Iran Arrests US Reporter, Obama Wags Finger
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US-Iranian journalist Roxana Saberi poses for a photograph in Tehran in this April 10, 2004 file photo. An Iranian-American journalist detained in Iran since late January 2009 and accused of espionage went on trial this week and a verdict is expected soon, the Iranian judiciary said on April 14, 2009.
I’ve been following the case of Iranian-American US reporter Roxana Saberi for a few months now, and her fate isn’t looking to be too good. Ahmadinejad figures he’s doing this woman a service by allowing her a ‘full defense’ for a fabricated crime. Saberi faces 8 years in an Iranian prison on charges of espionage.
Oh please, Mahmoud.
Some backstory: Ms. Saberi is 1997 Miss North Dakota, born in Fargo. As she is part Iranian, Saberi traveled to Iran in 2003 to work as a freelance reporter for news organizations such as National Public Radio and the BBC (given her situation, let’s cut Saberi some slack for that). According to her father, Saberi has been working on a book about Iranian culture.
Saberi was arrested back in January shortly after she purchased a bottle of wine. It’s only gotten worse since then:
Iran has released few details about the charges against the [Saberi]. Saberi was arrested in January and initially accused of working without press credentials. But earlier this month, an Iranian judge leveled a more serious allegation that she was passing classified information to U.S. intelligence services.
[…]
Her parents… traveled to Iran to seek her release. Her father, Reza Saberi, has said his daughter wasn’t allowed a proper defense during her one-day trial behind closed doors a week ago. He said no evidence has been made public, and his daughter was tricked into making incriminating statements by officials who told her they would free her if she did.
He told CNN on Sunday that her trial lasted only 15 minutes. “It was a mock trial,” he said.
One Iranian analyst said Ahmadinejad’s letter was politically motivated and suggested Iran could be using Saberi’s case to gain leverage with the U.S.
“Iran can use Saberi’s case as a bargaining card in possible negotiations with the U.S.,” said analyst Saeed Leilaz.
Aside from the fact that Ahmadinejad is a world-class a*****e, it’s very plausible that he’s using this woman as fodder for future political engagement with the US. As you can see, it’s clear that the number of charges they pulled out of thin air, moving from a lack of credentials to espionage, has no basis at all. What would Miss North Dakota 1997 be doing spying for the US in Iran?
And as you can expect, our Head of State has done everything short of demanding Saberi’s return:
President Barack Obama said Sunday he was “gravely concerned” about Saberi’s safety and well-being and was confident she wasn’t involved in espionage. The U.S. has called the charges baseless and said Iran would gain U.S. goodwill if it “responded in a positive way” to the case.
Any other country in the world would be outraged at the baseless arrest of one of its citizens overseas. But not Obama. He’s the bigger man, a man of maturity. Hell, he’s so mature his spine has gone and vaporized into dust.
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Nice read, I just passed this onto a friend who was doing a little research on that. And he just bought me lunch as I found it for him smile Therefore let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!
I understand what you are saying, it’s just that I don’t want people like my friend to be harmed merely because he happens to be a muslim, it’s one thing for collateral damage to occur in war, but it’s another thing entirely to murder someone because of their religion, colour, etc. Innocents should not suffer for the guilty, the ends don’t always justify the means, we need to always remember the difference and not become as the nazis. I am a firm believer in an eye for an eye, but only the eye of the guilty, never the innocent(I come from a long line of military and police personnel and they have always strived to be just, and I believe in that).
If and when the savages among these sheep rise up and make themselves known, it’ll be the job of Brits, Americans, Germans, Australians, and etc. alike to rise up as one and knock them out for the count.
It’s certainly an interesting time to live in, where I live there is a high population of muslims, yet i’ve always got on well with them and rarely had trouble(in fact i’ve had more trouble with my own ethnic group “white, british), on one occasion a local muslim caused a problem with me in which I was so enraged that I faced off against him amongst his friends and threatened to kick the s**t out of him and if any of the others had a problem to get in line and i’d deal with them as well, fortunately an asian friend who knew the guy came up and asked what was going on, after I explained to him what had happened he turned round to the lad and gave him a punch that put him on the floor, his friends picked him up and took him away apologising for him, my friend also apologised(even though it had nothing to do with him)and we shook hands and I went back into my house. My friend(a white brit) who had stayed inside my house and watched said he was amazed at what had occured because he thought I was going to get battered by a mob until my asian friend came along, when I asked him what he was talking about, he pointed out that when I told them to get in a line for a beating, there had been about 20-25 asians there, I must admit that when he told me that(I hadn’t realised at the time) it gave me a jolt to realise how close I might have come to ending up injured or worse, but having said all that, the point i’m trying to make is that there are good and bad in all societies and on that particular occasion I had both.
