PLATFORM : Acceptable Deal

Iran’s terrorist group in Lebanon again offers to exchange the Western hostages for 400 Arabs held hostage in south Lebanon by Israel’s private militia. This is the same script used six years ago to free the passengers of the hijacked TWA Flight 847. It was successful. No one objected to that “deal,” nor should anyone object to the current face-saving offer by Iran and Hezbollah.

But, there will be objections. The platitude that making deals with terrorists only leads to more terrorism is factually incorrect. We had better learn to differentiate between a deal that is acceptable and one that is not.

The exchange of prisoners is an accepted political method. Are we prepared to pay the price that will be demanded by our Israeli allies? Probably not. Would you want to explain the reasons for rejecting the release offer to the American hostages who have suffered five to seven years of hell in brutal, dehumanizing conditions? Probably not.