GOP blasting Biden for Iranian deal

The US tells Americans to be extremely careful about visiting certain countries. Not hard to understand. IF you go then that's a you problem.

Iran Travel Advisory

Do not travel to Iran due to the risk of kidnapping and the arbitrary arrest and detention of U.S. citizens. Exercise increased caution due to wrongful detentions.

 

it is my position that one should not endanger others through their own selfish acts, and that includes my wife and kids. if they get drunk and kill another while dui, I wouldn't expect them to get special treatment by the court, although I would sincerely regret their fate.

 

You meant through their own selfish acts, but putting that aside, when someone selfishly refuses to get vaccinated for Covid because it’s a violation of his or her freedom, should hospitals admit these people when they get Covid, and should insurance companies cover their expenses? Additionally, when they transmit Covid to someone else, should that person have the right to get damages from the person who refused to get the vaccine?

 

Have not read this yet - just downloaded. But trust the source. They will hedge for realpolitik reasons but are generally reliable

 

First off I wouldn't let my wife take my child to NK or Iran under any circumstances. IF my wife went by herself then I would ask the US to get her home but I wouldn't expect it to happen.

And by everything in their power, would that include sending troops to a foreign country to get them out? I wouldn't expect that at all nor would I expect our country to pay or release billions of dollars to get my family member back. Sorry that I'm being realistic.

 

I am not suggesting perfect equivalence, but just to understand how the other side views things, Russia would probably look at this as a form of misusing the legal system against other citizens (although he holds both a Russian and a US passport)

 

there is a massive canyon between choosing not to get vaccinated and choosing to get on a plane to one of those 14 countries.

 

Well, obviously, it costs a hell of a lot more to get an American released from one of these countries in which he or she is held prisoner. However, the anti-vaxxer’s who are getting Covid are clogging up our hospitals, which prevents other people from getting treatment, puts the medical staff into danger, etc. And why are these people anti-vaxxer’s? Well, as a genera rule, it’s because they’re selfish people. The same way gun owners who insist that they’re entitled to buy assault weapons or walk down the street with a gun are selfish people. They don’t believe in the greater good. They don’t care much about other people.

 

and for that their travel was restricted and their work was also restricted. i know a couple of health care "professionals" who quit rather than get vaccinated or they would have been fired. not equivalents

 

We would have to look at the cases of the Americans on an individual basis, to see the reasons for their going where they went, and why they were arrested and imprisoned. They might’ve had selfish reasons. They might not have had selfish reasons. In the case of the anti-– vaxxer’s, public gun-toters, assault weapon owners, etc., it seems to me that the commonality of these people is that they are selfish.

 

Don't you need to know why these individuals travelled to where they did before judging them? I have not looked at in detail, but in the case of Iran, many had some form of business connection or family there.

By way of example, Jason Rezaiain had dual citizenship and was the Bureau Chief for WaPo in Tehran for 3 years, having been a journalist there for 6 years, when he was arrested. He has stated that he knew there was some risk, but felt he would be OK as a high profile journalist that was also Iranian. Jamal Khashoggi said the same thing, and was trying to get a divorce record he could only get from the Saudi government. Neither were tourists; both thought they had some de facto immunity.

Brittany Greiner had every reason to think that a popular star and key part of a team owned by an influential oligarch that had wooed her there would not be the subject of an arrest.

If you read this, you will see that the three identified releasees (two have requested anonymity), all had reasons to be there that a reasonable person would think put them at low risk.

They weren't tourists.

What we know about 3 of the Americans who were released from Iranian detention | CNN Politics

 

Beat me to it! While I was looking up and typing

 

Why was the US keeping their money? For kicks? No it doesn’t.

 

My last neighbor was Iranian and had family still there. He traveled there to help them out. Sick mother, a brother passed. Etc. WTF? If your mom is sick and you are a nobody, is it surprising you’d go visit her not expecting any issues?

Sorry mom, there is a travel advisory back to the place I lived until I was 20 years old.