“We learned from the hostage crisis in the 70s that you don’t blow out the coverage of these people. It actually puts them in more danger”
Actually, just the opposite. The regime may hold onto them a bit longer, but they’re generally in less danger because the world is watching.
“Let the Iranians realize they won’t get any publicity out of this, and they’ll be more likely to let the objects of no worth, go quicker.”
Publicity is only part of why they like taking hostages. Western hostages are never objects of no worth. Iran always seems to get something for them - like getting back their IRGC members and supposed “diplomats” who were being held in Iraq.
At the very least, holding westerners gets them time and leverage behind the scenes.
“Iran wants this to be an international incident. “
Yes, that’s their preference.
“Let them play that game in a vacuum.”
No. The world needs to stop turning a blind eye to the “Terror Masters” and get sufficiently outraged and take them down.
I’m going to let the first comments go, because I think you make some good points, even if I don’t necessarily agree with them in total. Some of them I do.
The real bottom line was your bottom line, and I totally agree. It’s long past time to take Iran down. They’ve been playing the Saddam Hussein game of mouthing off. We should stick a cork in it for them, and eliminate their missile and nuclear programs in the process.
The international community needs to come together on this. If they won’t, we’ll just have to do it by ourselves.