Ransom or leverage? National security expert weighs in on $400 million payment to Iran

As he vacations in Martha’s Vineyard Friday, President Obama took heat for his administration’s $400 million payment to Iran back in January in order to get four American prisoners back on our soil safely.

Earlier this month, Obama vowed the United States did not pay a ransom, but his political rivals disagree.

This revelation comes right in the heart of the presidential campaign.

Steve Recca, the Executive Director of the Center for Human Security at UCCS argues “ransom” is too strong a word in this situation.

“It’s a way to leverage U.S. power to achieve an end we find useful,” Recca said. “In this case, American lives.”

Recca believes this perception the U.S. paid a ransom to the Iranian government could hurt our nation’s foreign policy approach going forward.

“Foreign policy is the long war, the long game and we need to look at it that way,” Recca said. “We need to be patient, but mindful that American interests are always primary.”