Rubio's Way

Marco Rubio dismisses the importance of the recent Obama negotiated release of Americans held in Iran, implying the methods used were weak, and tells us he 'would have done it as Reagan did'. Apparently Rubio gives the credit to Reagan for the release of the US Iranian embassy hostages. In Rubio's mind, Iran was so afraid of Reagan that they just gave up and released the hostages literally just moments after he was sworn into office. The truth is Reagan had nothing to do with their release.

Jimmy Carter won the hostages release through negotiation. Ronald Reagan, when faced with his own Iranian hostage crisis in his second term, chose instead to try to bribe Iran by giving them guns in exchange for hostages. Since it was illegal to do so, Reagan had Israel sell Iran the guns, and we then resupplied Israel - using the funds to support the anti Sandinistas in Nicaragua - all of it completely illegal, and morally bankrupt. 

So Obama and Carter successfully won hostage releases with calm, measured, negotiations. Marco Rubio has declared he would instead prefer Reagan's way - bribing our enemies with weapons.

Good to know.