Job Discussion Forums

johnslat · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 1:17 pm Post subject:

Boy, that eight years just FLEW by:

Iran president: US hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal to be freed �in a couple of days�
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says alleged spies will be released on �humanitarian� grounds

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44497867/ns/today-today_news/t/iran-president-us-hikers-be-freed-days/#.Tm9YLhyDF5E

Regards,
John

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

And no visit by Carter or Clinton...pity. The Iranians were bought off with a mere 500,000 dollars each.

johnslat · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 3:54 pm Post subject:

Dear Guy,

Gee, do you really think they'll jump bail? Maybe Ahmadinejad could get Dog, the Bounty Hunter after them Very Happy

Regards,
John

Isla Guapa · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 4:09 pm Post subject:

Let's not forget that the young woman who was part of the group was released on humanitarian-health reasons, and she also paid $500,000 bail. Maybe arresting and holding foolish foreign hikers and collecting bail money from them is a way of balancing the Iranian budget Wink

.

johnslat · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 4:34 pm Post subject:

Dear Isla Guapa

That's going to take a lot of wayward hikers: Iran Debt - external: $14.34 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

But they're better off that we (the US) are. Maybe we need to start a similar program.

Regards,
John

Captain_Fil · Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 2:50 am Post subject:

I predict there will be a book deal. Maybe a movie. The three hikers could become millionaires.

The $1.5 million in bail will be paid off rather quickly...

Confused

johnslat · Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 3:00 am Post subject:

Dear Captain_Fil,

If you think that bail is ever going to be paid by the hikers, I've got some ocean-front property in New Mexico you might be interested in. Very Happy

Regards,
John

Captain_Fil · Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 3:07 am Post subject:

Dear John,

I don't think any of the hikers or their families are super-rich.

They have to get the one million dollars from somewhere or someone.

If they are released through bail, there will be payback.

Regards,
CF

Wink

johnslat · Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 1:47 pm Post subject:

Dear Captain_Fil.

The so-called "bail" is a fiction - it's not really money that's involved here:

"Muscat: Oman secured American hiker Sarah Shourd�s release from Iran and the United States did not pay anything for her freedom, Eddie Vasquez, State Department spokesman, told Gulf News over telephone from Washington DC.

�On the issue of bail, I will let the Omanis speak to whatever arrangements may or may not have been made since they were the ones engaged with the Iranians in helping to secure her release. I can confirm that the United States did not pay anything,� Vasquez said in reply to a question.

With the government departments closed for Eid Al Fitr holidays in Oman until Friday, there was no one from Oman�s Foreign Ministry available for comment.

The US State department spokesperson also said that at this point, the US embassy in Muscat was working with Sarah and her family to facilitate her travel back to the United States.

�I can�t confirm for you at this point when she will head back, he added.

As for questions regarding health, he said that he is going to refrain from commenting out of respect for her privacy.

He reiterated that the main point for the US government was that her case had been resolved. �We are happy and pleased that she is coming home,� he enthused.

�We hope that Iranians will make same decision to release the two hikers that remain as their families desperately want them home as well,� he further added.

Shourd, the American hiker held on spying charges in Iran for over a year, arrived on Tuesday at the Muscat Airport by a special aircraft. It was reported that that $500,000 bail was paid through Iran�s state run Bank Melli branch in Muscat. However, banks in Oman are closed since last Friday due to Eid Al Fitr holidays and will open only on Thursday."

Regards,
John

Captain_Fil · Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:42 pm Post subject:

Dear John,

If you're right, the three hikers can keep their potential millions and enjoy the good life.

Maybe the two years of imprisonment, torture and sodomy was worth it.

Regards,
CF

Wink

johnslat · Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:45 pm Post subject:

Dear Captain_Fil

I'm not really disputing this as a possibility:

" . . . torture and sodomy was worth it."

but how do you know?

Regards,
John

Captain_Fil · Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:00 pm Post subject:

Dear John,

If a book deal, a movie and other lucrative ventures result from their terrible experience, then it was probably worth it.

But the financial gains aside, there are the psychological costs.

Regards,
CF

johnslat · Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:07 pm Post subject:

Dear Captain_Fil,

Sorry, guess I was unclear. What I meant is how do you know they were tortured and sodomized.

Regards,
John

Captain_Fil · Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:20 pm Post subject:

Dear John,

An Iranian prison is like any other prison in the world.

In prison. there are men who have been locked up for years without the company of women. And these men are angry and aggressive.

Torture (or violence) and sodomy does result.

Regards,
CF