Two Plus Eight Equals Forgotten?

Two years ago 3 young Americans were on a hiking vacation in Kurdistan.  At a tourist village some local residents recommended a trail they should try.  What a surprise that the Americans were arrested by Iranian soldiers who just HAPPENED to be patrolling this recreational hiking trail.


The Iranians say the 3 Americans had crossed the border carrying spy equipment - cameras, recorders, and women's rights literature.  Maybe they did cross the border, or maybe an Iranian operative in that little Kurdistan village saw an opportunity and made a phone call.  One of the men was a journalist living in Damascus with his fiance, who was a teacher, writer, and activist for women's rights.  The third was a teacher and journalist friend visiting from the States.  All were graduates of Berkeley.  All were perfect patsies for Iran.


They were imprisoned to await trial and there they stayed for a year.  The suffering was enough to drive the woman to illness, and she was released for humanitarian reasons. . . and a half million dollar cash bail.  Another year passed with hardly a headline on the still-imprisoned men, but finally the trial ended.  They were found guilty of illegal entry and cooperating with American intelligence service.  The sentence was 8 more years in prison for each.


Iran has milked this situation in the Mid-East press for 2 years, portraying the young men as steely-eyed spies and the woman as a lying, promiscuous bail-jumper.  Every UN action against them, every sanction by America, every accusation of nuclear bomb making has been cast as only revenge for Iran's righteous defense against Western spying.


I feel sickened by America's abandonment of those men.  Sure, wrong place/wrong time, but why have a State Department at all if not to fix things like this.  With the anniversary of 9/11 coming up the matter, to me, becomes all the sharper.  What is the limit of American's suffering beyond which our government will stand up and say 'no more.'  Must we lose thousands before we act?  


I say 'no.'  Stand up, America, and tell those running for election that those young men must come home to get your vote.  Tell them no donations until those men are home!


Tell them we are the Citizens of America and whoever messes with one of us gets the rest on your ass.