Dear Editor:
The August 23 Letter to the Editor headlined “Sad But Fixable Treason” by El Sellers demands a FACT CHECK.
ASSERTION: “Nothing defines the gelding nature of the Biden administration better than the recent announcement of more than six billion dollars to be GIVEN to the Iranian government…”
Fact ONE: This is not to be money “GIVEN” to Iran. Even Mr. Sellers acknowledges this, saying “These Iranian funds were FROZEN earlier (in 2018)…”So, it’s Iran’s money, not money we’d be GIVING Iran.
Fact TWO: The Biden administration is interested in working with Iran to have greater cooperation, and less hostility. While Iran’s leadership has been belligerent, the Iranian people are much more in support of a peaceful relationship with the USA. Escalating hostilities and saber ratting will not help the Iranian people throw off current leadership. Also, there is the issue of Iran’s nuclear program, which President Obama had negotiated being controlled, but President Trump simply cancelled that agreement, replacing in with NOTHING… no controls whatsoever.
ASSERTION: “1979 Tehran, Iran: Iran ordered the capture of the American embassy, and the entire staff was held hostage for 444 days. It was during Democrat Jimmy Carter’s administration. ONE DAY prior to Ronald Reagan’s 1981 swearing in ceremony, the hostages were released! Strength works; weakness encourages the enemy.”
Fact ONE: Iran indeed held American embassy workers hostage, making terrorist demands. In line with America’s policy to never negotiate with terrorist, Carter remained steadfast in refusing to “make a deal.” Carter green-lighted a rescue operation, which failed due to an unexpected sandstorm affecting our helicopters. Having hostages held by Iran no doubt contributed greatly to Carter losing the presidential election to Ronald Reagan.
Fact TWO: Far from refusing to “make a deal” with terrorists, President Reagan, between 1981 and 1986, SECRETLY facilitated the sale of arms to Iran. On March 4, 1987, President Reagan was finally forced to admit where his “strength” in dealing with the Iranians came from: “A few months ago I told the American people I did not trade arms for hostages. My heart and my best intentions still tell me that’s true, but the FACTS and the EVIDENCE tell me it is not.”
ASSERTION: “Giving aid & comfort to the enemy is TREASON.”
Fact ONE: By his own admission, Reagan traded arms for hostages, giving aid and comfort to an enemy nation. He did so secretly, but discovered.
Fact TWO: Ex-President Trump, asked by the press whether he believed the U.S. intelligence agencies who concluded Russia carrier out the hacking of Democratic servers to help Trump, or whether Trump instead believed Putin, who denied this. Trump responded, “I have President Putin, he just said it’s not Russia. I will say this: I don’t see any reason why it WOULD be,” Thus, Trump gave aid and comfort to a foreign nation, siding with its leader against American intelligence services.
Jeff Harrison
Buffalo, Texas
