[americanophile]

They were hiking in the autonomous Kurdish region of Iraq. They have disputed that they ever entered Iran, much less did so intentionally for the purposes of 'spying.' Many tourists go to the Kurdish region, it's really not as unusual as it once was. Moreover, many people, including Americans, routinely travel to Iran, including tourists. I don't think anyone on this forum should be siding with the Iranian government or claiming justification for abducting our citizens and trying them on trumped up charges. We're Americans, we have the right to travel to other friendly countries - including an Iraq we've spent billions to liberate - without fear of being molested by the criminal Iranian government.

[Bulwyf]

keyword there is “friendly”. If these two had gone hiking in a “friendly” country this would not of likely happened. Fact of the matter is, I have no sympathy for these two idiots. As a former soldier I loath people that either through utter stupidly or just sheer ignorance. Either way you put hard working, hard charging soldiers at risk, and you put your country in a position of being susceptible to exploitation. There is no defense for these two morons.

[nuconvert]

” I don’t think anyone on this forum should be siding with the Iranian government or claiming justification for abducting our citizens and trying them on trumped up charges.”

Thank You!

[driftdiver]

Nobody is siding with Iran on this forum. These ‘young kids’ made their bed and now they can sleep in it.

I’d feel sorry for them if they were there supporting a charity or actually helping people. No, they were there for a vacation.

[Greysard]

Many tourists go to the Kurdish region, it's really not as unusual as it once was. Moreover, many people, including Americans, routinely travel to Iran, including tourists.

Those "many people" fly into Iran's international airports, pass customs inspection and have their passports stamped. Crossing a border in mountains is far from that. Of course the kids say they didn't cross the border... how do they know where the border is, if it is not clearly marked? Any border board who wants a promotion and a bonus pay can venture into Iraq and grab a foreigner.

My guess, though, tells me that those students were dangerously close to the border. Iranian guards wouldn't go a mile deep into Iraq, at least because there is no reason to do that. They can't capture Iraqi goat herders (pointless) and they can't randomly hope that some Americans will suddenly show up at a certain point on Iraqi land. The guards were probably near the border, and they saw the students, and they arrested them. Perhaps it was within 100 yards of the border, either side - doesn't matter. You don't want to approach that border so close.

we have the right to travel to other friendly countries - including an Iraq we've spent billions to liberate

Spending money on liberation of Iraq hasn't made it friendly. Remember that the liberation required shooting and killing a bunch of Iraqis; they had families, and those families are not enamored with the USA anymore. Likely more Iraqis hate the USA today than they did ten or twenty years ago.