Barack Obama believes it necessary to coo and flatter and fawn over these thugs, so why not Nora Shourd? If Hitler kidnapped three Americans in 1938, would everyone be rushing to proclaim how much they respected Germany's ancient and noble civilization?
An update on this story. "Mom of US hiker in Iran pleads to supreme leader," by Patrick Condon for AP, December 18:
MINNEAPOLIS -- The mother of one of three American hikers jailed in Iran appealed to the Islamic Republic's supreme leader on Friday to release her daughter and her friends for the holidays, according to a new video.It's been almost five months since the three were taken captive in Iran for allegedly straying across the country's border and almost two months since their families have had any word on their condition.
"Sarah, Shane and Josh are good people," Nora Shourd of Oakland, Calif., said in the video posted on a Web site dedicated to freeing the three. "They meant no harm to the Islamic Republic of Iran and respect your ancient and noble civilization. If they entered Iran, it was an innocent mistake."
The families have previously pleaded for their release to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but Friday's video was the first public outreach to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is Iran's highest-ranking political and religious authority.
"We're saying it's the holidays, please be compassionate and send them home," Shourd told The Associated Press on Thursday....
America has become a beggar nation...
"We're saying it's the holidays, please be compassionate and send them home." This woman, while understandably upset, is nonetheless a loon, likely the product of far too much liberal thinking. Late December holidays are not their holidays. Obviously she doesn't understand that she is a mere Western, female kaffir, and has no value or influence.
She would have shown her child more love if in childhood she had shown how to exercise common sense. Hiking in an area near a border with Iran! Kinda like hiking in the mountains in the winter time: there are predicable risks.
Please Mr. Supreme Ruler, have mercy on us poor dhimmis! We know our place! We pay the jizya! We know you are peaceful and kind! Please just stop beating us up and kidnapping our children...
James,
Please do explain...how is this piece pure right-wing propaganda at its finest? Do tell, can't wait to see how your twisted mind works. I'm baffled that you can equate this piece to politics other than the obvious politics Iran is playing by holding these three. Can't wait to see your reply; it should be amusing at a minimum.
James,
Please do explain...how is this piece pure right-wing propaganda at its finest? Do tell, can't wait to see how your twisted mind works. I'm baffled that you can equate this piece to politics other than the obvious politics Iran is playing by holding these three. Can't wait to see your reply; it should be amusing at a minimum.
Oh, because you said it...now I understand. It wasn't as amusing as I had thought it would be but at least I know all I need to know about you. Thanks.
Oh, because you said it...now I understand. It wasn't as amusing as I had thought it would be but at least I know all I need to know about you. Thanks.
James... Like I said, there is little the President can do in this situation.
I don't think it's so much what the President 'can' do, it is more to what he 'will' do. Or could do but won't, in the case of Prez Rasool Obama. If Iran was told to turn over these Americans or the attack would start in one hour, and they actually believed it, the hostages would be returned...But Rasool Obama does not 'speak softly while carrying a big stick', he speaks softly while carrying a limp noodle.
The Iranians have his number...so your right, there is little he will or can do...Well he may wave his limp noodle at Ahmadinijad, but he will just laugh...The only way Iran will return these people is if they get something out of it...
Gosh, that's funny, because another president, Thomas Jefferson, knew what to do about it, and did it.
"They meant no harm to the Islamic Republic of Iran and respect your ancient and noble civilization. If they entered Iran, it was an innocent mistake."
This is where Shourd goofed up.
She should have known Islam regards the ancient and noble civilization of Iran (the Achamaenids) as being jahiliya. Did she expect a medal for her statement?
Obama is just like Dhimmi Carter to Iran...you are right and all they will do is laugh at him since they know he only has a limp noodle. Iran will hold these people until the next Reagan is elected and demands their return; unfortunately, that will be at least 3 years from now.
I noticed that also...She was trying to butter up the Ayatollah, but ended up insulting him...Maybe he will just consider the source and not retaliate in some way...
While it is a shame that this incident occurred as it only allows the Iranians to poke a stick in our eye...again, I have absolutely no empathy for these three morons. Anyone who goes on vacation and "hiking" in a war zone, gets exactly what they deserve. What the hell were they thinking!?
While it is a shame that this incident occurred as it only allows the Iranians to poke a stick in our eye...again, I have absolutely no empathy for these three morons. Anyone who goes on vacation and "hiking" in a war zone, gets exactly what they deserve. What the hell were they thinking!?
