jimlongley wrote:The thinly veiled threats issuing from the State Department, the UN, and various other entities, that US citizens arrested abroad will suffer repraisals in response denies the fact that US citizens have already been suffering such indignities for decades, and is nothing more than an attempt at extortion.
This reminds me of a man from Orange County (Texas) that was caught in Mexico with a box of ammunition. (I think it was 9mm, but that's beside the point.) He had no guns, just ammunition. Apparently he was a gun dealer in Orange County. He made it a point to remove all guns and ammunition before crossing the border, but apparently missed one box.
It took AGES for this man to get back to the United States. His family had to bribe guards in Mexico for him to have minor comforts. Part of the negotiations that got him back to the states said that he would be listed as a
felon in this country. Being a felon means that you cannot be a gun dealer. If spending time in a Mexican prison (and I hear they aren't the posh accommodations we offer here), and then spending thousands to be returned to your homeland isn't enough punishment for having a box of ammo (but no guns) in your vehicle, this gun dealer also lost his livelihood.
Funny. I don't recall the world court stepping in on his behalf.