Two American men arrested more than two years ago while hiking along the Iraq-Iran border have been sentenced to eight years in prison on charges that include espionage, state TV reported Saturday, a sharp blow to hopes their release was imminent.
Iran doesn't actually want to hold these guys. They just want us to pay a price to release them. It may not be as efficient as grabbing a whole embassy full of Americans, but grabbing them a couple at a time works, too.
So what will Iran demand for "leniency" and "compassion?" Perhaps cash. Perhaps Revolutionary Guards we or our allies have in custody. Perhaps concessions on Iraq or their nuclear program. Who knows?
But this is about paying a price for Iran to abide by standards of international decency.
