White House seeks Pope's help on prisoners in Iran

Politico ^ | September 20, 2015 | By Nahal Toosi

[Brad from Tennessee]

The Obama administration has been quietly in touch with the Vatican about ways that Pope Francis can help free three Americans imprisoned in Iran — a major source of friction as President Barack Obama and Iranian leaders finalize their nuclear deal.

The leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics — who already has helped the U.S. mend fences with Cuba, another long-time nemesis — visits Washington this week as the dust is still settling from a contentious congressional debate over the nuclear deal, in which the fate of the three prisoners was repeatedly invoked by Republicans as a reason not to negotiate.

According to a person familiar with the cases, the U.S. and the Vatican have been in contact in recent months about the prisoners and at least one prisoner's family has reached out directly to Pope Francis for help.

The pope doesn't command any military divisions, as Joseph Stalin is said to have pointed out. But the idea of the Roman Catholic leader trying to nudge Islamist theocrats in Iran to release Americans isn't far-fetched. Just a few months ago, he met with a high-ranking Iranian female politician, a sign of his ongoing interest in the country. . .

[mrsmel]

A bribe/threat so he can’t pull out of meeting with the sodomites/trannies/rogue nun baby murder supporters at the White Mosque.

[Maris Crane]

The White House and Politico would have us believe that the leaders of Iran and the United States are adversaries.
Au contraire, they are like fraternity brothers.
Why, the WH clearly says one thing...let’s use Francis...and acts quite another way.

Gee, have they never done that before?

[ZULU]

Can’t argue there.

[GreenHornet]

NOW he’s trying to get the prisoners released???...after he’s given Iran everything they wanted, and we no longer have any leverage to use to bargain for their release?