Sorry for rambling there but I felt that I had to show how perceptions can be misleading at times, if you see what I mean.
In general though I am afraid that at some point, possibly quite soon, there is going to be a civil conflict that may well cause a backlash right across the globe, in certain areas in the uk, you can virtually taste the tension in the air, time will tell how it ends up. One thing I do know is that if it does all go mad over here, I am prepared for it in my own way, whoever is foolish enough to try to get at my family in my home is going to be very unfortunate, be they muslim, christian, satan worshipper, whatever.
P.S. I know that sounds like bravado and bluster, etc, but as the saying goes, “the proof is in the pudding”. =)
Oh man. England? You have far more reason to be pissed off at your leaders than we Americans do. How is Britain turning out with its exploding Muslim population?
I also apologise for my behavior, I tend to get a bit ranty myself.
I understand your frustration, I have felt that way myself with the uk government. It pisses me off at times too, but then I have to remember that they have an entire nation to worry about, so unless the person or people in question are in some way of great importance then their welfare comes far down the list of things to do.
I agree with what you are saying. The problem here in America is we have come to a two party system. That is my opinion. I’m sorry about yesterday, I just get pissed when our leaders don’t defend an innocent American being persecuted in a foreign country. There are a lot of things in politics that piss me off but this one is the topic.
I get what you’re saying but unfortunately this is the current way of your government(as it has been at times in the past), my government is the same at times(england), I mean christ the toughest leader we’ve had since churchill was maggie thatcher! look at 2 a******s we’ve had one of course has to be Neville Chamberlain(Mr “peace for our time”) about adolf hitler and of course our recent grinning baboon Tony “is my smile big enough” Blair! At the moment good relations with other countries are a financial nessecity even if some of those countries are ones youl’d like to blast back to the stone age, hell at the moment your government daren’t piss china off as they have damn near as many us dollars as the us has currently in country, and look at their human rights and anti western attitudes. It’s a fact that in many parts of china they still have killing rooms(these are places which are specifically for dumping unwanted female babies to be left to starve to death), and this is even though their male population is now out numbering their female population by 116 males for every 100 females, and that figure is beleived to be conservative in it’s estimation.
Tinct, WELL SAID!
I’m not saying Obama should go to war over this, not even. But it’s very emasculating when my country’s leader can’t or won’t, for whatever reason, simply condemn the action of a foreign country not only falsely accusing a US citizen of a crime but jailing that citizen as well, and after a bullshit trial no less. I just want to know that I can trust Obama, at the very least, to stand up for and protect his people, if only verbally. That’s what we voted him to be President for, not to value his relationships with other countries more than the lives of his own people.
Turning the country into a socialist government is not an acceptable means by which to get the country on the right track financially.
You’re right his response was not a particuarly good one, however that does not mean that things are being worked out in the background.
It’s also true to say that he is representing America, but to be fair this guy didn’t come from a long line of politicos, for that matter until the polls started going his way, his own party did virtually nothing for him so it’s hardly surprising that he is behind the curve, especially when as i’ve said he’s got to be ultra carefull for the sake of any future black americans who want the presidency. He could have come out looking stronger, but something to bear in mind is just what his publicity team are advising him, a lot of presidents have suffered from the “good advice” of others, i’ll even go so far as to suggest that at least some of his problems lie with the “long term” staffers in the white house who just plain don’t want him there(and there are a few who have made that clear to one degree or another).
Anyway, I would say call this a f**k up and see how he goes on, if he gets the country back on track(financially) whilst making America looking a bit soft for a few years(bearing in mind you can always vote him out), it’s better than the alternative, which is to look tough as f**k, while the country goes down the drain and straight in the poor house. It’s easier to gain respect than it is to come back from the brink of financial ruin.
