Freed American Hikers

I don't have a lot of sympathy for these idiots.

Discuss.

One of them is local, so the story has been big on the news here. I'm glad they're out, but it was foolish to go for a hike on the Iran border.

Gee, lemme think, let's go hiking near the Iranian border...fail

Their lucky. We have enough problems over there and their causing more. Go hiking through the smokies.

Glad they are free, but good grief...use some common sense, kids.

I agree with everything that's been said. I'm glad they're free, I hope they didn't go through anything too awful, but damn you are so dumb. Hiking in Iraq while fighting is going on, near the border of a country that hates us?

I really wouldn't be surprised if they were working for some alphabet soup agency.

You guys are so darn un-idealistic. Don't you know that people are all friendly and helpful, and all you have to do is show your friendly face, and everone will be nice to you?

In reply to Streetwiseguy:

I can name three people who don't think that way anymore.

Unless these people were employed by some US agency, theirs had to be one of most monumental STOOPID decisions ever made.

Iran is pretty awesome scenery though.

They should have at least had some handlers in the country, from what I understand folks with money in Iran are usually very pro-Western.

I wouldn't wish their ordeal on anyone, no matter how stupid, and I'm glad they're out, but as celebrities, I'm already sick of them. I see one of the guys is making a point about the "irony" of their long-standing opposition to US policy in Mesopotamia. His understanding of irony differs from mine, as that attitude squares with being casual about the location of borders. Tacky, is what they are. They're obviously working on a book deal.

saying that they're stupid for going into iran assumes that they a) actually did go into Iran and, b) knew they were going into Iran. also, the part of iraq that they were in is supposedly relatively safe.

similar situation with Lisa Ling's sister in N. Korea, they said they weren't in N. Korea, but the NK army saw them and there wasn't anyone else around to say they weren't in NK.

Strizzo wrote: saying that they're stupid for going into iran assumes that they a) actually did go into Iran and, b) knew they were going into Iran. also, the part of iraq that they were in is supposedly relatively safe. similar situation with Lisa Ling's sister in N. Korea, they said they weren't in N. Korea, but the NK army saw them and there wasn't anyone else around to say they weren't in NK.

2 suggestions, if you have no reason to be in the middle east other than hiking, don't berkeleying go. Stay at least 50 miles away from E36 M3ty countries run by tin pot shiny happy people.

Problem solved for stupid people.

PHeller wrote: Iran is pretty awesome scenery though. They should have at least had some handlers in the country, from what I understand folks with money in Iran are usually very pro-Western because we buy their gas.

FTFY

Grizz wrote: 2 suggestions, if you have no reason to be in the middle east other than hiking, don't berkeleying go. Stay at least 50 miles away from E36 M3ty countries run by tin pot shiny happy people. Problem solved for stupid people.

Better yet, don't ever leave the US at all. There are scary foreign people out there. You don't have to experience anything in the rest of the world anyway, CNNFOX will tell you what you need.

Jay wrote: Better yet, don't ever leave the US at all. There are scary foreign people out there. You don't have to experience anything in the rest of the world anyway, CNNFOX will tell you what you need.

Come on. There's a far cry between seeing the world and being a complete moron who's buttberkeleying around in a border zone between two countries with a lousy record of respecting American civilian rights.

I seriously wonder what the conversation was when they came up with the idea.

A: "Hey, wanna go hiking?"

B: "Sure, where?"

A: "Where do you think we could get in the most E36 M3 ever?"

Nice sarcasism Jay.

There is a difference in what they did and what other people should do.

You should do your homework for any vacation, not just out of the states. Peoples' responsibilities in knowing where potential dangers lie, should be on top of their lists.

I've had a buddy thrown in the back of a car in Jamaica in front of a popular club, and driven away. He was robbed; but did make it back alive and unhurt. He put himself in that situation, and I don't feel bad for him either.

N Sperlo wrote: folks with money in Iran are usually very pro-Western because we buy their gas.

While I can't find any concrete evidence, I think it'd be safe to say we're (USA) a minor contributor to Iran's oil wealth.

Fact is, they like our stuff, and most Iranians like our lifestyle as well. That's part of the reason the government is under so much pressure to keep "moderates" out of power.

No-one wants to be held captive, but the Iranians pulled this stunt out in order to get us to react. I'd be more worried about the captives of drug cartels in south and central America, Islamists in Somalia, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and all those other non-government related point-proving groups elsewhere in the world.

So who ponied up the money?

PHeller wrote: Fact is, they like our stuff, and most Iranians like our lifestyle as well.

None of this makes me want to go there.

Edit: But in case anyone wants a pie chart...

There are countries I hope to visit, and others I never will because I don't want to put myself in that type of situation. I don't think you have to never leave your own country, but using common sense in where you go in vacation seems like a good idea if you want to live a long and healthy life.

first thing my wife said.....why are they hiking there? Not enough in Canada and the USA?

Maybe they should listened to Alan Jackson before they left........"I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you the difference in Iraq and Iran"......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvj6zdWLUuk

pete240z wrote: Maybe they should listened to Alan Jackson before they left........"I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you the difference in Iraq and Iran"......

I could have given them something that could help. "Here. Its called a map."

Strizzo wrote: saying that they're stupid for going into iran assumes that they a) actually did go into Iran and, b) knew they were going into Iran. also, the part of iraq that they were in is supposedly relatively safe.

Uh, you (as in they) are even MORE stupid IMO if they don't know where they are. That's called ignorance, and I friekin' hate ignorance >:(

N Sperlo wrote:

pete240z wrote: Maybe they should listened to Alan Jackson before they left........"I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you the difference in Iraq and Iran"......

I could have given them something that could help. "Here. Its called a map."

Does the terrain go from sand to sea-green as soon as you cross the border?