All countries suck except Canada.
There. I’ve leveled the playing field, bitches. Suck my mighty maple leaf!
Darth Nader: I am not really sure how to respond here. I wasn’t trying to twist things away from the OP. You obviously understood that my remark was a joke, just as I presumed you were also joking with your link to U.S. interventions in Latin America. I wasn’t saying “Fuck you” to anyone in the thread, nor was I trying to minimize the seriousness of the Nicaraguan situation. I agree that there’s a lot of bad stuff out there.
As far as “sucking you in” with my “playground crusade”-- hell, this is the SDMB, innit? It’s ALL playground crusades. Unless there’s a “Change the World” forum I’ve overlooked up to now, in which case I have a few threads I’d like to open.
In any case, I was not trying to suck you into a crusade; and I hereby promise that I will never knowingly attempt to suck you.
I agree that this misunderstanding has hijacked the OP’s thread unacceptably. If you’re still upset with me about this, feel free to hit me with my own Pit thread. However, it’s about 1 AM where I am, so: I sleep now.
Terrifel, you are dead right.
I neither want to fight or have sex with you, (Though I’m sure either would be a great time,) and it sucks we had to argue. Clearly the only thing left is to tuck ourselves in on the other sides of the bed and say good night. Just don’t tell my wife, okay?
I’m sorry to everyone.
Hey! Take your pissing match to some other thread! I’d be glad to pile on the US administration there with you. But this is about a specific person being railroaded into a long jail term in a third world country because they’re mad at rich foreigners coming in and investing in their country.
It’s hard to find out what’s going on now because no one from the Nicaraguan judicial system or government will talk to Maggie (his mother), but apparently, despite the release order from the appellate court, they (whoever ‘they’ are) plan on continuing to hold Eric in prison until the prosecutor’s appeal is heard by the Supreme Court. And oh, yeah, there is no time limit for the Court to act. So basically, unless there is some kind of intervention, he could remain in jail indefinitely (until he dies from a minor medical affliction like his kidney stones or asthma, or is shanked by another prisoner or guard who will then become a national folk hero).
As annoying as the hijack is, there is a point to be found in it. Rice’s ability to put pressure on Nicaragua to quickly release someone due to a court order is seriously hampered by our own domestic issues. I imagine she is hesitant to enter into a discussion where those parallels are likely to be brought up.
Procedurally, is the case over? I gather that the answer is no, since the prosecutors can apparantly appeal to the highest court in Nicaragua.
But as a practical matter, the Nicaraguans must realize that releasing him means that the case is over. Because he will certainly leave the country and never come back.
MSNBC has an excellent update: Will Nicaragua ever set Eric Volz free?
Bitch! Let him go already!
Yes this is true.
It took the UK years to get its innocent citizens released from US torture in Guantanamo (and they never had any trial or legal representation nor hope of appeal).
The US is full of decent people and has a fine Constitution, but there is a real blotch on its reputation.
I hope this American gets justice quickly.
Gotta agree with this. As far as hijacks go, if Ms. Rice has commented directly on the issue, then I think it’s certainly fair to note that from an international perspective it would be very odd for her to comment too forcefully about how Nicaragua ought to treat prisioners, considering the corner the US has painted itself into in that regard.
Reports are coming in that Volz has been released. I hope so! I wasn’t familiar with this case before, but it sounds like a gross miscarriage of justice.
Yes, CNN is reporting his release as breaking news. Let’s hope he can get to safety quickly.
I got a bad feeling about this.
I remember the staged “spontaneous demonstrations” in Iran, just before the Embassy was seized.
I hope he makes it to the airport before a “spontaneous” lynch mob forms.
Msnbc sure has an odd view on this:
That’s the first I’ve heard that “human rights and women’s rights activists” were outraged over this. I wonder if they’re simply repeating part of a news story from the Nicaraguan press. :dubious:
CNN now reports:
Hallelujah!
Yes! We’ve heard from the family that Eric is out of Nicaragua and has been taken to an undisclosed location (apparently outside the US) for his protection. There were death threats and suspicions that he was being followed, hence the secrecy.
Hopefully, he’ll be able to return to the US soon and be reunited with his family.
Ponder Stibbons, I hadn’t heard about the “women’s rights groups” and “human rights groups” being upset, unless that indeed refers to groups within Nicaragua. The press has fueled speculation that the appeals court was bribed by the “rich Americans” to free Eric.
In any case, the ordeal finally seems to be about over. Praise God!
…which blows? 
- but I’ll bet they did it politely