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I can't help but ask, what were they doing in North Korea? Why do people want to go sight-seeing in such a hostile (to Americans) foreign country. I recall a few years back some hikers were arrested in Iran (IIRC) and charged with spying, but I think eventually released. Just doesn't make much sense to me why people insist on putting their selves in jeopardy like that.
I agree. Just stupid to go to these countries expecting to be treated like royalty. I have no sympathy for these people.
Jeffrey Fowle is from Miamisburg Ohio and a member of a church in Lebanon Ohio, he left the bible in a hotel room, not a night club. If anything he has his own carelessness to blame, going to the DPRK is risky enough without blaspheming the official state god who was born on Mt. Paektu, invented the hamburger and radial tire and has never needed to poop.
I can't help but ask, what were they doing in North Korea? Why do people want to go sight-seeing in such a hostile (to Americans) foreign country. I recall a few years back some hikers were arrested in Iran (IIRC) and charged with spying, but I think eventually released. Just doesn't make much sense to me why people insist on putting their selves in jeopardy like that.
Traveling to N. Korea is particularly unwise. I do not think that you should equate the hikers in Iran and visitors to N. Korea. The N. Korea visitors intended to go to that country and arrived via the usual method (the airport). The hikers unknowingly crossed the border into Iran without permission. There were problems with how the Iranian border patrol and courts handled the hiker case, but I would not cite it as evidence that travel to Iran through the official channels is dangerous.
There's a Rick Steves episode in Iran for crying out loud!
The State Department warning on Iran is boilerplate, whereas the warning on N. Korea is much more specific and alarming.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thinkalot
He asked for asylum and now wants the country he left for help?
Why don't we just ban travel to some of these places?
Because we are free to travel. Some places should be avoided, but there is no reason for us to be barred from going where we want to go.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NLVgal
Sheesh. You just can't stop some people from lacing up their cleats and stepping on their own dicks.
Why anyone would go to NK, or anywhere else the State Dept. has given fair warning about is beyond me.
State give "fair" warning about a lot of places. In many cases, warnings only apply to certain areas or certain visitors. North Korea is definitely on the most troubled end, though.
He asked for asylum and now wants the country he left for help?
Why don't we just ban travel to some of these places?
If American citizens want to travel to these countries, go for it, that your prerogative but if you end up in jail, don't have you or family crying to the U.S. government for assistance. You made your own bed, now deal with it.
Traveling to N. Korea is particularly unwise. I do not think that you should equate the hikers in Iran and visitors to N. Korea. The N. Korea visitors intended to go to that country and arrived via the usual method (the airport). The hikers unknowingly crossed the border into Iran without permission. There were problems with how the Iranian border patrol and courts handled the hiker case, but I would not cite it as evidence that travel to Iran through the official channels is dangerous.
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That may be true, but they put themselves close enough to the border to make that mistake. So they were partly to blame for their situation.
Location: where you sip the tea of the breasts of the spinsters of Utica
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It's funny how we are allowed to travel to a country that randomly arrests and imprisons visitors, but we can't travel to Cuba to smoke a fine cigar or get wasted on a perfect beach.
It's funny how we are allowed to travel to a country that randomly arrests and imprisons visitors, but we can't travel to Cuba to smoke a fine cigar or get wasted on a perfect beach.
When I first read your post I thought of Texas for some odd reason.
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