Obama could just as easily said that he was doing everything he could to rectify the situation. Instead his response made him look weak and cowardly. This man represents America and shouldn’t be cowering at every turn.
To Tinct, thank you for recognising the point regarding his position of being the first black president.
My question is this, whilst everyone is saying what a wimp, etc, what exactly do they think he should do? If he threatens them, he increases tension, etc and also increases anti western sentiment, it’s bad enough as it is, we really don’t need any more people pissed off at us, just think every time the west makes a threat, etc, that puts more ammunition into the hands of the extremists and terrorists because all they have to do is say, “look at what the west is doing, look who are threatening our lives, etc, etc”.
The first rule of government is as you say to defend the people, and the way you start is by diplomacy, etc, then depending on the underlying cause for the problem you can then take it further, not threats, then diplomacy.
I know I wouldn’t like it if I were the prisoner(whatever), but realistically I wouldn’t expect my country to throw down the gauntlet over one person, anyone in government who is honest(only triggerhappy nuts like threatening other countries) will tell you that they’re not going to waste much time over one person when they have a nation full of them to worry about.
Here’s another way of looking at it, do you A, want your leader to sort out the economy so that people are not losing their homes, etc and get america back to being a strong economy, or B, go to war and waste billions that the country hasn’t got and/or whip up yet more hatred by threatening another country over one person(who to be honest, knew the risks going in, if she didn’t then she was a moron).
I wouldn’t like losing a member of my country under these circumstances, but i’d understand my leaders priorities as well.
The choice is simple when you remove emotion from the equation, and don’t forget if he does end up being a really bad president he can be voted outat the next election(and he can also be removed from office if he turns out to be incompetant, though he’d have to go past a few expresidents to get that far). =)
Just thought of another option, if he’s really that bad, you can always pull a Lee Harvey on him.
Let’s refrain from resorting to personal attacks.
Concerned, you’re right, Obama is probably pussyfooting around because everyone’s judging him as the first Black President. Regardless, it’s his job as the leader of his nation to protect his people. I’m actually outraged at his unwillingness- and I don’t care about his reasons- to condemn someone for wrongfully imprisoning one of his own citizens. If Obama’s plan is to use this spineless, yellow-bellied response every time somebody wrongs the US, then he shouldn’t have run for President in the first place. The duties of the President remain the same, regardless of race or extenuating circumstances.
If this were a situation between, say, Russia and France, and Russia was unwilling to condemn France for this act, I’d mark the Russian leader as a coward with no spine. And I’d expect every Russian citizen to do the same.
Now that is funny, what makes you think I expect him to be any different? You are obviously not very bright or you would realize the implications of Obama’s statement at the G-20 summit. If you did you would realize what I meant by giving our country away. My problem with Obama is he is taking step toward socialism, not the color of his skin. I also don’t like the fact of other Americans being held either, but this story was about Roxana Saberi and Obama’s response.
The point was that you expect him to be different to all the other presidents, that was the point of pointing at past presidents , I can hardly poiint at future ones can I.Jesus what a dick
The forefather refernce was to do with foreigners, which you brought up you dick
You talk about being held in a foreign land, etc, try looking up about those who did the same and in fact some who are still being held wehter by government or by terrorists
You want him to do what virtually no other has done, you essential problem is that because you’ve had 2 trigger happy bushes you think thats how everything should be done, in essence “do what we say because we’re american, or else”
conned I’m not sure why you keep bringing up the past. would you like me to list all the f**k up’s of every president through history. You apparently don’t have a brain or you would have known that when I said our forefathers fought for this country that i could have just as easily said they fought there original countries for the right to establish their own country.
I don’t need to look at previous presidents to know the one we have now is a pussy. How much do you have to pay Obama to think for you? bet you Wouldn’t be singing Pretty about Obama if you were being held in a foreign country on false charges.
now go back and read the article so you will know that this about the present not the past you fucking idiot!
