The Week

Rumor has it that Andrew Young will run for mayor of Atlanta. Better visit the city now, before they start taking hostages.

Revenge against Iran over the kidnapping of our personnel may not be in the American character, as President Reagan has indicated. Nevertheless, no need exists to make life rosy for the kidnapping militants, and NR publisher William Rusher, in his capacity as columnist, has come up with an interesting idea. He notes that our intelligence agencies now know the identities of the militants at the embassy, and he asks, reasonably, “Why shouldn’t our government publish those names, along with a solemn declaration that the individuals involved are enemies of the United States, to whom it shall henceforth be our policy to deny, and ask others to deny, all common courtesies?” Lest that seem mild, Rusher elaborates. Such militants, students or otherwise, are likely to desire at some time a visa or a loan, or some other privilege—say, admission to a Western university. “Being publicly on Uncle Sam’s hit list may sound like fun at first, but over the course of a lifetime it could prove quite a drag.” Rusher thinks that such long-term penalties could prove to be one deterrent to future kidnappers.

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Rumor has it that Andrew Young will run for mayor of Atlanta. Better visit the city now, before they start taking hostages.

Revenge against Iran over the kidnapping of our personnel may not be in the American character, as President Reagan has indicated. Nevertheless, no need exists to make life rosy for the kidnapping militants, and NR publisher William Rusher, in his capacity as columnist, has come up with an interesting idea. He notes that our intelligence agencies now know the identities of the militants at the embassy, and he asks, reasonably, “Why shouldn’t our government publish those names, along with a solemn declaration that the individuals involved are enemies of the United States, to whom it shall henceforth be our policy to deny, and ask others to deny, all common courtesies?” Lest that seem mild, Rusher elaborates. Such militants, students or otherwise, are likely to desire at some time a visa or a loan, or some other privilege—say, admission to a Western university. “Being publicly on Uncle Sam’s hit list may sound like fun at first, but over the course of a lifetime it could prove quite a drag.” Rusher thinks that such long-term penalties could prove to be one deterrent to future kidnappers.