President Obama Attacks Critics of Iran Deal that Leaves American Hostages Behind
President Obama went on the offensive today – hammering a growing number of critics of his Iran deal – a deal that leaves four Americans behind.
At a press conference today, CBS News’ correspondent Major Garrett asked President Obama about the four American citizens wrongfully held in Iran and how the President can celebrate the deal when they remain separated from their families..
President Obama instantly pushed back, “I gotta give you credit, Major, for how you craft those questions, the notion that I’m content as I celebrate with American citizens languishing in Iranian jails. Major, that’s nonsense and you should know better. I’ve met with the families of some of those folks. Nobody’s content.”
No, Mr. President, you should know better than to leave our fellow Americans behind. The reality is by reaching a final deal with Iran – freeing Iran to pursue a nuclear program while it refuses to free American Pastor Saeed – the President has abandoned him.
President Obama promised Pastor Saeed’s family that his release was a “top priority.” This week he broke that promise.
President Obama continued in the press conference today stating that “our diplomats and our teams are working diligently to get them out.” He reiterated his previous reasons for why the nuclear negotiations and the Americans held by Iran were not tied together because this would give Iran the upper hand in the talks.
Yet, what leverage does America have now? Iran has a nuclear deal and continues to imprison the Americans.
As he continued his remarks, President Obama did not name any of them by name, but did say, “We are working every single day to try to get them out and won't stop until they are out and rejoined with their families."
We hope he’s right, but so far it’s been all talk and no action.
CBS News' Major Garrett discussed the incident afterwards, “Clearly it struck a nerve. That was my intention. Because everyone who works for the President and the families of those four Americans have heard the President say he’s not content and they will work overtime to win their eventual release. That does not appear to me to be a sideline issue in the whole context of this Iran nuclear deal. Was it provocative? Yes. Was it intended to be as such? Absolutely.”
.@MajorCBS on question to Pres. Obama about American hostages: "Clearly it struck a nerve -- that was my intention." http://t.co/xf83HW18EQ
— CBSN (@CBSNLive) July 15, 2015We won’t stop fighting in Congress and around the world until Pastor Saeed is home to his wife and children in the nation he loves so much.
We are off to a great start. In just 24 hours, more than 130,000 people have signed on to our petition demanding Congress reject this flawed deal.
Join us in calling for Congress to reject this deal and save Pastor Saeed. Add your name today.