Watching the news tonight and one story was about several Iranian-Americans held hostage in Iran being traded for some Iranians we were holding. Okay, prisoner swaps are fairly normal between nations that are not friendly with each other.
In addition, some huge sums of Iranian money that has been frozen in South Korea will be released for Iran to use. This I find obnoxious, the money will most likely go to fund troublemaking, violent NGOs around the Middle East and perhaps beyond - Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Yemeni rebels.
The time is long past for the U.S. to announce for all to hear that "As of this date, any American citizen who voluntarily goes to Iran and is arrested and held hostage is on his or her own. We have said don't go there and if you choose to go, it is on your head. If you disregard this warning, go and are arrested, plan to remain. We won't trade for your release." And, having said it, mean it.
After all, why should private individuals be able to put our government on the hook by taking stupid risks? The short answer is that such behavior should not be enabled, as it now is.
