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Obama urges Iran to release three U.S. hikers
Laura Fattal (L), Cindy Hickey (C) and Nora Shourd (R), the mothers of Josh Fattal, Shane Bauer, and Sarah Shourd respectively, hold pictures of their children while protesting for their release with others outside the Iran Mission in New York, July 30, 2010.
Credit: Reuters/Mike Segar
WASHINGTON |
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday called on Iran to immediately release three Americans who were detained a year ago after straying across the border while hiking in the mountains of northern Iraq.
Obama, in a statement marking the Americans' 12 months in captivity, said Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd, and Josh Fattal had committed no crimes and their continued imprisonment violated international human rights conventions.
"Their unjust detention has nothing to do with the issues that continue to divide the United States and the international community from the Iranian government," Obama said.
The United States and its allies are involved in a stand-off with Iran over its uranium enrichment program, which they fear is a cover to build a nuclear weapon. Tehran insists it is for the peaceful generation of electricity.
"I want to be perfectly clear: Sarah, Shane and Josh have never worked for the United States government. They are simply open-minded and adventurous young people who represent the best of America, and of the human spirit," Obama said.
The mothers of the three detainees visited their children in May. They said they were being treated well but had had no access to a lawyer and had not been told what would happen to them.
Obama also said he had spoken this week with the wife of Robert Levinson, an ex-FBI agent who disappeared in March 2007 during a business trip to Iran's Kish Island.
"We continue to have no information about his welfare, and reiterate our call for the government of Iran to provide any information that it has about his whereabouts," he said.
(Editing by Xavier Briand)
I remember a president with the initials of JC who had problems with US prisoners taken in Iran. All the talk and requests was ignored while he was president. Then RR becomes president, is known as a warhawk and the prisoners are released on the day of his inauguration. Actions speak louder than words. Talk softly, carry a big stick.
Truth, trooth. Another war in the Middle East would certainly be good for America.
These “hiking children” with their “worried moms” all in their late 20s. Coincidentally they are Jewish, and probably were intelligence operatives. So lets cut the make-believe.
So what if some Iranian hikers sneaked into the U.S.A.?
Guantanamo.
We should have been out of Iraq and Afghanistan years ago and out of Europe and South East Asia decades ago. A full scale war isn’t necessary, a precise attack by our forces can give Iran/North Korea the reality check they so need right now. We didn’t go to war with Libya, or Panama, or even when Clinton was president we didn’t go to war with Iraq at the time but struck hard to send a message. We need to get our boys home and use them effectively and not for long drawn out political games to “sway” the minds of the people.
@amyconnellcalif
They were hiking on a mountain in Iraq on the border of Iran and had no idea they entered Iranian territory. Stupid? Yes. Spies? Hardly.
“Trooth” left out the part where Lieutenant Colonel Ollie North made a deal with the Iranians to hold the hostages until the election so as to sway the voters Ronnie’s way.
That’s why they were released on inauguration day. Ollie went to jail for the deal but Ronnie didn’t. He should have. That is the first recent case where the Republicans will trade American’s well being for political power.
Now it happens all the time.
The US, a country which feels free to kidnap anyone anywhere around the world and keep them indefinitely in network of Gulags spreading worldwide is demanding Iran to free the Americanos amigos, who were caught on Iranian soil after entering illegally Iran. If my memory serves me correctly, it was the US who raided the Iranian consulate in Northern Iraq, kidnapped 5 Iranian diplomats and held them for 2 years.
