U.S.-led hostage rescues rarely successful, always dangerous

The White House said Monday the president has no regrets and no second thoughts about the failed attempt over the weekend to rescue an American held hostage in Yemen. Al Qaeda militants killed photojournalist Luke Somers and South African teacher Pierre Korkie as U.S. Special Forces were trying to free them.

The mission failed because the Navy Seals were detected just 100 yards short of their objective, giving the terrorists enough time to turn their guns on the hostages. It's a thin margin seen in nearly every rescue mission.

Criticism even in success

In 2008, American commandos snuck up on a mud hut in Afghanistan, killed two guards inside and emerged with an American named Al Geiser, who was hoisted to safety aboard a helicopter after 56 days in captivity.

Despite its success the mission was criticized by members of Geiser's own Mennonite church because human life had been taken.

Even the most spectacular rescues, like that of American ship captain Richard Phillips, are traumatic for the survivors. Held at gunpoint by Somali pirates in a tiny life boat, he did not see how the U.S. Navy could possibly rescue him.

"I thought the chances were slim to none that that would be successful," said Phillips.

Navy Seal snipers zeroed in on the bobbing target, picked off the pirates and Phillips emerged unharmed but not unscathed.

"I would be crying, in my room, on my quarters, crying like a little baby. And I didn't know why," Phillips told us, remembering the five days he spent in the life boat.

"They treated us like animals," she told Pelley. "You're laying in the fetal position on the ground under a tree and they don't care."

Navy Seals parachuted in to rescue her only after they learned she was dying of a kidney infection.

The threat of imminent death also triggered the unsuccessful attempt earlier this year to rescue American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff from ISIS, and the failed mission to snatch Luke Somers out of Yemen this weekend.

As long as the U.S. refuses to negotiate with terrorists, military rescue missions will remain the only option. They will also remain extremely risky, only sometimes successful -- and always an ordeal for the hostage.

Hours from freedom

In Korkie's case, the U.S. was not aware that private negotiations were under way for his release.

South Africa -- like the U.S. -- doesn't negotiate with terrorist groups, so it was left to a Muslim charity organization to try and free Korkie. They'd been negotiating for 18 months.

Last January, his wife Yolande had been freed. And this weekend the charity was hopeful that Korkie would also be released. A ransom of $200,000 had been agreed on -- down from $3 million -- and the charity had even sent a convoy of trucks to pick up Korkie and hand over the money.

They had no idea the U.S. military had just launched a raid to rescue the American hostage being held with Korkie -- in fact they didn't even know the two were together. It was a tragic ending: his wife had been told he'd be home for Christmas -- only to find out her husband had been killed.