Thread: Freed American hikers thank Hugo Chavez, Noam Chomsky, Cindy

PICKET: Freed American hikers thank Hugo Chavez, Noam Chomsky, Cindy Sheehan; raise suspicion about purpose of trip

By Kerry Picket

Published on September 25, 2011, 07:14PM

Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, the now freed American hikers who were held in an Iranian prison after being convicted for espionage, appeared before cameras and reporters in New York on Sunday and gave prepared statements about their detentions in Iran. According to reports, the country of Oman paid for both men's bail ($500,000 each), the same fee as was paid for Shourd's bail by Oman last year.

Bauer, a freelance journalist, along with Sarah Shourd, a teacher and women’s rights activist, and Fattal, an environmentalist, were arrested July 31, 2009 while hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan. Shourd was released last year. Bauer's and Fattal's remarks were critical of American foreign policy towards Iran as well as the Iranian government's treatment of it's own people.

"The only explanation for our prolonged detention is the 32 years of mutual hostility between American and Iran. The irony is Sarah Josh and I oppose U.S. policies towards Iran which perpetuate this hostility. We were convicted of espionage, because we are American," said Bauer. He continued, "It’s that simple. No evidence was ever presented against us. That is because there is no evidence and because we are completely innocent."

Towards the end of the men's remarks, they began naming specific world leaders, public officials, and celebrities who the two believed helped with gaining their freedom. In fact, two hikers also specifically named among others: Venezeulan dictator Hugo Chavez, Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu, Code Pink's Cindy Sheehan, liberal writer Noam Chomsky, and actor Sean Penn.

Fattal and Bauer gave no clue as to why they were hiking on the border of Iraq and Iran, but their views of U.S. foreign policy and those who they thanked in their remarks may actually begin to paint a picture as to why they were hanging out in such a dangerous region in the world.

All three appear to be heavily involved in left-wing foreign policy activism overseas. In 2009, according to Reuters, a 80 left-wing policy activists signed a letter to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asking for the release of all three hikers: (bolding is mine)

The prominent collection of academics, intellectuals, artists, adventurers, writers, journalists and activists, urged Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to make good on his pledge to pursue maximum leniency for the three.

“To continue to detain them without due process raises grave concerns that Iran is holding these three young Americans for political purposes and calls into question Iran’s stated commitment to the rule of law,â€

I am so damn sick of hearing about these hikers! All over the news while Fast and Furious and SolyndraGate are no where in the news.

I thought from the beginning, why the heck would anyone from America want to go "hiking" there, knowing how dangerous it is. I never felt sorry for them. They should have grown a brain and never have gone there in the first place to "hike".

Bauer also said, "In prison, every time we complained about our conditions, the guards would immediately remind us of comparable conditions at Guantanamo bay. They would remind us in other parts of the world and the conditions that Iranians and others experience in prisons in the U.S."

Ungrateful snots. They made no comments on how comfortable the air conditioned accommodations were? Did they make use of the exercise equipment, library with it's books , videos and movies, prayer room, dining hall? What about the free medical and dental care? I do remember a news report saying they were not allowed to personally meet with their attorneys, I guess the Iranians forgot to build those conference rooms, unlike GITMO. WHAT !!! THEY HAD NONE OF THIS? Maybe GITMO is not so bad after all. Camp 6 virtual tour http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp76AlOgHPg

All three appear to be heavily involved in left-wing foreign policy activism overseas. In 2009, according to Reuters, a 80 left-wing policy activists signed a letter to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad asking for the release of all three hikers: (bolding is mine)

I watched and really observed them and their mannerisms on tv last night. The above quote comes as no surprise. I swear, Im getting almost to where I can tell a person is a lib just by their looks and their mannerisms. Same thing with the guys girlfriend who was released earlier-she tries to come off all "salt of the earth" but she's really a loony lefty.

I think these dumbasses got what they deserved.

I think it is interesting that these people with their connections were "hiking" in Iran two years before the Arab Spring.