Where is Austin Tice?: A meeting in Muskat
Summary
This episode investigates the US government's failed efforts to recover journalist Austin Tice, who has been missing in Syria since 2013. Reporter Josh Baker interviews former hostage envoy Roger Carstens and Syrian diplomat Imad Mustafa to reveal secret negotiations in Muscat, where the US considered withdrawing troops from oil fields in exchange for Tice’s return. The Syrian regime, led by President Assad, refused to discuss Tice’s fate, prioritizing geopolitical leverage over diplomatic resolution. The story highlights the internal conflicts within the US administration regarding hostage…
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