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I’ll Give You Dozens of Terrorists, You Give Me One Journalist, OK?
Pajamasmedia/Faster Please - Ledeen ^ | July 12th, 2009 | Michael Ledeen

Posted on 07/15/2009 9:00:47 PM PDT by nuconvert

It’s a bit more complicated than that, but the bottom line is that we are turning loose Iranian terrorists in exchange for the release of Roxana Saberi, plus, probably, three British hostages. The first payment arrived today in Tehran, to a triumphant reception. Ugh.

The terrorists in question are officers in the Iranian Quds Force, the foreign arm of the Revolutionary Guards Corps. They were captured in Irbil, Iraq, in January, 2007, as the “surge” was getting under way. A few weeks earlier, other Iranians had been arrested in Baghdad. For our military leaders, it was an open and shut case. The Iranian military officers had been involved in several operations in which Americans had been killed, and, even though they claimed “diplomatic status,” the evidence against them was thoroughly convincing. One American official who saw the documentation at the time told me “they are not just enemies; they’re criminals.”

Nonetheless, from the very beginning, powerful American officials argued that the Iranian terrorists should be handled on an “arrest and release” basis, because to hold them for any significant length of time would enrage the mullahs. As the New York Sun wrote editorially:

On one side are the Central Intelligence Agency, which has flubbed nearly every assignment it’s had in this war, and the State Department, whose very DNA seems to make it incapable of supporting a hard line. These agencies are arguing that the Iranians will escalate their war against us if the captives are not returned.

On the other side are the Marines, special operations forces, and the Army, all arguing that the risk is too great if these men are at large.

(Excerpt) Read more at pajamasmedia.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: iran; ledeen

1 posted on 07/15/2009 9:00:50 PM PDT by nuconvert
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To: nuconvert

Where is the outrage? Does the majority in this country have any fight left in them? Will they stand for anything?


2 posted on 07/15/2009 9:11:03 PM PDT by PLKIng
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To: nuconvert

Can’t remember if it was the irbil 5 or Asaib al Haq network that was responsible for the Karal massacre, it was one or the other. They all killed Americans. If GW had done this the msm would be on it like white on rice, but now,...crickets chirping.


3 posted on 07/15/2009 9:13:38 PM PDT by Eagles6 ( Typical White Guy: Christian, Constitutionalist, Heterosexual, Redneck. (Let them eat arugula!))
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To: nuconvert

These terrorists have surely helped kill innocents, and we are leaving them free to do so again.

The commie lib reporter did something illegal in a rouge nation, and we get her out in exchange.

She should be given life in jail for this.


4 posted on 07/15/2009 9:15:12 PM PDT by ConservativeMind (The UN has never won a war, nor a conflict, but liberals want it to rule all militaries.)
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To: PLKIng

There is no outrage left among the greater public. Only individuals like you and I are sitting isolated, seething...


5 posted on 07/15/2009 9:53:08 PM PDT by steel_resolve (My salvation lies in his love and forgiveness)
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To: All

A Look at Iran
http://www.truthusa.com/IRAN.html


6 posted on 07/15/2009 11:20:14 PM PDT by Cindy
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To: steel_resolve

Sadly, I am afraid you are right.


7 posted on 07/16/2009 2:43:36 PM PDT by PLKIng
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