Chuck Holton
Politics • Culture • News
America’s Hostages: Strength Is the Only Solution
February 02, 2025
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Thousands of American citizens are held in foreign prisons, but only a small number are political hostages—used as bargaining chips by hostile regimes and terrorist organizations. According to the Foley Foundation, which tracks wrongful detentions, there are 46 American nationals currently unjustly imprisoned across 16 countries, with most held for over five years. The key to bringing them home lies in decisive leadership and a foreign policy that projects strength.

The Reality in Gaza

Recent hostage releases in Gaza highlight the stakes. Keith Siegel, a 65-year-old American-Israeli occupational therapist, was freed after 484 days in captivity. Hamas abducted him and his wife during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. His wife was released earlier, but Keith remained in captivity for over a year. Meanwhile, several other American citizens remain missing or confirmed dead, including Adon Alexander (21) and Nam Sagui Deen (35). Reports indicate at least seven American hostages have died in Hamas custody, further emphasizing the urgency of strong leadership.

Trump’s Diplomacy in Action: Venezuela Hostage Release

President Trump’s no-nonsense approach to hostage situations has already yielded results. His envoy was recently sent to Venezuela to secure the release of six American hostages held by the Maduro regime. These individuals had been detained under the Biden administration with little progress toward their release. However, Trump’s firm stance and direct diplomatic intervention led to a breakthrough, once again proving that adversaries only respond to strength.

Speaking the Only Language Hostile Actors Understand

History has shown that hostile governments and terrorist groups only respect force, not diplomacy filled with empty promises. A story from Iraq illustrates this well: when U.S. Army Rangers faced resistance in a hostile city, their commander warned the locals that any attack would be met with overwhelming force. The first time they were fired upon, they leveled the area, sending a clear message. From that point on, the Rangers patrolled without incident.

This is the exact approach America must take regarding hostage situations. The U.S. government should immediately and aggressively respond whenever an American is taken.

The Path Forward: Strength, Not Weakness

President Trump’s recent actions in Venezuela send a powerful message—hostage-taking will not be tolerated. This kind of deterrence is the only way to protect American citizens abroad. The U.S. must adopt an ironclad stance:

  • Immediate retaliation for wrongful detentions
  • Strong diplomatic pressure backed by military might
  • No appeasement, only action

Trump’s decisive moves contrast sharply with the Biden administration’s passive approach, which left many American hostages forgotten. The world’s bad actors are taking notice—when America speaks with strength and conviction, hostages come home.

The lesson is clear: if America wants to prevent future hostage crises, it must ensure that taking an American is a costly mistake for any regime or terrorist group.

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Is the U.S. Training Syria’s New Jihadist Army?

Very few media outlets are talking about this, but they should be — urgently.

While most of the world is distracted, U.S. troops are conducting live training exercises in Syria with the forces of the country’s new interim government, now led by Ahmed al-Sharaa — a man widely known as a former Al Qaeda affiliate.

Let that sink in.

Recent reports confirm that U.S. personnel at the Al-Tanf garrison have been training members of the so-called 70th Division, a unit formed from remnants of the Syrian Free Army, which now pledges loyalty to this new government. This comes right on the heels of a massacre of Druze civilians, allegedly carried out by those very same government-aligned forces.

Aiding the Next Generation of Jihadists?
This isn’t just a questionable policy — it could be morally catastrophic.

Druze communities, who have long sought neutrality in Syria’s civil war, were brutally attacked.

Christian populations in the region are living in fear, as radical factions become emboldened ...

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Debunked: Following several accusations that Israel is causing famine in Gaza, COGAT has released drone footage of the hundreds of truckloads of supplies waiting to be delivered to Gaza by the UN. A statement accompanying the footage claims that 'There is enough food here to feed all of Gaza, if the UN ever came to pick it up.

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Episode 622 - Field Producer Dennis Azato and Chuck Reminisce

My erstwhile field producer and cameraman Dennis Azato has accompanied me on ten years of adventures across the globe. Today he joins me in Ukraine and we spend some time remembering our many trips together.

Episode 622 - Field Producer Dennis Azato and Chuck Reminisce
200k Giveaway and Thank You!

