Iran Hikers - Do you or should we feel sorry for them?

Because I don't have all the details I can't say whether or not they belong in jail but I do feel sorry for them because we all know they are only in jail to make a political point.

You make a good point my friend, but if someone or a group of friends came to you and said, "lets go hiking along the boarder of Iran" would you be up to it? Me personally, no!

I would not even fly over Iran unless i was riding shotgun on an F-22 Raptor :) Look the short of the long is this... 8yrs in Iranian jails as americans are going to be hard. Those men are going to be transformed. If and when they are released they probably will be so brainwashed that they may not want to leave Iran. I dunno, they are better of dead at this point. 8yrs will be a lifetime in that Rat Hole.

I dont believe they are spies. USA will not step in because these hikers made their minds up a long time ago when they went hiking. Should have stayed home!

No, I don't feel sorry for them. I also don't feel sorry for people that decide to take Ocean cruises off the coast of Somalia, traffic drugs through China, drink alcohol in Saudi Arabia, etc.

we should compile a list of shit that you won't get sympathy for if your caught...

I don't feel sorry for people that spread the Gospel of Jesus in North Korea or just about anywhere outside the western world.

or for people that go to Thailand and say something bad about the king.

This wasnt an accident crossing that border. Alot of people are surprised someone would be hiking there. Like what were they thinking right? They are clearly spies. All three of them are from jewish background and likely agents of the mossad. They may be let go however. A few years back a woman was let go under similar circumstances for spying (no not the other hiker, it was a different woman). She also got 8 years and soon after released in a good will gesture. If i was Iran id probaly let them go and say ok dont let it happen again or next time we will make sure they serve the sentence.

there are better areas to hike.

if they were not spies then they were just plain stupid.

Agreed! It seems that some people go out of their way to get their balls in a sling. They deserve everything they get, and then some!!!

Hi Dragunov

Good point about them being spies, but my gut tells me they're not. Here's why, If they were American spies, we would not send them as backpackers\hikers, United States would be more apt to get them out. Most of this fiasco has been playing out publicly in the main stream media. If they were spies, I'd bet cha their would be back door deals being made. Shoot they would have been pardoned a long time ago.

Finally, no matter what country they are spying for, no amount of money is worth 8yrs in solitary confinement in Iran. You dont think they are going to allow them to be in with the regular prisoners?

I just keep thinking about this case. It's like, why would you go hiking in Iran? Thats like going to Afghanistan on vacation. Seriously, what did you think was going to happen. They cant be spies, that right there is proof that they have lost touch with reality, common sense and self awareness of what's going on with the world. I hope their pictures of the hike make it online at least. I'd be curious as heck to see what sight was worth 8yrs in HELL.. :)

Someone in another thread pointed to a link that said they were pro social justice.

So I'm thinking the punishment isn't harsh enough.

No I don't feel sorry for them. They shouldn't have had their asses over there. You couldn't pay me to go anywhere near Iran.

Thats some stupid games being played. Who would be dumb enough to agree to pose as hikers? That's a serious fail on their part.

no

We go in and get them back...AT ALL COST!

They were idiots, but I'm betting that they have had time to wisen up a bit in jail now.

I don't think that people should go to jail for being idiots. They should be sent home.

Say what you will about Iran, and I'd probably agree with you. But one thing you HAVE to admit:

THEY HAVE A TOTALLY AWESOME BORDER POLICY!!!!!

Wish we could take a page out of THEIR book!

No Way! They knew tottaly WTF the were doing. You doin't go hiking on the boarder of Iran without knowing how to get there, what it is, and what to do when you cross it.

Anyone who goes to that part of the world if they don't have to deserves what they get. They are lucky to even be alive. For Iran, the sentence seems quite lenient.

sigh. you people... never cease to amaze with your pseudo-hardass stances. but a bit of humanity is hard to come by these days. of course I feel bad for them... 10 yrs jail, even rapists dont get that.

They all figured this was going to be a "We slipped over the border into Iran and videotaped ourselves and no one caught us" moment.
Remember the "journalists" who illegally crossed into North Korea to get their story and got caught?
As my Daddy said, "You do the crime and you'll do the time".
No sympathy from me at all.

Spies usually get death.

It really makes me sick how people turn on each other for no decent reason. You don't feel sorry for innocent American hikers who have to spend 8 years in an Iranian prison??!! Wow, I sure am glad I don't know you.

I have to agree with that.


Why would you want to hike over there?


Hike on another Border.

You have Syria, Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.


With 5 borders you have 4 that are safer and you pick the most dangerous one?


FAIL

I feel bad for them but damn...that was dumb.

Hey, if you want to plead for "humanity" in this situation give the Iranian Embassy a call on Monday and see how far you get. We didn't pass the sentence, Iran did. Iran could have executed them as spies. They'll be out in a couple of months anyway after Iran makes its point and receives something under the table from the U.S.

I like your sense of humour

Totally agree. I just looked up the hikers and they aren't spies, they are kids/activists, great people who the world needs more of. At least you guys should stand up for them as fellow Americans. I don't want my people in some middle eastern jail for even one minute.

Don't give me that spy shit, if Iran sentenced them to death, that would cause the US to send in the military and kick some ass. I dare them to try it.

If Iran did that, US would start war against them. No doubt about it. It's already a tense situation. Hopefully you are right that they will bribe them and come home.

Did they find anything on them to prove they were spies?

I think they are just innocent hikers who were daredevils. and it really sucks they will be jailed for that long.

On the other hand, there are people who just want to experience different parts of the world and they 'think' they will be safe.

A few years ago I saw this travel brochere for people who wanted to see the famous ruins of Persepolos in Iran. I always thought that would be cool to see because I'm into ancient cities, etc... But the thing that stopped me was "would it be safe"?

So I talked to the travel company and of course they are "oh, yes, it is safe. Everyone always has a good time. The Iranian people really like meeting Americans, etc... etc... etc..." But I still felt too uncertain to go.

So I could see with these hikers that perhaps they were given similiar advice.

So maybe they are spies, maybe not.

Last Edited by Earth Daughter on 08/21/2011 02:01 AM

I think anyone dumb enough to go "hiking" on the border of a potentially hostile nation deserves eight years just for being a moran. They're lucky not to get beheaded.

Come on.
What legit hiker really hikes the IRANIAN boarder for fun?



Millions of places to hike on planet Earth and they chose the IRAN border????