Iran sentences two U.S. citizens to 8 years in prison

Discussion in 'Latest US & World News' started by Pollycy, Aug 20, 2011.

  1. snakestretcher

    snakestretcher Banned

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    He escaped. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_Express_(film)
     
  2. Tyrerik

    Tyrerik New Member

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    US citizens are only a minority of Westerners. Zahra Kazemi a Canadian/Iranian citizen was tortured, raped and murdered in the notorious Evan prison in Tehran in 2003. She was also accused of being a CIA spy although she didn't last long in enough in detention for a formal court case.
     
  3. zulu1

    zulu1 Banned

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    Ok, I get it...Those nasty Iranian's are uniquelly pathologically pre-disposed to torture. Bradley Manning anybody?
     
  4. Margot

    Margot Account closed, not banned

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    Is he the only one that died???
     
  5. Margot

    Margot Account closed, not banned

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    I know.. My best friend's sister was the American girlfriend of the guy who was sentenced to 30 years.

    But the point is don't break the law in a foreign county.
     
  6. Sadistic-Savior

    Sadistic-Savior New Member Past Donor

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    LOL

    Columbus was trying to discover a route to India.

    The Wright Brothers were trying to build a machine that flies.

    What exactly were these retarded hikers trying to accomplish specifically?
     
  7. Tyrerik

    Tyrerik New Member

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    I have no idea why you want to insult these people. In common with Columbus they were exploring. The Wright brothers were exploring the possibility of powered manned flight. Adding to their knowledge of the region the hikers were a valuable asset for the West in understanding our world just as Columbus and the Wright brothers were.
     
  8. Margot

    Margot Account closed, not banned

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    If they wanted to go exploring, they should have applied for an IRANIAN VISA.
     
  9. Tyrerik

    Tyrerik New Member

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    What is the evidence that they were even in Iran? They were staying at a tourist spot, a waterfall, a short walk from the unmarked border and exploring Iraq's Kurdish region not Iran.
     
  10. Margot

    Margot Account closed, not banned

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    The "Kurdish region" extends into Iran and Turkey.
     
  11. Tyrerik

    Tyrerik New Member

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    If there is a risk of unintentional trespass at this price then don't you think there should be a clearly defined border with warnings? They had Kurdistan regional visas and that granst them the right to "traipsing around" whereever they like in the wilderness as they were doing.
     
  12. Tyrerik

    Tyrerik New Member

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    Not the Iraqi Kurdish region.
     
  13. Margot

    Margot Account closed, not banned

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    I want to see the archeological digs in Yemen.. .. Do you think for a moment that I would go EXPLORING in Yemen and put my US government on the spot?
     
  14. Tyrerik

    Tyrerik New Member

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    What has that to do with this? Would you take the offer of a sailing trip with dives on archeological sites along the UAE coast running the risk of an Iranian patrol snatching you claiming you were illegally in Iranian waters?
     
  15. Margot

    Margot Account closed, not banned

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    There is NO question that the UAE coast is NOT Iranian waters.

    Try looking at a map for clarification.

    The numbskulls were in Iran.... unless you can prove that they weren't..
     
  16. smileyface

    smileyface Banned

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    Can you say Iran Contra - The incident when the US sold arms to Iran through Israel in exchange for the release of hostages by Hezbollah. Such short memories some people have. LOL Remember Ollie North?
     
  17. GeddonM3

    GeddonM3 Well-Known Member

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    they were somewhere they shouldnt have been, they broke the law. and yes they were idiots for being there on their own accord and probably for an adrenaline rush.

    and no i dont believe they should go to jail for being totally stupid, but in life your dumb ass actions do have consequences.
     
  18. snakestretcher

    snakestretcher Banned

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    No. If there is no clearly defined border then common-sense says you stay well clear of anywhere doubtful-or are you saying it's Iran's/Kurdistan's fault they got caught?
    They were very, very stupid and have paid the price. Tough.
     
  19. Albert Di Salvo

    Albert Di Salvo New Member

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    Tell that to the f--king sh it head illegals from Mexico.
     
  20. Tyrerik

    Tyrerik New Member

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    Good so lets say you were diving there and an Iranian patrol boat suddenly appeared as you came to the surface and you were hauled onboard. You then found yourself in an Iranian prison accused of entering Iranian maritime waters and spying. The Iranians make a big deal out of your spying equipment while you claim is only ordinary diving equipment used for diving on archeological sites. Back in US you are not very popular putting your government in a predicament and lots of your fellow countrymen are pointing their finger at you calling you reckless and stupid and deserving of all you get. Since you were in no doubt that the UAE coastal waters were not in Iran you didn't make sure of having evidence so very little chance of proving you weren't in Iranian waters despite knowing that the burden of proof was on the accused.

    Would that make you a numbskull fit to be left to rot for years in an Iranian prison?
     
  21. Tyrerik

    Tyrerik New Member

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    As I've pointed out human progress depends on intrepid people defying "common sense", perhaps you should respect the spirit in which they like these hikers lacked "common sense" instead of vilifying them. Its quite possible that Iranian agents of sorts were instrumental in helping the Iranians capture them. they don't sound like stupid people at all. Were their parents stupid to travel to Iran to visit them risking a similar fate?
     
  22. Tyrerik

    Tyrerik New Member

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    Inprisoned Mexicans have a negative value as pawns in dealing with Mexico even if there was an Iranian like regime in power.
     
  23. snakestretcher

    snakestretcher Banned

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    Please, don't be absurd and conjure up imagined scenarios; what possible motivation would Iran have for orchestrating an abduction?. Let's assume, for argument's sake, that the relatives of these idiots were also too stupid or intentionally reckless to understand the tensions existing between the US and Iran, and took the same completely avoidable risks. Fortunately they were not, and obtained the correct travel and entry documents for that country.

    Iran is, literally, surrounded by US bases and by those whom it considers enemies and naturally feels threatened. Any incursion, accidental or otherwise, is not going to be met with flowers and warm smiles of welcome.
     
  24. supaskip

    supaskip Well-Known Member

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    Assuming they weren't spies, of course, I'm sure illegally crossing a border still carries penalties. Besides, they will probably be haggled back to the US for a swap of some kind.

    As the OP mentioned... crazy hiking in that area. Regardless of Iranian issues, the other issues in the ME region mean it's just crazy being an American civvy just wandering around. This likely wouldn't have been the worst thing that could have happened to them in the ME region.
     

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