Today in History: Barack Tops Pablo

 

Today is the third anniversary of a particularly proud moment US history in which our President Obama smashed Pablo Escobar’s personal record for most cash plastic-wrapped on shipping palettes in a single delivery. Four hundred million dollars in mixed currencies arrived in Tehran at the same time that the departure of a plane with four Americans held hostage was coincidentally delayed.

Critics of Mr. Obama said that this was a cash-for-hostages arrangement. However, in fairness, the Obama Administration had already agreed to surrender $1.7 billion in frozen funds in exchange for Iran’s acceptance of the US dropping all sanctions and leverage of any kind over Iran’s nuclear weapons program. (Is John Kerry a tough-minded genius or what?)

Defenders of the administration say that the brief delay in the transfer of funds was actually used as leverage to make sure the hostages were released. By gratuitously surrendering the cash in stages rather than all at once, the Obama team achieved the strategic victory guaranteeing the release of four entirely innocent Americans. It was a message to all bad actors on the world stage not to mess with the USA. I, for one still tingle with pride when I recall this event.

Published in Foreign Policy, Politics
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  1. cdor Member
    cdor
    @cdor

    Another moment of great American pride generated by Barack Hussein Obama. My heart swells. Thanks for the reminder. It’s too early to start drinking.

    • #1
  2. Front Seat Cat Member
    Front Seat Cat
    @FrontSeatCat

    People cringe over President Trump’s silly tweets – I cringe over how we ever accepted this as a country.

    • #2
  3. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    But his pants had such a nice crease in them.

    • #3
  4. John Hendrix Thatcher
    John Hendrix
    @JohnHendrix

    Old Bathos: (Is John Kerry a tough-minded genius or what?)

    Or what. 

    • #4
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