'hiking in iraq'??? wtf are these american 'tourists' thinking?

[spanone]

Three American tourists hiking in Iraq mountains mistakenly cross into Iran and are detained

The U.S. State Department said Friday it was investigating reports that three American tourists have been detained by Iranians while hiking near Iran's border with the self-ruled Kurdish region in northern Iraq.
Two Kurdish officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to release the information, said the Americans apparently were arrested after entering Iranian territory without permission.
U.S. helicopters were buzzing overhead and many U.S. Humvees had moved into the Kurdish city of Halabja to search for the Americans, said a Kurdish border force official.
According to a security official, a fourth American who stayed behind at a hotel because he was sick said the missing Americans were tourists hiking near Halabja and the border town of Ahmed Awaa.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_world/2009/07/31/2009-07-31_three_tourists_hiking_in_mountains_detained_by_iranians_.html

[Ian David]

1. Tourists. Right. Sure. Does Bob Novak say they were "tourists?" n/t

[tekisui]

2. Their names have been released.

Ahmed named the three as Shane Bower, Sara Short and Joshua Steel, while Shaun Gabriel Maxwell stayed behind in their hotel in the autonomous Kurdish region's second largest city of Sulaimaniyah.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6197437&mesg_id=6197437

[spanone]

5. of all the hiking trails in the entire world........why iraq?

it's a fucking war zone

[eShirl]

3. were they looking for Noah's Ark or something?

[glowing]

4. Why do people hike to the top of Mt. risking death? Why do people explore the Amazon?

Why do people do reality shows? Why do people jump out of airplanes? Some people enyoy the thrill of testing life's limits. Perhaps this is just that occassion.

[spanone]

8. it's a WAR ZONE...i understand thrill seeking, but this is suicidal

[glowing]

18. No, Kurdistan area is not a war zone and is one of the most peaceful areas in

Iraq and has been for a while. Its where the troops want to be stationed because there is such normalized life.

[tekisui]

6. The area they were hiking in is well known for its pistachio groves.

It's know for that and being on the border of two countries any American with sense would avoid.

[ellie]

7. Yes, and United Fruit

only sold bananas. I don't think these were just tourists.

[eShirl]

9. Imagine the travel brochures for that area... n/t

[FarCenter]

10. "Shaun Gabriel Maxwell" only brings up 2 pages of hits on Google

All of which are in stories about the incident.

What is an Internet "non-person" doing in that region?

In fact, all the names sound oddly made up.

[spanone]

12. this fish smells...it would be like hiking in germany during ww2

[Redneck Socialist]

11. Call me crazy

but seeing photos of Afganistan, makes me think the place would be a hikers paradise. The mountains there are amazing.


Except for the chance of getting blown off a mountain top by a predator drone of course.

[spanone]

13. i call the 'hikers' crazy

[malaise]

14. Tourists my ass

I smell BS!!!

[lunatica]

15. What else would they be disguised as?

Especially if they're Americans. I don't think the US Government is allowing Americans in war zones. They would have to find a rather circuitous way of getting there, and for what? Just to hike? Not likely. It can't be that special a place for hikers.

[spanone]

16. watch, they will be charged with spying....

[conspirator]

17. Sure, hiking on CIA payroll nt