We just hit 200,000 subscribers on YouTube, and I want to say thank you. Every view, comment, prayer, and share has helped build this mission. The Hot Zone is about truth on the front lines, and you’ve helped carry it forward.

To celebrate, we’re doing a 200K giveaway. I’m giving out PDF copies of my books, including Making Men. To enter, comment when you started watching and your favorite Hot Zone moment under the video linked below.

Winners will be announced in one week. Watch here to enter:
Winners will email [email protected] to claim their prize.

Thank you for standing with us.

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Hamas Releases Images of Starving Hostage

Palestinian Islamic Jihad just released a video of Rom Braslavski.
He looks like he is in Auschwitz.

The ONLY images I’ve seen of starving men in Gaza… are the Jews held in terrorist dungeons.

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Good Morning Zonnies!!! I hope each of you are having a blessed day! Let us Pray for Israel and Chuck and Connie on their travels!

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Weaponizing Aid: Why Gaza’s Suffering Persists

Well folks, I was supposed to be on my way to Thailand right now to cover the war there. But thankfully, that war ended before I had to board a plane—praise God for that. Not just because it spared me 24 hours of cramped flights, but because it spared countless people the devastation of another conflict. So instead, I get a few extra days here in northern Armenia with my grandbaby before Nathan and I take off on our next adventure.

But let’s get to it—the big headline today is humanitarian aid. Everywhere you look, the narrative is the same: “More aid must go to Gaza. People are starving. Israel is to blame.” That’s what the media wants you to believe.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: aid is rarely just about saving lives. Too often, it’s a weapon—used to control populations, prop up corrupt regimes, and advance political agendas.

Billions of Dollars, Decades of Aid – No Change

Global humanitarian aid tops $60 billion a year, yet places like Gaza, Haiti, Afghanistan, and much of sub-Saharan Africa remain locked in poverty and dysfunction. Why? Because aid has become an industry, not a solution.

As Graham Hancock writes in Lords of Poverty, it’s a “self-perpetuating complex” that feeds salaries, conferences, bureaucracy—and never gets judged on results. Billions pour in, but nobody asks, “Did this actually help anyone?”

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Armenia: A Love Story — Special Feature

Chuck is back in Armenia right now, and it is more than just another assignment. The couple featured in his documentary Armenia: A Love Story — Nathan and Rubina — are now expecting their second child. That means Chuck is about to welcome his sixth grandbaby, making this trip a deeply personal and memorable one.

To celebrate, we’re posting a special feature today. It is like an extended trailer for the full documentary and gives you a taste of the powerful story behind it.

If you are a paying supporter, you can watch the full version right now by searching Armenia: A Love Story in the content library.

If you are not a supporter yet, now is the perfect time to join and experience the full journey for yourself. This is a story of faith, resilience, and love in one of the world’s most complex regions.

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Israel at a Crossroads: Conquer, Besiege, or Capitulate?

Hey folks, Chuck Holton here—coming to you one last time from this balcony in Jerusalem before I head to Tel Aviv and then on to the next frontlines. But before I leave, I want to break down some of the most critical developments from the past week in Gaza and beyond. And believe me, there's a lot to unpack.

Three Roads for Israel

Let’s talk strategy. An analysis in Israel Hayom outlines three main options Israel faces in Gaza:

  1. Conquer Gaza: Full military occupation, boots on the ground, control every inch. But that comes at a high cost—thousands of IDF troops deployed indefinitely.

  2. Besiege Gaza: Maintain pressure without full occupation. This could include arming anti-Hamas factions—like Abu Salai’s clan in Rafah—and continuing selective strikes.

  3. Status Quo: Keep doing what they’re doing—limited incursions, hostage negotiations, and intelligence gathering. But this risks being perceived as weak and prolonging the conflict indefinitely.

As I said on Newsmax, the idea of a ceasefire right now is fantasy. Hamas still believes it’s winning—happy to let their people starve if they can pin the blame on Israel. President Trump nailed it:

“You’re gonna have to fight. You’re gonna have to clean it up. You’re gonna have to get rid of them.”

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