US Senator Takes Aim at Cash Payments to Terror States such as Iran’s regime

Share

2016930213714381333811_new-bill-would-ban-any-repeat-of-president-obamasGOP Senator Takes Aim at Cash Payments to Terror States
New bill would ban any repeat of President Obama’s alleged Iranian ransom
by Jim Stinson | Updated 30 Sep 2016 at 1:55 PM

In a rebuke of President Obama’s perceived ransom payment to Iran for the return of American hostages, a new bill aims to prohibit the White House from sending cash or precious metals such as gold coins to designated state sponsors of terror.

U.S. Sen. David Perdue of Georgia, a Republican member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced legislation that would prohibit the federal government from sending payments to designated terrorist backers.

“It is our job to safeguard Americans’ tax dollars and fund the government’s primary responsibilities like providing for the national defense,” Perdue said in a statement Friday. “That’s why it is unbelievable this legislation is even necessary. Untraceable cash payments should not be going to nations supporting terrorism or other nefarious activities—period. This bill prohibits the federal government from providing cash or precious metal payments to state sponsors of terror, like the $1.7 billion cash payment President Obama paid Iran earlier this year.”

On Jan. 17 of this year, the United States essentially traded five new hostages for at least $400 million in francs, Euros and other ‘liquid’ items. The reason was because Iran has been the subject of banking sanctions; the United States could not simply wire the money.

So the feds loaded up a plane, putting the cash on pallets.

Perdue said U.S. law does not now prohibit the U.S. government from providing a cash or equivalent payment to a nation designated as a state sponsor of terrorism. Perdue said it’s even more dangerous to give cash as it is impossible to track. Cash should not be provided to nations with a track record of supporting terrorism, he said.

The State Department currently lists Iran, Syria, and Sudan as state sponsors of terrorism. North Korea, which is also prohibited from receiving cash payments by the legislation, was removed from the state sponsors of terror list in 2008.

 

Source: Life Zette, 30 Sep. 2016

Share