[sgt101]

If I were the French government and Frédéric Pierucci were taken hostage why would I give a flying somethingorother. What leverage did the USA gain from holding this man? Ok, if they had taken Macron's daughter, or a bus full of french school children I might buy it... but a energy company exec?

Indeed (to steal wording from the Wikipedia article) if I had been in charge in France and really thought this was happening I'd have taken some hostages of my own ! They would have been arrested on drugs and sex charges, I'd have had the security services fabricating lots of juicy stuff etc etc etc.

[light_cone]

When you imprison someone until they become a spy in the company you're trying to buy, do you really think there is no outcome where you might gain leverage?