CAL THOMAS COMMENTARY AUGUST 5, 2024
WE SHOULD ALL REJOICE OVER THE RETURN OF WALL STREET JOURNAL REPORTER EVAN GERSHKOVICH, WHO HAD BEEN ILLEGALLY HELD BY VLADIMIR PUTIN’S CORRUPT REGIME FOR NEARLY 500 DAYS. TWO OTHER AMERICANS WERE ALSO RELEASED, ALONG WITH EIGHT RUSSIANS, INCLUDING A CONVICTED MURDERER.
HUNDREDS MORE JOURNALISTS AND OTHER INNOCENTS REMAIN HELD IN RUSSIA AND BY OTHER TOTALITARIAN COUNTRIES. THESE REGIMES INCREASINGLY USE HOSTAGES TO TRY TO GET SOMETHING OF VALUE FROM THE U.S. AND OTHER FREE NATIONS. THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAS ADVISED AMERICANS NOT TO TRAVEL TO RUSSIA AND FOR OTHERS TO LEAVE.
WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITOR IN CHIEF EMMA TUCKER WROTE: “WE KNOW THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS KEENLY AWARE, AS ARE WE, THAT THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT A QUICKENING CYCLE OF ARRESTING INNOCENT PEOPLE AS PAWNS IN CYNICAL GEOPOLITICAL GAMES IS TO REMOVE THE INCENTIVE FOR RUSSIA AND OTHER NATIONS THAT PURSUE THE SAME DETESTABLE PRACTICE.”
WITH A WEAK U.S. ADMINISTRATION, SOMETHING MORE THAN SANCTIONS ARE REQUIRED AND EVEN SANCTIONS MUST BE FULLY ENFORCED WHICH IN THE CASE OF RUSSIA, IRAN AND CHINA, THEY ARE NOT. GOOD FOR THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATIONS AND ESPECIALLY THE GERMANS FOR MAKING THIS WORK, BUT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE TO STOP THIS CYCLE. I’M CAL THOMAS.
