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Is Biden Paying Iran for Hostages?

Posted on Monday, May 3, 2021
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by AMAC, Robert B. Charles
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IranIran is now reporting – after first revealing, John Kerry disgorged vital information endangering U.S. policy and allies – that Biden is privately seeking to buy the release of U.S. hostages with seven billion dollars in U.S. taxpayer dollars. If true, this would not only be another outrage – but illegal.

While Biden’s team says “there is no agreement to release” the four American hostages held by Iran, the White House does not deny negotiations or money on the table – perhaps in some disguised way – to buy the hostage release, contrary to U.S. law.  See, e.g.,  https://news.yahoo.com/biden-administration-denies-report-prisoner-151926945.html.

The law is clear – America does not pay terrorists for hostages, period. The reason is obvious. If the U.S. paid money for American hostages, more would be taken.  The deterrent to taking U.S. hostages is that the U.S. will never – ever – buy them back.  See, e.g., https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/part-I/chapter-113B; and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_negotiation_with_terrorists.

Ironically, Democrats went ballistic in the 1980s when they saw a 1981 arms sale to Iran as an unlawful quid-pro-quo for Iranian intercession to release hostages held by the terror group Hezbollah in Lebanon.  See, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran–Contra_affair.

Notably, while the so-called Iran-Contra dispute got more complicated, adding possible national security council violations tied to support of freedom fighters in then-Communist Nicaragua, the initial charge of buying hostages back was vigorously denied by Ronald Reagan – and his case was made, Democrats eventually conceding.

Said Reagan – in a nationally televised address: “The charge has been made that the United States has shipped weapons to Iran as ransom payment for the release of American hostages in Lebanon, that the United States undercut its allies and secretly violated American policy against trafficking with terrorists – Those charges are utterly false.”

Reagan went on to say: “The United States has not made concessions to those who hold our people captive in Lebanon. And we will not. The United States has not swapped boatloads or planeloads of American weapons for the return of American hostages. And we will not.”

Interestingly, while then-Senator Joe Biden eventually defended Reagan’s position – admitting no hostage buying was afoot – he initially was loudest to attack Reagan.  Biden said that if Reagan tried to buy hostages from Iran, it was illegal – and “if. the president is lying, he’s finished …He is absolutely finished.”  See, e.g., https://theintercept.com/empire-politician/biden-iran-contra-investigations-reagan/.

That was then; this is now. One must wonder what the former Senator might say to his present self if aiming to sneak seven billion taxpayer dollars directly to Iran to release four hostages.  That would appear an unambiguous violation of U.S. law and policy.

The question is sharper in view of Obama’s 2015 Presidential Decision Directive (PDD-30), which stated:  “Our longstanding commitment” is “to make no concessions to individuals or groups holding U.S. nationals hostage,” noting “this policy protects U.S. nationals and strengthens national security by removing a key incentive for hostage-takers to target U.S. nationals and by helping to deny terrorists and other malicious actors the resources they need to conduct attacks against the United States….” See https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/06/24/fact-sheet-us-government-hostage-policy.

Can there now be any question that Iran is a “malicious actor,” “hostage-taker,” and “terrorist” nation?  No, the State Department is clear. “Designated as a State Sponsor of Terrorism in 1984, Iran continued its terrorist-related activity in 2019, including support for Hizballah, Palestinian terrorist groups in Gaza, and various terrorist groups in Syria, Iraq, and throughout the Middle East.”  Iran has acknowledged support for terror.  Biden’s State Department has not changed the policy – nor is there any basis too. See https://www.state.gov/reports/country-reports-on-terrorism-2019/iran/.

So, to point a fine point on it:  If Biden’s White House, National Security Council, State Department, or any agent of the Biden White House – including self-absorbed John Kerry – negotiate dollars for hostages with Iran, dare to pay money to Iran – in any guise – for release of hostages, they are in violation of clear laws, established precedents, and longstanding national policy.  If that happens, even if the Department of Justice is unwilling to investigate Kerry’s release of operational information to Iran, this should trigger a clear, direct, immediate investigation.

