American Tourists in Iraq Arrested by Iranian Troops on Border

[WillowTree]

American Tourists??? how's about American Idiots?

SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq — The U.S. State Department said Friday it was investigating reports that three American tourists have been detained by Iranians while hiking near the border in the self-ruled Kurdish region in northern Iraq.

Two Kurdish officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to release the information, said the Americans apparently were arrested after entering Iranian territory without permission.

U.S. helicopters were buzzing overhead and many U.S. Humvees had moved into the Kurdish city of Halabja to search for the Americans, said a Kurdish border force official.

According to a security official, a fourth American who stayed behind at a hotel because he was sick said the missing Americans were tourists hiking near Halabja and the border town of Ahmed Awaa.

According to this account, the four had traveled to Turkey, then entered the Kurdish region Tuesday through the Ibrahim Al-Khalil border point in Zakho, the official said. They visited the Kurdish cities of Irbil and Sulaimaniyah on Wednesday. The next day, three of them took a taxi to Ahmed Awaa where they told their companio

n that they planned to stay at a nearby resort, the official said.

American Tourists in Iraq Arrested by Iranian Troops on Border - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

 

[Lycurgus]

If they entered Iran illegally then it's on them. A sad reality, but, it is what it is.

If they were in Iraq legally and did not enter Iran and were arrested, then an act against one, is a act against all and Washington needs to take harsh action.

 

[PubliusInfinitum]

If they entered Iran illegally then it's on them. A sad reality, but, it is what it is.

If they were in Iraq legally and did not enter Iran and were arrested, then an act against one, is a act against all and Washington needs to take harsh action.

Oh I'm sure the Her Thighness has penned out a strongly worded BEGGING... and that it is making its away through channels as we speak...

Not to worry... we're hold ing hands now... everything's cool.

Why I'm sure that those hikers are all about Mother Earth and understanding the differing opinions of others... and in fairly short order they'll have this whole thing ironed out as they bring any of a number of anti-American diatribes to bear on the Iranians who 'captured' them... They're making friends fast, there can be no doubt.

Sort of reminds me of the Human Shields, who felt that the entire war could be avoided if they went to Iraq and explained to Saddam how they understood his anti-American position... where upon he shook a vigorous hand and found them a lovely spot right at ground zero, to help them, help him.

Seems, if memory serves however, that something was lost in the translation... because the more vociferous of them got the hell out of there and returned to report, in effect: 'dat muslim CRAZEH!'

 

[Big Black Dog]

Guess hiking in the National Parks and Forests here in the US wasn't a good enough vacation... Just something to think about. Hillary will come to the rescue. Have no fear. Then she can have her moment of fame so we can all puke.

 

[Sunni Man]

Most likely the three were spys who got caught.

But now they are being presented to the media as civilian hikers.

If their last names turn out to be something like Goldstein or Feinburg.

Then it will be obvious who they were working for.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Most likely the three were spys who got caught.

But now they are being presented to the media as civilian hikers.

If their last names turn out to be something like Goldstein or Feinburg.

Then it will be obvious who they were working for.

what if their names were something like Qaddafi...Husein....Khomeini....then who were they working for?

 

[Kalam]

They are Bower, Short, and Steel.

Sounds like their fault for crossing into Iranian territory after being warned against doing so in Kurdistan.

Al Jazeera English - Middle East - Iran detains US nationals at border

 

[strollingbones]

if the police or soldiers swarmed the 3...why didnt the 3 ....see or hear them before....major rule of being where you are not suppose to be..know who else is there too....

this is now another distraction for the administration to deal with.

 

[Soaring]

Dumbassed college kids with too much money. Hell, when I was in college, I couldn't afford to get of of town, much less hike in the hills of the Middle East.

 

[ba1614]

Dumbassed college kids with too much money. Hell, when I was in college, I couldn't afford to get of of town, much less hike in the hills of the Middle East.

Of all the holiday destinations in the world, these asshats choose to go to Iraq and/or Iran, at this time?
They're either incredibly stupid, or they were up to no good.

 

[SableRay]

Of all the holiday destinations in the world, these asshats choose to go to Iraq and/or Iran, at this time?
They're either incredibly stupid, or they were up to no good.

This last sentence sums it up completely. I have mixed feeling with our government getting involved. They know this is a hot spot.

 

[RadiomanATL]

More f'ing money than common sense.

Iran can keep them. Get them out of the American gene pool.

 

[garyd]

They were actually in the Kurdish region which is relatively terror free and the exact border in that region varies pretty much according to whom you talk to.

 

[Meister]

In the predatory wilds, this is what's known as attrition.
Only the fittest survive.


What were these numpskulls thinking?

 

[Sunni Man]

Just as I suspected.

The Iranian news has reported that the 3 people were CIA agents.

 

[Meister]

Just as I suspected.

The Iranian news has reported that the 3 people were CIA agents.

That would be a no brainer, of course they're going to say that.