
Editor's Note: Elliott Abrams is a senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, from which this piece is reprinted. You can read Abrams' blog Pressure Points here.
By Elliott Abrams, CFR.org
In the last year I have written several blog posts about the American hikers imprisoned in Iran, hoping to help keep attention focused on getting them freed. Like every American I was delighted to see them out, finally, yesterday.
But like many Americans, I was not delighted by the statement made immediately by one of the two, Shane Bauer. After thanking the Sultan of Oman for helping get them out, he said this:
Two years in prison is too long and we sincerely hope for the freedom of other political prisoners and other unjustly imprisoned people in America and Iran.
Who exactly are the “political prisoners” in America?
Can we have some names? Who exactly are the “unjustly imprisoned people” in America, and how precisely does Mr. Bauer know them to be “unjustly imprisoned” rather than convicted according to due process of law?
Given that Mr. Bauer has just suffered two years imprisonment by Iran for the crime of hiking and mistakenly crossing a border, is he entirely comfortable with his comparison of the two countries in the statement just quoted? So it would appear. Thinking of the immense diplomatic activity this country undertook to free him and the enthusiasm with which his liberation was greeted yesterday, that statement of his leaves a very bad taste.


So now that everyone has assured us how safe that area is, I'm sure the hikers will be revisiting soon?
Lib reacap:
After all, "Anthony Bourdain was there!"
It's not actually IN Iran... it just very, very, VERY CLOSE to Iran! Duh!
...and last but not least... GITMO!!! grrrr.... >: [
Elliott Abrams shouldn't talk. He is an embarasementt to Americans as a convicted person in the Iran Contra scandal. He shouldn't talk, he didn't serve one day in the US Armed Forces. Because he had a high position in th3e reagan Administration and was not any Manny, Moe and Jack he escaped a deserved prison term. Our country by the way has the highest ratio of prisoners per population compared to other major countries. Our Gulag System is going great and the guards are making a bundle. It appears that he was led a sheltered life by his parents. Another example of a priviledged rich kid taking advantage of the system to bully the average American. he is as disgusting as Eric Cantor.
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Perhaps Elliot Abrams would like to volunteer to serve out the rest of Shane Bauer's prison term in Iran – so he can experience solitary confinement in personal terms. When authoritarian and judgmental people exhibit such a callous disregard, they deserve similar treatment in kind.
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