At base, it's general human stupidity and arrogance at work here - "we can go anywhere we like just because we're human (or Americans, or fill in any other blank you wish)". It's usually a man vs nature thing - people going into the woods and being surprised by the fact that there are unfriendly wild animals there who do not like humans and will react violently to their presence, or skiiers who ignore the "do not leave this trail" sign and then get on the TV to tell their harrowing, self-inflicted tale when SAR rescues their sorry butts; but also includes the clueless folk who wander aimlessly around a strange city without talking to a friendly local first, and finding our where one should not go, and what precautions one should take (don't go in that area, it's a ghetto, don't go in that bar, they won't like you there).
But I once knew a fellow Canadian who got into a pickle with the Cubans this way. He and his friends were boating off the shore of Florida, in the days long before GPS systems. They were surprised to be picked up by the Cuban coast guard, which, assuming the boaters were American, hauled them to jail for three days while their citizenship status was sorted out. When it was finally proven they were Canadians, though, they did receive a personal letter of apology from Castro himself, inviting them to stay as long they liked on his dime. Shaken after three days in a Cuban jail, however, they politely declined and came home.
The irony in this? The person telling me this story, to whom it happened, was the local candidate for the Communist Party of Canada-Marxist-Leninist.
I can hear y'all laughing now. :)
"I have absolutely no empathy for these three morons. Anyone who goes on vacation and "hiking" in a war zone, gets exactly what they deserve. What the hell were they thinking!?"
Exactly. Three "We're all the same" Liberal Moonbats.
You can bet they know now we are NOT "all the same." While languishing in their Iranian prison, and perhaps the female "Infidel" getting raped by male Islamic Barbarians.
I bet that three Republicans will be coming home (hopefully).
And "James Randal" - a Left-Wing Propagandist at it's finest. A Left-Winder. Leftist. Look at that Leftie! Left Left Left
Its difficult not feel some sympathy for a distraught mother, no matter how imbecilic her kids' behavior was getting into that situation to start with. But if she represents the average voting American's knowledge of geopolitics, it becomes obvious why US mainstream culture is drinking the cultural equivalence koolaid.
Sorry Darcy, but I have to totally disagree with your prediction. They probably will have already passed out of the initial moonbat stage, and be moving deep into the dhimmi stage by now, and then perhaps eventually on the convert/revert final solution. Moonbats are predisposed to fascist submission.
hiking in hostile Muslim areas must be in the top ten list of stupid things to do...
Sorry Darcy, but I have to totally disagree with your prediction. They probably will have already passed out of the initial moonbat stage, and be moving deep into the dhimmi stage by now, and then perhaps eventually on the convert/revert final solution. Moonbats are predisposed to fascist submission.
Respectfully, I doubt it. These weren't the human shield types that attempted to support Saddam Hussein. Just 3 loopy liberal kids who drank too much university kool-aide and are now waking up with one hell of a hangover.
Regardless, because they are useful political pawns, I suspect they are being treated very well as opposed to the run of the mill iranian prisoner. Kindly treatment would play very well on Oprah once they are finally returned after this tragic "misunderstanding".
@ James -
Gotta love how you pretend to be on the side of freedom, but your hatred of Christians and your BDS just cannot stay hidden long.
I think there's a term for that -- false flag troll.
Mr Spencer has taken Bush to task for his policies, if you'll go back into the archives.
Thing is, anyone with half a brain and a little knowledge of Islam knows that this "winning hearts and minds" crap isn't going to work - especially when American presidents and other Western "leaders" themselves spout Islamist propaganda - "Islam is the religion of peace ..... It's only a tiny minority of extremists who hate infidels and want Sharia law imposed" .... etc, etc, ad nauseam.
Yes, we all know that Bush was cuddling up to his fellow oil barons. What we're not sure of is Obama's real motives.
"Yes, we all know that Bush was cuddling up to his fellow oil barons. What we're not sure of is Obama's real motives."
Here's my guess - Islamization of America.
James, Robert has a book coming out written with Pam Gellar and someone else that, I fear, will be yet another anti Obama preach to the choir type of thing. I hope I am wrong because I respect Robert's work very much but the "Obama the appeaser theme is increasingly woven into the postings here, and the "Obama the Muslim Commie anti american bla bla bla theme is all over the comments.
