OPINION:
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a presser on Sunday that so far, zero Americans captured by Hamas terrorists and dragged into Gaza have managed to escape — or have been released.
Of course not. To Hamas, these are high-dollar items. And they know this administration will pay to play.
Emboldened by a Joe Biden presidency that made clear, just a few weeks back, that the going rate per American hostage release is about a billion bucks, plus change, a head, these Hamas terrorists know a good thing when they’ve got it. U.S. prisoners are golden eggs to terrorists.
Why release when you can sell?
“Five things to know about the $6 billion Iran deal now back in spotlight,” The Hill wrote a few days ago.
The piece went on to report how the deal, announced in August, traded five Americans for five Iranians — and then some.
“Five innocent Americans who were imprisoned in Iran are finally coming home,” Biden said in his August announcement.
And as The Hill noted, “In return, five Iranians held in the United States were also allowed to leave and — crucially — $6 billion in previously frozen Iranian assets was freed up.”
All the terrorists go cha-thing.
Since, and because of mounting and massive backlash, this White House has insisted the $6 billion has actually not been released — no, not a penny has been released — and that it’s safely tucked away in Qatar. Or South Korea. Or in some lockbox somewhere — like the kind that keeps America’s Social Security funds safe and secure.
Regardless, it’s a stupid line of defense.
After all, terrorists know that if the money’s there, then one day it will be theirs. It’s only a matter of time; it’s only a waiting game; it’s only until the eyes of the world turn aside to some other crisis and then, wham, bam, the money will be released. Perhaps it will come in the middle of the night at some airport somewhere, via a suitcase of cash.
It’s been done.
“US sent plan with $400 million in cash to Iran,” CNN wrote in 2016.
More details, please?
“The [Barack] Obama administration secretly arranged a plane delivery of $400 million in cash on the same day Iran released four American prisoners and formally implemented the nuclear deal, US officials confirmed,” CNN reported in August 2016. Still more?
“President Barack Obama approved the $400 million transfer,” CNN went on.
The precedent has been set.
Democrats will deal with terrorists.
“So far,” Sullivan said on NBC, The Hill reported, “we have not been able to get American citizens through the border crossing and I’m not aware of anyone else being able to get out at this time, though I cannot fully confirm that because it’s a dynamic situation.”
Of course, no Americans have been released. Hamas sees money in those Americans and opportunity in this White House.
Once terrorists know dealmaking is a possibility, they won’t let go of their high-dollar hostages without securing a lucrative deal. This is the dangerous, disgusting, despicable doing of the Democrats. A strong president, a strong administration, would strong-arm the terrorists, not the other way around — not allow the United States to be strong-armed by the dregs and scum of society.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “Lockdown: The Socialist Plan To Take Away Your Freedom,” is available by clicking HERE or clicking HERE or CLICKING HERE.
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