Rescuing hostages from captors, who are frequently violent, is one of the hardest jobs in the world. Kidnapping is nothing new. It s been a fact of life since before recorded history, but kidnapping has a different face today as both domestic and foreign terrorists with political aims use it as a means of blackmailing governments and publicizing their causes worldwide. This book tells the story of the extraordinary men and women who with courage, patience, ingenuity, and psychological insight handle high-stakes hostage-rescue situations. Hostage rescuers regularly risk their lives to save the lives of victims. Rescuing Hostages explores this difficult, stressful world in which innocent people are ruthlessly used as bargaining tools. These highly trained agents are often a hostage s best and only hope. PUBLISHER S NOTE: Each title in this series contains a foreword from a noted security and antiterrorism expert who has served in the FBI, Marines, and police force, color photos throughout, and back matter that includes an index, chronology, and further resource lists of books and Internet resources. Key Icons appear throughout the books in this series, encouraging library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content-rich nonfiction books. Key Icons in this series are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are set in boldfaced type in that chapter, so that readers can reference back to the definitions building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Text-Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader s comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each chapter as well and provide readers with suggestions for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. Educational Videos provide links via QR codes to online video content that gives a multimedia dimension to the topics. And a Series Glossary of Key Terms is included in the back matter containing terminology used throughout the series. Words found here broaden the reader s knowledge and understanding of terms used in this field.