After Obama Pays Ransom To Mullahs, State Department Warns Iran Wants to Capture More Americans

There is a very simple, elementary premise of foreign policy. One could even call it the most-important rule of foreign policy: do not pay ransom for citizens. Period. In the short term, a nation that pays a ransom may receive the joyous return of captured citizens. However, in the long term, it will incentivize future captures. When President Obama paid ransom to one of America’s biggest enemies, he opened the flood gates and now, all Americans abroad are at risk thanks to this anti-American amateur in the Oval Office.

The State Department issued a warning on Monday urging U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to Iran, which has made the detention of Americans a priority.

The latest travel advisory, which emphasizes Iran’s desire to capture U.S. citizens, comes on the heels of a growing scandal over the Obama administration’s decision to pay Iran $400 million in cash on the same day that it freed several U.S. hostages.

The payment has been cast by lawmakers and others as a ransom payment and prompted concern among U.S. officials that Iran is making arresting Americans a priority.

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