America does not pay terrorists to release hostages, period.  No disguise can muffle, justify, obscure, or excuse such an outrage – if it happens.  If Biden moves in that direction, the law should fall on him – and whoever advances this action.  As Trump made clear, the right policy toward terrorists is to go after them.  That deters terrorism, hostage-taking, and those who would support either.

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Don
Don
3 years ago

At last! Obama has lost standing as the worst president in our nation’s history!WHAT A PAIR!

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
3 years ago

This explains that plane of cash under Obama?
Bomb Teheran OR free our hostages, Hit Iran nuclear test sites & missile sites

O'Reilly Joseph
O'Reilly Joseph
3 years ago

The real question is: Is the Obama 3.0 administration (aka *iden WH) trying to pay off Iran for hostages AGAIN? The leftists are in charge and *iden is a meat-puppet. With Rice back ‘advising’ and the treasonous liar Kerry engaged, no path is too low, too dishonorable or too illegal. They are ruling by diktat and fear neither the law nor their reputations. When you have no honor, you have no reputation to lose.

Jesse F Tiede
Jesse F Tiede
3 years ago

I understand the need for CIA types to be in Iran, to keep an eye on things, but, anybody else who is there, and gets caught by the Iranians deserves what happens to them! Do stupid things, like go to a Fascist country, get stupid prizes, like prison or execution…

Stephane
Stephane
3 years ago

Remember, this is “bo the TRAITOR”‘s THIRD term!
Here we go again!

Tim Thompson
Tim Thompson
3 years ago

Biden is taking up the gauntlet to allow Iran access to American taxpayer money and support. Clearly giving our enemies aid and comfort a clear treasonous action without congressional approval and a continuation of letting Iran survive our actions against them by Trump. Biden needs to face an investigation, Obama got away with it by a plane load of cash that nobody knew about until after the fact. This is a criminal enterprise by the Democrats who must know he’s doing it.

Linda
Linda
3 years ago

Investigation my ass. I’m tired of years of investigation snd no one is actually held accountable. It just goes away.

Ron Howard
Ron Howard
3 years ago

John Kerry should should be ashamed to show his face, and should retire. He has been involved in far too many government acts that have harmed America.

Myrna S Wade
Myrna S Wade
3 years ago

It is amazing that Biden’s administration wants Kerry on-board at all.
I think Obama already paid Iran for hostages so it is not surprising if Iran expects Obama 2.0 to do the same.
Right now the democrats think they can get away with anything and they will try anything they ever dreamed about doing. I hope enough citizens pay attention.

Kyle Buy you some guns,and learn how to shoot
Kyle Buy you some guns,and learn how to shoot
3 years ago

John Kerry should ask Teresa fpr a job making Ketchup.

Brenda Lee
Brenda Lee
3 years ago

The fleecing of America is happening people. If China Joe and Kamel Toe Harris can steal an election and get by with it. Then they’ll not have one moments thought to breaking other laws.

Frank
Frank
3 years ago

Illegal for republicans to pay for the release of hostages… not democrats… entirely different set of rules

GKP
GKP
3 years ago

Biden is a Scum Bag and Kamala is a Quack Sleaze Ball/// Neither show up at the Border and NEITHER show up in SPACE//Who voted for these 2 LOSERS//

Lorey
Lorey
3 years ago

Tats almost 2 billion a piece for the hostages. They must be politicians relatives. They aren’t worth a wooden nickel. I’ll send them a $100.00 2 keep them over there

Hal
Hal
3 years ago

To this day, I still don’t understand why a huge majority fraction of Americans didn’t get extremely angry at Obama and the DemoncRats for dumping all that palleted money in Iran. That was a gesture of pure Un-American foolishness! But the media by-and-large just smoothed over it.

Carlo
Carlo
3 years ago

The TERRORIST OBAMA IS PAYING IRAN. OBAMA FORMER ADVISER VALLERY JARRETT, WAS BORN IN IRAN, AND SHE WANTS TO PROTECT IRAN . OBAMA HATES ISRAEL AS MUCH AS IRAN DOES.

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