unsinkable Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 I honestly don't understand why, with the whole wide world to choose from, they would have been hiking there (so close to Iran) in the first place? :confused: hikers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 How scary. Sage advice: don't accidentally hike into a hostile country when checking out a waterfall. :001_huh: They are soooo skinny in their pictures. I wonder if they aren't being fed adequately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiebird Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Honestly, there are some places where the microhabitats create mini-ecosystems not found anywhere else in the world. I don't know if this is the case, but as a botany major, there are a ton of places I would like to go that are stuck in really bad areas of the world. Nature doesn't care about politics though! There are also people that just like to be where the potential action might be in a thrill-seeking kind of way. I kind of give them the stink eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 Honestly, there are some places where the microhabitats create mini-ecosystems not found anywhere else in the world. I don't know if this is the case, but as a botany major, there are a ton of places I would like to go that are stuck in really bad areas of the world. Nature doesn't care about politics though! There are also people that just like to be where the potential action might be in a thrill-seeking kind of way. I kind of give them the stink eye. Is that what they were doing? Going on a nature walk? :lol: WWCMS? <What Would Charlotte Mason Say?> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 How scary. Sage advice: don't accidentally hike into a hostile country when checking out a waterfall. :001_huh: They are soooo skinny in their pictures. I wonder if they aren't being fed adequately. A woman who was with them was released months ago due to her health issues. The Red Cross should be able to due welfare checks, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarymelon Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 They were all living in Syria and had done pretty extensive travel in the middle east. They were hiking in a relatively stable area of Iraq. From what I understand they were not far at all from a fairly well established trail to a waterfall when they just wandered a bit too far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 They were in a touristy area on vacation and were hiking on a trail that was recommended by locals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 As a leftie, I like to be all "kumbaya" about the world but I don't get it. If I were anywhere near Iran, I think I'd be very careful to give that border a nice, wide berth. Geez. Tahquamenon Falls is nice. So is Niagara. There are people in the world just WAY more adventurous than I!! Maybe after we get these guys back they can hike over to North Korea and poke Kim Jong-il in the eye with a stick. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXBeth Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 They were all living in Syria and had done pretty extensive travel in the middle east. They were hiking in a relatively stable area of Iraq. From what I understand they were not far at all from a fairly well established trail to a waterfall when they just wandered a bit too far. This is the official line, but I have to admit I'm still skeptical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momto3indians Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 When my son spent a summer in Israel he traveled and met lots of great people. he gained a comfort level amongst the people and felt no fear in traveling. It 'could be' that was the mindset of these young adults. It's very sad...and they're very innocent of any wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 It was an attention getter... they were obviously hiking, and didn't mean to do anything wrong. There is no reason except attention, that they were held. Like a big bully... having a smaller child. Crazy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatCyndiGirl Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 A woman who was with them was released months ago due to her health issues. The Red Cross should be able to due welfare checks, right? Does the Red Cross DO that? Do you have any sources about it? I'm not trying to debate you or be snarky. This is jus the first time I have ever heard of the Red Cross being able to do that. I hope it's true! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 They can't always get in and evaluate and get someone released. I've read that they are quite concerned about the health of these young men. There are many news articles about this on line from main line sources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 A woman who was with them was released months ago due to her health issues. The Red Cross should be able to due welfare checks, right? I don't know about the red cross, but I do know that the U.S. embassies try to make sure that American prisoners are treated humanely. But... I'm pretty sure we don't have an embassy in Iran. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Maybe after we get these guys back they can hike over to North Korea and poke Kim Jong-il in the eye with a stick. Now that would be an exciting vacation!! