U.S. Sends $1.3 Billion to Iran, Montana Congressman Questions The Decision

This week the U.S. House and Senate were informed that the Obama administration had sent $1.3 billion in foreign cash to Iran as part of an interest payment on a failed arms deal from the late 1970's. Many Republicans, including Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke criticized the transfer.

“I don’t know where he got the cash, we’re going to ask,” Zinke said. “I don’t know how the U.S. Treasury has foreign currency. We’re going to ask those questions and expose this. It is outrageous and to anyone who follows our foreign policy, it has been one of retreat and being defeated.”

Zinke says the transfer emboldened Iran and would lead to other dangerous actions from nations like North Korea, China and Russia.

“The most egregious thing I have seen as far as a threat in the U.S. is emboldening Iran and turning the other way when they are launching ICBM’s with the destruction of Israel in sight,” said Zinke. “The frustration is that America feels like the, ‘American Dream’ is slipping away and it doesn’t have to slip away. We have to take a stand and make sure that we hold our elected officials accountable and that’s me too.”

When asked why Congress didn’t learn about the transfer until this week. Zinke blamed Senate and house Democrats for giving too much power to the executive branch and says that Congress needs to be brought back to an equal footing with the other branches of government.