To the degree that the Obama criticism is valid, I say critices away, but, unfortunately, it has gotten to the talk radio level which greatly diminishes the potential of this site.
I will be now attacked by a bunch of people because obviously I to am some sort of Dhimmi due to my "liberal leanings".
The mother of one of three American hikers jailed in Iran appealed to the Islamic Republic's supreme leader on Friday to release her daughter and her friends for the holidays, according to a new video.
..................
And she appears in this video in *full hijab*.
I feel for this woman, I really do—yet I was entirely disgusted at the same time.
"They ... respect your ancient and noble civilization."
Unfortunately, the Islamic Republic itself doesn't respect that civilization. Just ask the Zoroastrians, if you can find any, how much Islam respected that civilization.
"We are good people, - they don't know how good we are..."
GWB, after 9/11. Unfortunately, the vid is no longer available. And don't don't accuse me of suffering from BDS.
"James Randal":
Actually, I was the first to say that.
See this April 2003 article:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_8_19/ai_100111653/
In it, I argued the "No" position on the question, "Does President Bush Have a Realistic Plan for Bringing Democracy to the Middle East?"
And restated that position many, many times over the years at Jihad Watch.
Next time, you might want to do some actual checking before making claims that are, in fact, false.
Cordially
Robert Spencer
"psycho Jesus freak Republicans" - Leftist "James Randal"
It appears to be you who is the psycho, and the freak.
*
People - here's an excellent article about the West's submission to Islam and the curtailment of our free speech, by Bruce Bawer: "An Anatomy of Surrender"
http://www.city-journal.org/2008/18_2_cultural_jihadists.html
James Randal : ..when our previous president thought it would be a great idea to invade Muslim countries..[SNIP].
You immediately lose all credibility with that statement.
The U.S. did not 'invade' a moslem country, it and its allies acted on a U.N. mandate.
After that comment it's pointless reading the rest of the drivel you've posted.
Barack Hussein Obama lost any respect as the leader of the free world when he tripped over to Saudi Arabi and bowed down to the Saudi king, and then apologized for all the good things that he hates about America. From that point on, the Mullas and our enemies have seen what a weak man Obama is. They will use that weakness against him and the free world. Ahmadinejad and his Mullas are laughing at Obama. When they are ready, they will release the three tourist. Till then they will keep them hostage just as Ahmadinejad did many years ago when he took over the US embassy. Wasn't till Reagan took office that Amadingbat finally realized he was dealing with a real president and not some community organizer.
The invasions of Iraq and of Afghanistan were in and of themselves good and necessary. Even their subsequent occupation would have been good and necessary, had it been conducted rationally. The problem has come in with the nature of our occupation of both countries and with its rationale. In both cases, we have structured our occupation in terms of a grandiose project to help local Muslims democratize (if that verb isn't intransitive, it should be, for in this context the phenomenon literally has no real object), ignoring the profound obstacles to such a goal in the very Islam which infects those societies. We have also, in both cases, conducted our military security in the reckless terms of an overweening "cultural sensitivity" and deference to a mythical majority of Good Friendly Moderate Muslims, and no matter how many times that myth is proven false by collusion of Muslim authorities in various positions with the suicide bombers -- as well as the obvious porousness of the ordinary populace with the prodigious pullulation of suicide bombers -- our reigning PC MC paradigm keeps sealing the hatches of that myth in order to keep the hideous reality out.
So, I would have been on board with an invasion that toppled both regimes and got out (for example, packing up our bags the moment we apprehended Saddam and shot him in the head without a trial); or even with a subsequent occupation that was rationally no-nonsense and didn't indulge in such inanities as not using dogs to sniff out bombs in mosques or waiting a few minutes for the women in a housing complex to be put out of sight lest they be seen by Infidel male soldiers searching that complex for terrorists -- and similar stupidities, all for fear of "offending" Muslims. But to what end would we occupy, if not to "nation-build" and "democratize"? The end, of course, of ferreting out jihadists and killing as many of them as possible, then leaving those countries knowing our mission remains unfinished, but leaving those countries in a disarray sufficient to encourage internal internecine violence among Muslims -- Sunni and Shia in the case of Iraq, and Extremist and Moderate in the case of Afghanistan -- rather than our preposterously all too real project of actually trying to discourage these very beneficial to us pathologies endemic to Muslims.