Verdict of 2 Americans jailed in Iran announced :

[fd24]

Thats why I posted the photo. We ll never know if they found anything on them or not, but the fact that they let the third one go after paying a $500,000 fine makes it more sus.

Well u would expect spies to look like non combatants. I mean come on these americans could not think of anywhere else in the world to go hiking give me a break

 

[Roybot]

Well u would expect spies to look like non combatants. I mean come on these americans could not think of anywhere else in the world to go hiking give me a break

There are people out there who do crazy things. There was a Swiss guy on this forum not too long ago, who wanted to travel through Quetta and other parts of Balochistan, go figure.

If they really were American spies, country like Iran wouldn't sentence them for just 8 years.

 

[fd24]

There are people out there who do crazy things. There was a Swiss guy on this forum not too long ago, who wanted to travel through Quetta and other parts of Balochistan, go figure.

If they really were American spies, country like Iran wouldn't sentence them for just 8 years.

I know there is crazy but why would any civilian american want to go anywhere near iran. Why shoukl dwe give them the benefit of the doubt cos they are white?

 

[longbrained]

Yeah, this is what happens when you try to play games with Iranians:

 

[Roybot]

I know there is crazy but why would any civilian american want to go anywhere near iran. Why shoukl dwe give them the benefit of the doubt cos they are white?

They were trekking in the Kurdistan province of Iraq, which borders Iran. They were detained in the border region, not deep inside Iranian territory.

No they should be given the benfit of the doubt, because Iran did let go one of the hikers. Imagine if they really were spies, would Iran release the third hiker?

 

[longbrained]

Going on "hiking" over a border area over which 8 years of war had been fought and there still remains millions of mines is not innocent. Further more over the same border (American) chemical weapons had been used by Saddam against Iranians and Kurds. It is a well known border. These so called "hikers" were there in the middle of an occupation of that country, in middle of a civil war and in the middle of US threats against Iran. When they were initially arrested, the Iraqi forces Colonel on the other side of border was the first one to release the news that Americans had been arrested. What was peculiar was the way he had released the news. He had said, a number of CIA officers had been arrested by Iranians. Why would he say that? This whole hiker business started later on as a lie to protect their identities.

---------- Post added at 11:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:11 PM ----------

They were trekking in the Kurdistan province of Iraq, which borders Iran. They were detained in the border region, not deep inside Iranian territory.

No they should be given the benfit of the doubt, because Iran did let go one of the hikers. Imagine if they really were spies, would Iran release the third hiker?

Contrary to your tries to make Iran a draconian place, Iranians have a much better record than India. They have always let foreign women and colored people to walk away. Even when Iranians took the American embassy to avoid another operation Ajax, they let all women and colored people go. They are only interested in white males. There were spies. No hiker would go hiking in middle of a war zone.

 

[Roybot]

Going on "hiking" over a border area over which 8 years of war had been fought and there still remains millions of mines is not innocent. Further more over the same border (American) chemical weapons had been used by Saddam against Iranians and Kurds. It is a well known border. These so called "hikers" were there in the middle of an occupation of that country, in middle of a civil war and in the middle of US threats against Iran. When they were initially arrested, the Iraqi forces Colonel on the other side of border was the first one to release the news that Americans had been arrested. What was peculiar was the way he had released the news. He had said, a number of CIA officers had been arrested by Iranians. Why would he say that? This whole hiker business started later on as a lie to protect their identities.

The Kurdistan province of Iraq is very peaceful now, no civil war raging there and has a booming tourism industry. Heck even Top Gear did an episode in Kurdistan.

The area where the three disappeared is a popular hiking destination known for a picturesque waterfall and rocky scenery as well as a thick growth of fruit and nut trees. The official said camping equipment and two backpacks apparently belonging to the Americans were found in the area and it seemed they were hiking above the waterfall when they accidentally crossed the border.

Kurdistan Region Tourism Minister, Samir Abdullah Mustafa, yesterday called on British investors to make the most of the opportunity to invest in Kurdistan’s tourist sector at a conference in London. Setting out plans to build 2,500 new hotels to accommodate another 1.35 million visitors annually by 2015, the Minister also highlighted existing success stories within Kurdistan’s already booming tourist industry.

Minister Calls on UK Businesses to Invest in Kurdistan

Contrary to your tries to make Iran a draconian place, Iranians have a much better record than India. They have always let foreign women and colored people to walk away. Even when Iranians took the American embassy to avoid another operation Ajax, they let all women and colored people go. They are only interested in white males. There were spies. No hiker would go hiking in middle of a war zone.

