Your report "White House denies $400 million payment to Iran was ransom for hostages" (Aug. 3) shows how members of Israel's Amen Corner in Congress, like House Speaker Paul Ryan and Sen. Marco Rubio, continue to pander by using any excuse to condemn Iran without ever letting facts get in their way.
The Obama administration released $400 million that belonged to Iran, not to the U.S., and it announced the payment at the time. It had nothing to do with a prisoner exchange.
Yet Speaker Paul Ryan told an audience at the American Israel Public Affairs conference that he would use any means possible not only to destroy the nuclear deal with Iran, but, even worse, to bring about a war with Iran.
He also pledged to keep the congressional agenda in line with Israel's interests and then announced an upcoming trip to Israel, where he promised Israel's warmongering Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an additional $40 billion in military aid.
Meanwhile, Iran is an important ally in the fight against the international terrorist group ISIS, while Israel has supported ISIS by buying its oil, treating its wounded fighters, fighting alongside it in Iraq and bombing Syrian military targets.
Recently, Israel's military intelligence chief, Major General Herzi Halevy, stated that Israel does not want to see ISIS defeated in the war and that it is looking at direct support for ISIS as a matter of policy, not just rhetoric."
With friends like Israel, who needs enemies?
Ray Gordon, Bel Air