How President Reagan handled U.S. hostages taken by terror-sponsoring regimes

On Dec. 20, 1983 (Ethiopian Communist dictator) Mengistu’s thugs burst into meeting (CIA officer) Timothy Wells was holding in Adis Ababa, hog-tied wells and hauled him off…

On Feb 4th, 1984 deputy director of the CIA Vernon Walters got off a plane in Addis Ababa and visited Mengistu in Asmara’s Presidential palace. “The President of the United States wishes to have back Mr Timothy Wells,” was all he said.

Timothy Wells was set free the next day.

Above from the book “Legacy of Ashes; A History of the CIA” by Tim Weiner

And remember when our Iran hostage crisis abruptly ended? (see above)

Yes, amigos, there’s a reason why only Republican U.S. Presidents are villified in Havana’s Museo de La Revolucion–but remember: villification differs greatly from contempt, which is the habitual reaction of the Castros towards Democratic Presidents.

What would, say, Edward Gibbon–come to earth today and picking up a paper–make of the Alan Gross case? He’d obviously conclude that Cuba represents a power somewhere on the order of the Roman Empire under Caesar and the U.S. was some two-bit barbarian tribe. From the superficial details and the behavior of the two parties how would Gibbon possibly guess the actual power equation between the U.S. and Cuba?

Le RRRRRRONCA!