Instead of pressuring Iran to release Levinson, Barack Obama let him languish in prison there so as not to endanger the Iranian nuclear deal that endangered the entire world.
“Family: US believes ex-FBI agent Robert Levinson has died,” by Eric Tucker, Associated Press, March 25, 2020
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government has concluded that retired FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished more than a decade ago, died while in the custody of Iran, his family and administration officials said Wednesday.
The circumstances and timing of Levinson’s death were unclear, but White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien said Wednesday evening that the U.S. believes Levinson “may have passed away some time ago.” Hours earlier, his family said information U.S. officials had received had led them to conclude he was dead. Neither the government nor the family described that information.
The death is believed to have occurred before the recent outbreak of the coronavirus that has gravely affected Iran and another countries, according to a statement from Levinson’s family.
The government’s acknowledgment of Levinson’s death came hours after a White House briefing in which President Donald Trump appeared to equivocate on the news, saying, “I won’t accept that he’s dead.”
U.S. officials communicated the news to Levinson’s family in a meeting in Washington in recent weeks, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private encounter. The person said the information about Levinson had come from Iran’s foreign minister.
“It is impossible to describe our pain,” the family’s statement said. “Our family will spend the rest of our lives without the most amazing man, a new reality that is inconceivable to us. His grandchildren will never meet him. They will only know him through the stories we tell them.’
Levinson disappeared on March 9, 2007, when he was scheduled to meet a source on the Iranian island of Kish. For years, U.S. officials would say only that Levinson was working independently on a private investigation. But a 2013 Associated Press investigation revealed that Levinson had been sent on a mission by CIA analysts who had no authority to run such an operation.
The Trump administration has made it a priority to seek the release of American hostages and prisoners detained overseas. Last week, administration officials touted the release from Lebanon of a New Hampshire restaurant owner jailed on decades-old allegations and the medical furlough of a Navy veteran from an Iranian prison….
Seth says
‘The Trump administration has made it a priority to seek the release of American hostages and prisoners detained overseas.’
While the previous administration left them to rot.
mortimer says
The State Department let him down. Surely, Levinson knew he was taking a risk to go on Iranian soil. However, it is a very tragic end.
It isn’t safe to do business in Iran. The mullahs are masters of taqiyya. Their promises are worthless.
barbaracvm1 says
The CIA is responsible for hundreds of deaths. They convince former military, security agencies to work for the CIA. If they get caught the CIA disavows any knowledge of the person. Many of their operations are rogue.
A lot of Vietnam special forces, were convinced to resign and then sign on with the CIA. They were left behind. They are not listed as POW; they were civilians. The CIA used this loop hole and get away with their lies.
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
May Robert Levinson R.I.P. Spending your last years in an Islamic Republic is a bad way to go. Very bad.
gravenimage says
Robert Levinson, ex-FBI agent held hostage in the Islamic Republic of Iran, has died
………………
Just awful–his poor loved ones. I had hoped that President Trump would be able to secure his release.
Laura says
Will the family get his remains home for burial?
Norman Gardner says
It appears Obama did not consider Levinson a priority and appeased Iran and let him be cannon fodder.
Does anyone believe the CIA DID NOT AUTHORIZE LEVINSON to go on this mission, a mission we do not really know what it was. By allowing Levinson to anguish in an Iranian jail Obama and his ilk were accomplices to his murder by the Iranians who claimed for years they did not where he was. I wonder if Obama, Hillary and Kerry will even lose a minutes sleep over this patriots murder.
Phil says
To quote Hillary, “What does it matter, at this point, anymore?”
Note, I do not share her sentiment.