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 When my son spent a summer in Israel he traveled and met lots of great people. he gained a comfort level amongst the people and felt no fear in traveling. It 'could be' that was the mindset of these young adults. It's very sad...and they're very innocent of any wrong. Yeah. People are scared to come down to Mexico, but I've been here awhile and have become comfortable being in situations down here where many people wouldn't be. You just get used to it. I can see them relaxing over time and just wanting to go for a hike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emubird Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 It seems that the best information that anyone has says that they were on the Iraqi side of the border (as they intended to be) when the Iranians came over the border and basically kidnapped them. http://www.thenation.com/article/36562/us-hikers-were-seized-iraq-wikileaks-document-corroborates-nation-report It should have been a reasonably safe area. It looks like extortion to me. Otherwise, I don't know why Iran would now let them go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatCyndiGirl Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 A woman who was with them was released months ago due to her health issues. The Red Cross should be able to due welfare checks, right? Does the Red Cross DO that? Do you have any sources about it? I'm not trying to debate you or be snarky. This is jus the first time I have ever heard of the Red Cross being able to do that. I hope it's true! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 It seems that the best information that anyone has says that they were on the Iraqi side of the border (as they intended to be) when the Iranians came over the border and basically kidnapped them. http://www.thenation.com/article/36562/us-hikers-were-seized-iraq-wikileaks-document-corroborates-nation-report It should have been a reasonably safe area. It looks like extortion to me. Otherwise, I don't know why Iran would now let them go. Looking at some articles it looks as if Iran will let them go if they pay 500,000 dollars and the lady already paid hers and got out. Nice way to make 1.5 mil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 Does the Red Cross DO that? Do you have any sources about it? I'm not trying to debate you or be snarky. This is jus the first time I have ever heard of the Red Cross being able to do that. I hope it's true! The Red Cross does visit prisoners to ensure they are being kept in a manner consistent with international law. They've issued reports about Guantanamo Bay, for example. Through the Geneva Conventions, the international community has mandated the ICRC to visit both prisoners of war and civilians interned during armed conflict. Wherever possible, the ICRC also visits people detained in other situations of violence. ICRC detention visits aim to ensure that detainees, whatever the reason for their arrest and detention, are treated with dignity and humanity, in accordance with international norms and standards. ICRC delegates work with authorities to prevent abuse and to improve both the treatment of detainees and their conditions of detention. http://www.icrc.org/eng/what-we-do/visiting-detainees/index.jsp http://ehl.redcross.org/curriculum/module5/C.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eloquacious Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 I think I've seen far too many spy shows/movies to entirely deny the theory that they were in espionage. If they were, so much sadder for them - when they do return home they'll be out of a job. (Can't go covert when your face is splashed all over newspapers around the world.) Then again, a US spy is worth a whole lot more than 500K. Perhaps they were just hikers. That being said, they may well have been on the Iraqi side. Does anyone here watch Covert Affairs on USA? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 That being said, they may well have been on the Iraqi side. Does anyone here watch Covert Affairs on USA? ;) :lol::lol::lol: I just watched that episode last week. I kept thinking about it when I was reading this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staceyobu Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 That being said, they may well have been on the Iraqi side. Does anyone here watch Covert Affairs on USA? ;) I actually remember reading some articles previously that stated there was reason to believe that they were well within the Iraqi border and may have been essentially kidnapped by Iran. Edit - ahhh... I see someone already said this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatCyndiGirl Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 The Red Cross does visit prisoners to ensure they are being kept in a manner consistent with international law. They've issued reports about Guantanamo Bay, for example. Through the Geneva Conventions, the international community has mandated the ICRC to visit both prisoners of war and civilians interned during armed conflict. Wherever possible, the ICRC also visits people detained in other situations of violence. ICRC detention visits aim to ensure that detainees, whatever the reason for their arrest and detention, are treated with dignity and humanity, in accordance with international norms and standards. ICRC delegates work with authorities to prevent abuse and to improve both the treatment of detainees and their conditions of detention. http://www.icrc.org/eng/what-we-do/visiting-detainees/index.jsp http://ehl.redcross.org/curriculum/module5/C.php Thank you for answering! I googled for the answer before I asked the question (I don't know why it posted twice), but couldn't find anything. That info you posted is very reassuring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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