Hi sorry Tinct yor comment wasn’t up when I was writing, To be accurate I’m neither for nor against Obama, it’s just that I have seen all the negativity regarding him and it’s rather pathetic,I mean lets be fair yes at the moment he probably is afraid of stepping wrong, but frankly are you surprised. He is the first coloured to get in the whitehouse and whatever he does he’s going to be fucked for it, you know it and I do, if he was to be aggresive you’d have the racists jumping up and down screaming look what happens when you let a n****r in the white house, s**t i’ve already seen enough antiobama jokes to have covered both bushes terms as presidents. Historically presidents are either castigated for being too weak or too aggresive and whatever he does he gets fucked, the comment the other con made about tax money, christ all you have to do is look over the pastsay 30 years and ever other president has done the same, as regards the hostage thing, can you honestly say that all the other presidents whipped out an uzi, hell no most of them either ignored it or worked in the background on it. No one here knows anything except the public face of government, so to say oh obamas only done this is bull. The problem with obamas whole presidential career is going to be how will the black guy do? and every single thing he does is going to be pulled apart far worse than any previous president has had to contend with.
“how about the fact that he is spineless twerp, Who can’t even take a stand for Americans being held in a foreign country on bogus charges”
Like I said, try looking aty previous presidents.
“Or how about the fact that he is using tax payer money to bailout large corporations that failed to do their job, while American citizens are losing their lively hoods”
Again, look at previous presidents
“you would know that those other countries you mentioned didn’t give us America, we took it from them. You half wit our forefathers fought for this country to call home.”
Umm, I hate to tell you this but your forefathers came from other countries you idiot, if you bother to actually read a history you will find that america was colonised by other countries and after a number of generations had passed those that had been born there fought against the original countries thus in essence as it says in your history books brother fought against brother, this meaning that america wanted to be a country in it’s own right rather than just a series of colonies, and as a result fought against the very countries that their “forefathers” had come from, fucking hell you are stupid.
I’m sorry, Founded, but whether or not Obama is doing better overall in comparison with other Presidents is irrelevant here; by no means is a man’s success reason enough to ignore his screw-ups. Not even close. I keep wondering why prObamas like yourself (I assume) are always quick to shut up anyone who criticizes Obama when the vast majority of prObamas have been trash talking Bush for the last 8 years.
The bottom line is, another country jailed a US citizen- almost certainly on false charges- and all Obama could do was express his “grave concern” because he’s so hellbent on pleasing everyone and so deathly afraid of contradicting anyone. What’s that saying?
You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.
Replace “fool” with “please” and you have the problem with Obama’s tactics.
how about the fact that he is spineless twerp, Who can’t even take a stand for Americans being held in a foreign country on bogus charges? Or how about the fact that he is using tax payer money to bailout large corporations that failed to do their job, while American citizens are losing their lively hoods. Don’t think I’m defending Bush either, he’s just as bad. Con if you had half a brain you would know that those other countries you mentioned didn’t give us America, we took it from them. You half wit our forefathers fought for this country to call home.
you should change your name to conned……by Obama!
Obama hasn’t been in office a year and yet you are already bitching about him, compared to certain previous preidents he’s doing a reasonable job. He hasn’t yet fucked a staffer in the oval office or started a war or even had himself a “gate” scandal yet. It’s interesting to note that previous administrations did less than him in regards to other similar situations or alternatively went completely overboard, yet he’s the one you deride.
About giving the country away, look under clinton for one and then be quiet.
Good thing you have guns, you joke, over 70% of privately owned guns, are owned by people who couldn’t hit a barn door at 2 paces.
Another point, you talk about foreigners, yet forget that the situation that you ascribe to todays foreigner is the one that describes your history in that america wasn’t spain, france, england, germany, etc’s to give away either.
Obviously Obama in his quest to look like a “good guy” and “repair the image of the United States of America” in the eye’s of the rest of the world has forgotten who elected him. If we’re not careful he’s going to give this country away. Good thing we have guns, that way when the foreigners come to claim this country we can say F-you it wasn’t his to give away!
I’m also thoroughly disgusted with and embarrassed by our President. One of his own people is sentenced to 8 years in a foreign prison for a crime she clearly didn’t commit, and all he can say is that he’s “disappointed”?
My God, imagine how pitiful and pathetic we must look to the world when our own leader is too weak and afraid of getting on nation’s bad sides to protect his own people. He’d sell us out if it meant achieving “peace” with a genocidal maniac like Ahmadinejad.
Holocaust denial. You forgot that.
What did we learrrnnn??? Stay the f**k out of Iran. That country isn’t good for anything but sour laughs, crusty humus, and… caviar…?