Twenty-five year old Marine reservist, Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi has been held by Mexican authorities since March 31st when he says he accidentally crossed the U.S. border into Mexico. In his truck were most of his earthly possessions as he searched for housing in California. He also had in his truck, three legally registered firearms. He had recently come to California to receive treatment for his post-traumatic stress disorder after having served in the Marines for four years including two tours in Afghanistan.
There is a petition circulating asking for the Obama administration to become involved in release efforts. The petition needs 100,000 signatures. At my last count, there were 74,577 signatures. Why should we have to petition the Obama administration and Secretary of State Kerry to act on behalf of decorated Marine mistakenly incarcerated in a foreign jail? The White House Petition needs 100,000 signatures by the end of May for the White House to take action. If you wish to sign this petition, you may do so here: White House Petition: Demand Release of U.S.M.C. Sgt. Tahmooressi Suffering with PTSD from Mexico Imprisonment.
Not only has neither Secretary of State Kerry nor the Obama administration failed to act but not even an acknowledgment of the situation has been forthcoming. The only comment I could find of any type of acknowledgment came from State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf, who when asked if Kerry was aware of the situation said, “I can’t, unfortunately, get into any details on that. Obviously, if there’s something that needs to rise of the attention of the secretary, it will.” Obviously…
What is not obvious to me is why former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton could speak out in 2011 about American hikers who were imprisoned in Iran and President Clinton traveled to North Korea in 2009 to retrieve two television reporters but now we will not even acknowledge a case of one of our own Marines jailed in Mexico?
Ironically, Secretary of State Kerry is in Mexico this week attending diplomatic meetings. He has met with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and spoke to the staff of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. Among topics of discussion were unaccompanied children crossing the border into the U.S. There is no indication that the topic of the Tahmooressi case was ever mentioned.
My hope is that negotiations involving Sgt. Tahmooressi’s release are underway and that both Secretary of State Kerry and the Obama administration are involved but cannot comment due to privacy concerns. If not, shame on them…
Sources:
White House Petition: Demand Release of U.S.M.C. Sgt. Tahmooressi Suffering with PTSD from Mexico Imprisonment
Fox News: ‘I don’t think Kerry gives a damn’: Administration hammered for silence on Marine held in Mexico
CNN: U.S. Marine held in Mexican Prison on weapons charge; mom calls for release
