Paying for hostages puts Americans at risk: Your Say

The Obama administration recently loosened restrictions on private citizens paying ransoms for hostages, stating that the government will not seek prosecution. Comments from Facebook are edited for clarity and grammar:

It doesn't surprise me that those who are anti-President Obama have started lashing out about this policy.

The government is going to maintain a no-ransom policy.

What they won't do is dictate what private citizens do. I thought conservatives hated the idea of being told what to do. They can't have it both ways.

— Barry Kettery

What's the difference between the government paying a ransom and private citizens paying the ransom?

In both cases, the terrorists get what they want, and kidnapping Americans becomes a profitable venture.

The only difference is which pocket the money comes from.

— David Nelson

Why is this something that needs a public announcement? All the administration had to do was not threaten prosecution anymore.

With this announcement, it is open season on all American citizens anywhere overseas or even here.

This administration is the least transparent that I recall since I began voting almost 50 years ago. As such, this would have been a policy that would have been far better to not have made a public announcement about.

— Neil Moss

If someone's loved ones were kidnapped and the government didn't allow them to do anything about it, they would complain that Obama took away their freedom.

— Steven Nicolet