It only matters what hostage takers, in this case Iran, call it and they call it a ransom. If kidnappers think it's a ransom, you can bet there will be more kidnappings.
Iranian leaders claimed in January that the payment was indeed a ransom.If you're an American working overseas, for God's sake watch yourself. I'll just echo the standard advise to step up your situational awareness, and try to stay in groups where you can watch each others' backs. The obvious potential is for Iran themselves, but any of their sycophants like Hezbollah or even "lone wolves" (I'm getting to hate the phrase) could start grabbing Americans for dollars.
“This money was returned for the freedom of the U.S. spy and it was not related to the [nuclear] negotiations,” Iranian Brig. Gen. Reza Naqdi told Fars News, a mouthpiece of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in January.
And Putin tells them "Screw with US, and you'll ALL die!".
ReplyDeleteI never, ever, EVER thought I'd agree with anything the Soviet leader said.
The world is truly upside-down...
Putin is not the "Soviet" leader, drjim. He is the Russian leader. And there is a YUUUGGGE difference. These days, Russia is more capitalistic than the US. We are instead largely fascist.
DeleteYeah I realized that right after I hit "post".
DeleteGrowing during the Cold War causes me to call things by their old names!
It still may not matter what the Iranians call it either. Do you believe any lying word that comes from them? Those guys will mindfu*k with Americans in any number of ways just because they can and the time is ripe for doing so. Not that I mind or put it beyond Obozo to do so, but still. You have to consider the source.
ReplyDeleteWhen dealing with the Iranians, it's wise to keep in mind this is where chess was invented. Always expect sacrifices, forks, pins and other techniques. Layers upon layers.
DeleteOn the other hand, it doesn't matter much what Iran officially says either. What matters is what the guy with a gun in his hand in Kandahar, or Brussels, and a shot at kidnapping an American hostage thinks. If he thinks America is in the business of paying ransoms, he's more likely to try to get in on the action than if he thinks kidnapping an American gets him a 3AM visit from special operators.
Remember when ISIS beheaded James Foley, that American reporter they captured? Scuttlebutt is they asked for $100 Million, which the administration (in a rare example of not having their heads completely up their butts) didn't pay. That's what got him killed. $100 Million is essentially what we paid per hostage for the four that Iran released. In a totally unrelated move, of course. No ransom here. Nothing to see. Move along, move along.
What's in a name? A rose or a s***load of money?
ReplyDeleteIt's still negotiating with terrorists.
Period.
gfa
my thoughts exactly
DeleteIf I remember correctly back in the late 70's to early 80's our people and even Russia's people were being kidnapped and tortured in Beirut. Russia sent in a team of Spetsnaz and the hunted down and captured everyone responsible for murdering one of their KGB (including killing their family members) and they did it in some gruesome and horrible ways. Russia openly and officially stated that from now on that is how they would deal with anyone harming Russian citizens. The Russians were never troubled in Beirut again.
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally (hah!) I noticed last week or the week before, one of the sides in Syria shot down a Russian helicopter and played Blackhawk Down with the crew. Again, by the strangest coincidence, the very next day there was a chlorine gas attack in that city. Of course, they were quick to say it was "rebels" or something.
DeleteImagine that.
It's not a "ransom" unless this country's "Law Enforcement" and its "Legal" system say it is a "ransom".
ReplyDeleteSeen any sign of that?
When there is no Rule of Law, it works BOTH ways.
Why is the upper left blurred out? What is in that area (given there is a protocol for stacking money in a country-to-country money drop). It just looks odd.
ReplyDeleteThis is a screen capture from Iranian TV, and I just thought there was something there that someone in control didn't want to be seen.
DeleteAs for who and why that was, I don't have a clue, but this same image was on all the news shows I see.