipeline. just ahead of a runoff election, mary landrieu of louisiana says she now has the 60 votes needed to push the controversial pipeline forward. 15 democrats need to join 45 republicans in supporting the bill. who that 60th vote is remains a mystery. the bill, which passed the house last week, would take construction out of the hands of the obama administration. completely of the pipeline from canada to the gulf coast is waiting for a review that has lasted six years. >>> the state of missouri is now under a state of emergency. governor jay nixon making the declaration and activating the national guard ahead of the grand jury's decision in the shooting of michael brown. nixon says the st. louis police will lead the respo