Ransom for captives?

[Rajoo]

Facts from Wiki:

On January 12, 2016 two United States Navy riverine command boats were seized by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy after they entered Iranian territorial waters near Iran's Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf. Initially, the U.S. military claimed the sailors inadvertently entered Iranian waters due to mechanical failure, but it was later reported that they entered Iranian waters because of navigational errors.[3] The U.S Secretary of State John Kerry called the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif within five minutes. His call was followed by multiple other phone calls between the two ministers. The sailors had a brief verbal exchange with the Iranian military and were released, unharmed, 15 hours later.

Released 15 hours later and no ransom was paid.
Isn't it fun to rewrite history?

[Oerets]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Don't confuse him with the facts.

Facts just get in the way of the world view some choose to beLIEve.



Barney

[sheltiedave]

Whell, what do you personally think about the 1.3 billion in payments we still owe Iran?

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by sheltiedave

Whell, what do you personally think about the 1.3 billion in payments we still owe Iran?

He'll check and see.

[sheltiedave]

Whell....

Whell??...

Whell???.......

[sheltiedave]

The echo chamber is empty.

[Rajoo]

Originally Posted by sheltiedave

Whell....

Whell??...

Whell???.......

whell's computer is taking a dump.

[whell]

Originally Posted by Rajoo

Facts from Wiki:


Released 15 hours later and no ransom was paid.
Isn't it fun to rewrite history?

I can see where you might miss a few things if Wikipedia is your only source of news. The prisoners were released after an (coerced?) apology from one of the female sailors was aired on Iranian National TV, making Kerry look like a buffoon. http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/13/politics/iran-us-sailors/

Then after the sailors were released, a set of sanctions against Iran were magically lifted when it was determined that Iran was "in compliance". Right.

[whell]

Originally Posted by sheltiedave

Whell....

Whell??...

Whell???.......

Impatient aren't you?

If Iran continues behaving like they are now, I think we should take that money and do something useful with it. Here are some options which might work:

- build some nice playgrounds for kids all around the US
- use the money for alternative fuels research
- invest in domestic anti-terrorism programs
- upgrades / enhancements at US National Parks
- have Jimmy Carter build some nice habitat for Humanity houses around Tehran, each with an autographed "sorry about the Shah" letter accompanying the occupancy permits.

So in March and May this year, Iran test fired some medium range ballistic missiles. The US has sanctions in place against Iran's missile program, but Iran said screw that and fired them off anyway. So, while they continue to behave in a way that is contrary to our interests and in a manner that destabilizes the region, why give them more money that will likely go straight to their military budget?

[sheltiedave]

There is a big difference between "give" and "return," Whell. We are required, by law and by arbitrated legal judgement, to return their money. Oy vay.