Firstly no need to bring India into this. And pretty humane of Iran that they are only interested in white males. Wonder why they didn't release the second hiker, who is a "colored" person, an American of Arab origin.

I don't have anything against Iran or any agenda to prove Iran a draconian state. It does what is best for its strategic affairs.

 

[longbrained]

The Kurdistan province of Iraq is very peaceful now, no civil war raging there and has a booming tourism industry. Heck even Top Gear did an episode in Kurdistan.





Minister Calls on UK Businesses to Invest in Kurdistan





Firstly no need to bring India into this. And pretty humane of Iran that they are only interested in white males. Wonder why they didn't release the second hiker, who is a "colored" person, an American of Arab origin.

I don't have anything against Iran or any agenda to prove Iran a draconian state. It does what is best for its strategic affairs.

Are you sure? The last time I checked there was a war raging there, with Turkey and Iran bombing the terrorist camps there almost weekly. And in 2009 there was a troop surge there by Americans to control the civil war. But I agree, Iran does what benefits it strategically.

 

[Roybot]

Are you sure? The last time I checked there was a war raging there, with Turkey and Iran bombing the terrorist camps there almost weekly. And in 2009 there was a troop surge there by Americans to control the civil war. But I agree, Iran does what benefits it strategically.

Iraqi Kurdistan is very peaceful, its an autonomous region. As I said Top Gear made an episode there last, they drove around Kurdistan mountains, thats how safe it is. And look at their tourism figures.

 

[T90TankGuy]

They don't look like spies or combatants to me Did they find any spying equipment on them?

spies do not generally wear trench courts and walk in shadows . any way its Iran right to jail any one they find guilty under their laws as they are a sovereign nation .

 

[Hussein]

Iraqi Kurdistan is very peaceful, its an autonomous region. As I said Top Gear made an episode there last, they drove around Kurdistan mountains, thats how safe it is. And look at their tourism figures.

seems that you want to change the facts

longbrained is true: this region is not safe at all. there are problems with some terrorist groups who cross the border to attack and kill Iranian land or Turkey land.
These young guys not only were in a dangerous place: the border
but they crosses the border ! what the hell that they didn't care to check !!???

 

[S.M.R]

I don't know really. Not because they are Americans that makes them de-facto spies. I do not trust Iranians in this matter then again I do not know if they have evidence or not. But all I know is that I do not trust both....

Alas if your govt stop trusting as well as cooperating with them, majority of problems of muslim world will solve automatically.

I pray that every country should have balls which iranians have now.

 

[fd24]

Alas if your govt stop trusting as well as cooperating with them, majority of problems of muslim world will solve automatically.

I pray that every country should have balls which iranians have now.

Brother I think arab, pakistani and iranian people love each other and have no problems. Its a sad fact that a lot of muslim countries like pakistan and saudi etc have leaders that do not think for the people and put american interests above their own peoples.

 

[Zabaniyah]

Iraqi Kurdistan is very peaceful, its an autonomous region. As I said Top Gear made an episode there last, they drove around Kurdistan mountains, thats how safe it is. And look at their tourism figures.

Those 'trekkers' probably went into the wrong and a dangerous area. There are undoubtedly mined areas in the Iraq-Iran border and some shadowy groups. Those Kurdish can be problematic at times for neighbors.

It was a horrible place during the Iraq-Iran war.

Anyways, Iran is a sovereign country. So whatever laws they have in place, people should respect them. They did release some British soldiers some years back after they violated Iranian waters. I am not sure about those spies though, they were trained to be deceiving.

Iran is not Pakistan or one of those Arab countries. They really aren't to be messed with.

 

[Roybot]

seems that you want to change the facts

longbrained is true: this region is not safe at all. there are problems with some terrorist groups who cross the border to attack and kill Iranian land or Turkey land.
These young guys not only were in a dangerous place: the border
but they crosses the border ! what the hell that they didn't care to check !!???

I am not trying to change any fact buddy. You can always point out where am wrong. Tourism figures show that the region they were trekking in is a popular tourist destination, and more and more tourists are flocking to that region. I know about PKK rebels but they don't pose any harm for toursists. And there are people out there crazy enough to take that risk. CIA or not, the Americans were not hiking in the middle of a war zone, its an area known for its mountains and valleys.

As for crossing the border, its an unmarked border, all it takes is descending from a mountain into a valley, and you are in a different country. They might be CIA, but the fact they can be genuine trekkers/hikers is not out of line either.


Kurdistan: The Other Iraq - Slide Show - NYTimes.com

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/holiday-in-hell-why-iraq-is-on-the-tourist-trek-20100916-15dho.html