Reports suggest #Lebanon's #Hezbollah-friendly security chief #AbbasIbrahim is in DC today to meet w/ @WHNSC advisor - USG's former chief hostage negotiator - on fate of Americans still held in #Syria. I hope and pray their release is swift, after horror they have endured. 1/3

But I am concerned about the price @WhiteHouse may pay to secure the hostages' release. After all, their captors have held them for years and will want to extract a price that is both high and payable in the short time before our election may bring seismic political change. 2/3

As we hope for hostages' release, let's also hope we don't validate hostage-takers' strategy by paying in strategic coin, such as an announcement to "bring the boys home from #Tanf" -- a step that would cheer #Iran, #Russia, #Syria's #Asad & #Hezbollah all at the same time. 3/3