Hostage as an after thought
Iran set pre-conditions before they entered into the much-ballyhooed negotiations which gave them much of what they want. Apparently, the US negotiators set none. Now, the President has asked Iran politely to release American, Robert Levinson, held in prison by Iran since 2007. According to the Washington Times;
The White House asked Iran “respectfully” Tuesday to return American Robert Levinson, the longest-held U.S. hostage in history.
Just days after reaching an accord with Iran to lift economic sanctions in return for tighter nuclear inspections, the White House reiterated its commitment “to locate Mr. Levinson and bring him home safely to his family, friends and loved ones.”
“We respectfully ask the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to assist us in securing Mr. Levinson’s health, welfare and safe return,” the White House said.
Yeah, I would have asked for his release “respectfully” before giving Iran the farm, but, you know, that’s just me. Come to think of it, I probably wouldn’t have been respectful at all. I’m pretty sure that Iran is holding Levinson so they can get more stuff either from our government or a nice fat ransom from the family. Either way, the president missed his opportunity to secure Levinson’s release before the holidays.
By the way, some of the former hostages taken in Iran and released in 1981 after 444 days in captivity have weighed in on the deal with Iran says Associated Press;
“It’s kind of like Jimmy Carter all over again,” said Clair Cortland Barnes, now retired and living in Leland, N.C., after a career at the CIA and elsewhere. He sees the negotiations now as no more effective than they were for the Carter administration, when he and others languished.
Retired Air Force Col. Thomas E. Schaefer, 83, called the deal “foolishness.”
“My personal view is, I never found an Iranian leader I can trust,” he said. “I don’t think today it’s any different from when I was there. None of them, I think, can be trusted. Why make an agreement with people you can’t trust?”
Schaefer was a military attache in Iran who was among those held hostage. He now lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., with his wife of more than 60 years, Anita, who also takes a dim view of the agreement: “We are probably not very Christian-like when it comes to all this,” she said.
Category: Terror War
“Why make an agreement with people you can’t trust?”
We do it all the time. In exchange for placing people in Congress and the White House, we trust that they will do what is best for the country, be faithful to campaign promises, and be honest and decent while employed on our behalf. That’s the agreement.
Yes, but listening to people who were taken hostage when Carter sat in the Oval Office would mean that bodaprez would have to take time away from admiring himself in the mirror.
The loud laughter you hear is someone giggling at the misues of the word ‘respectfully’.
Ooo! Freudian slip. ‘misues’ should be ‘misuse’. Not enough caffeine.
Neville Chamberlain is up in heaven saying, “Finally!! Someone more ignorant than I am will take away the shame of being the worst negotiator in history”
negotiating from a position of weakness, such brilliance.
Well, in the 2008 campaign he did promise to negotiate with Iran without preconditions. How sad that the few campaign promises that weren’t lies are disastrously bad for the country and the world.
normally in negotiations, you set the terms before the deal and afterwards the only applicable phrases are “that was not addressed” and “well, if you want to start over…” This is typical of the incompetence displayed in the Iran SOFA negotitations, the negotiations with Karzai, and so on… Someday they’ll get something right and I’m gonna keel over with the Big One.
@6 You don’t have to worry about the Big One, David. This administration cares nothing for American lives, and they only negotiate to benefit our enemies.
When have the Iranians proven themselves trustworthy to begin with, and when HASN’T B. Hussein 0bama been anything other than a narcissistic pathological liar?
How in the whole wide world do you Demos expect them to honor this treaty when their Koran tells them they can lie ,make treaties etc. . The Koran tells them , it is no offense/sin to lie to non-mulin people .My apolgies for the runon sentence. The arrontantence of this Chicago sytle admin. and any one of us chould do a better jobs than this heap of dumbassess in power.