American Hikers Finally Released From Iran Prison

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/22/world/middleeast/iranian-lawyer-says-2-american-hikers-hopefully-are-about-to-be-freed.html?_r=3&hp

It all began when Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal where backpacking through the outback and they wandered over the border from Iraq by mistake, however their situation became quickly entangled with Iran's foreign and domestic politics. In the last few days, their fate became of part of what analysts call a power struggle. A dispute between President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the conservative establishment he has angered.

"Mr. Ahmadinejad had promised last week that the men would be freed as a humanitarian gesture, "in a couple days""- New York Times. It seemed as the announcement was to gain favourable attention for the Iranian leader before he flew out to New York to attend this week's United Nations General Assembly meeting.

However soon after his announcement, Iran's judiciary denied that the men would be freed imminently, saying it took exclusive authority to order their release and striking a very public blow to the presidents standing.

"Analysts said they believed that Mr. Ahmadinejad’s conservative critics were willing to allow the release Wednesday because they wanted Iran to project a magnanimous image as it takes to the world stage and because they had accomplished their goal: delivering a message to the president that he is not fully in charge" (New York Times).

In the end they weren't going to completely undermine the president of the country, but they did make their point.

Ahmadinejad got what he wanted, the men were release before his speech at the United Nations, however the judiciary got what they wanted as well.

Before the Americans’ arrival in Oman, their families said in a prepared statement that “the joy and relief we feel at Shane and Josh’s long-awaited freedom knows no bounds” and that they would now “catch up on two lost years and make a new beginning, for them and for all of us.”

My Opinion

I believe that the United Nations needs to address the issue of governmental corruption in some countries such as Iran at one of their gatherings.These men were put in jail, without any evidence that was presented to the public, on the belief that they were American spies. They were also charged a $500,000 bailout fee for the two men, an unethical and unfair agreement for the United States Government. Iran's judiciary should not be allowed to hold these men in confinement for two years, based on the belief that they were American spies. Number one I think they should have to produce visible evidence to the public, and number two, I think they should have a discussion with Iraq, in order to determine a suitable punishment.