A famous line from action movies, particularly ones involving steely-eyed and impossibly suave agents of the government and barbaric terrorists trying to do harm to civilians, is the action hero saying. “we don’t negotiate with terrorists” when the enemy tries to seek terms. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of America’s relationship with the terrorism-sponsoring state of Iran.
Such became obvious yet again when the United States announced that not had it negotiated with Iran, but that it plans a prisoner swap with the prominent state sponsor of terror and to “unfreeze” some $6 billion in funds that the state will now be able to withdraw and Iran, in turn, will release 5 Americans it is holding prisoner.
News on that came from National Security Council Spokesperson Adrienne Watson. According to Watson, Secretary Blinken last week managed “to ensure Iranian funds could move from one restricted account to another and remain restricted to humanitarian trade.”
Watson then admitted that the goal of that step was to find some way to get Iran to release American prisoners, saying, “As we have said from the outset, what is being pursued here is an arrangement wherein we secure the release of 5 wrongfully held Americans. This remains a sensitive and ongoing process.”
Watson added, “While this is a step in the process, no individuals have been or will be released into U.S. custody this week. We have kept Congress extensively informed from the outset of this process – long before today – and we will continue to do so, including with additional already scheduled briefings this week.”
The Biden Administration clarified that Iran would not have free reign over the money, saying, “No funds are going to Iran directly. These funds will be moved to restricted accounts in Qatar, and the United States will have oversight as to how and when these funds are used.”
The move was still shocking, as even the Biden Administration admitted as recently as March of 2023 that “The actions and policies of the Government of Iran — including its proliferation and development of missiles and other asymmetric and conventional weapons capabilities, its network and campaign of regional aggression, its support for terrorist groups, and the malign activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its surrogates — continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.”
Predictably, Republicans were outraged by the news. Former President Donald Trump posted about the matter on Truth Social, saying, “So, lets get this straight! We did a hostage TRADE with Iran. We gave them 5 very tough, smart people that they desperately wanted. We likewise got back 5 people BUT, we also gave them 6 BILLION DOLLARS! How much of a kickback does Crooked Joe Biden get? Does anyone realize how much money 6 Billion Dollars is? When I was President, I got back 58 hostages for ZERO money. Remember Pastor Brunson? It sets a TERRIBLE precedent. Republicans, call out the 25th Amendment, NOW! Biden is INCOMPETENT!”
Similarly, Sen. Lindsey Graham said, “I am always glad when Americans are released from captivity. However, this agreement will entice rogue regimes, like Iran, to take even more Americans hostage. The ayatollah and his henchmen are terrorists and truly represent a terrorist state.”
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