Will journalist Roxana Saberi's appeal of spying on Iran succeed?

This case is an outrage.
This poor woman has been railroaded into a lengthy prison sentence by a kangaroo court in Iran.
I hope our country makes the most of all efforts to free her. So far, it does not look good for her.

Come on Obama - Give it your best shot!

An outrage, indeed, but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot that can be done at this point. Ahmadinejad has joined in to implore the chief prosecutor to be Saberi receives a full and fair defense during her appeal, however, so it's possible that even he realizes the goodwill Iran could receive if it were to "respond in a positive way". I suppose it's uncool that he may try to use Saberi's trial as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the U.S....but then again, that's the way the game's been played forever, isn't it?

Sqlman,
When I first read this story, I knew this is where it begins - our decline in world stature.

When previous administrations were in office at least the world knew not to mess with us.
Well, not with Carter, but with many other presidents.
Before the current administration began his apology tour, I don't believe this would have happened.
Why is he so concerned about how other nations view us?
While he wants to be friendly and generate new olive branches, it is being viewed as weakness by our enemies.
Some would say we should try to appease our enemies, but our enemies will only use this moment to further their own agendas - at our own expense.

You are right - the game of using bargaining chips has been played for a very long time.
However, I see Obama cashing in all our chips in the name of trying to create goodwill among other nations.
Nice but naive.

My echo! An OUTRAGE!

Aunt Tilly is getting a lot of good mileage in these questions!

IMHO the journalist will be used as a bargaining tool with the US, but not immediately. The appeal is not likely to be successful, but she will suddenly be released -- as a gesture of goodwill -- about two years down the line. Just my guess: anybody's guess could be correct.

"When previous administrations were in office at least the world knew not to mess with us."

Ummm...my memory on this may be a bit hazy, but who was in office when 9/.11 happened? It seems like it was a "previous administration," wasn't it? Oh, and was Obama already in office when American journalist Daniel Pearl was butchered? Was he already President when 4,000+ American servicemen and women were killed in Afghanistan and Iraq? You're right, chatarra; my apologies. I'd completely forgotten how very, very safe we were--indeed, the world was--under "previous administrations".

:-|

Sqlman,
You raise a valid point on 9-11 - touchee
But I ask you. Will the 9-11's style attack be more likely to happen with an aggressive president or an appeasing president?
Will the fact that our president bows to the Saudi King show our enemies - Muslim extremists - that our president values their viewpoints enough to make them our friends now.

As for Daniel Pearl, it was a shame but a bit different since he was being held captive by an insurgent group, rather than a sovereign government conducting a mock trial. I hope and pray that our troops have put an end to the beheadings. There hasn't been one in quite a while now. Those are gruesome indeed, although they are still happening in Mexico - where coincidentally, Obama wants to advocate open borders.

As for Afghanistan and Iraq - Will Obama be able to stop military deaths, that happen in wartime?
Oh yeah - we have Obama's Navyto the rescue now, like you told me earlier. . . ;-|

A 9/11 style attack is just as likely today as it was on 9/11, maybe more. That has nothing to do with who is president and everything to do with the situation on the other side of the globe. Nothing has been done to combat the abject poverty in place like the borderlands between Afghanistan & Pakistan, or Somalia, or Kenya, or the Palistinian territories. I'm not saying the US is to blame; we certainly can't fix all the world's problems, but when we're the biggest contrast to the world's poverty it makes us the biggest target. Fanning the flames by continuing to occupy Iraq is a double edged sword. On the one hand, if we left a power vacuum by suddenly withdrawing it would soon devolve into another Somalia; where ethnic rivalries serve to bring warlords to power, groom young boys into trained killers, and allowing that hatred to escape over the borders. On the other hand, our mere presence serves as an ever-present reinforcement of the view of the US as an imperial superpower.

There is no easy way out. Unfortunately the latest DHS report is showing the resurgence of a domestic enemy that could be a far greater threat. The polarity in this nation; the fear in this nation has never been higher and from what? Obama may not be the Messiah, but he sure is hell isn't the anti-Christ that some conservative commmentators are talking him up to be. I have yet to see the gun grab that the republicans saw coming on January 21. There's a lack of responsibility on the part of some conservative leaders that serve more to polarize than to unite these United States. A civil discourse on divergent opinions is healthy; a focus on us vs. them is not. Long before there was a 9/11 there was a 4/19 (Oklahoma City bombing). Let's remember that sometimes our worst enemies are folks that were born on US soil and practice the same religion that we follow.

For the purposes of this question, what does it mean to have her appeal succeed? It seems to me that if the appeal results in ANY changes to the verdict or sentence then it has succeeded, but I can't tell if the question is intended to mean that she is found "not guilty" as a result of the appeal.

frogchop>
Indeed, long before there was a 9/11 there was also Waco and Ruby Ridge.

“A little rebellion now and then...is a medicine necessary for the sound health of government.”
Thomas Jefferson, Letter to James Madison, 1787

I wonder if they will hold her for 444 days, like Iran did with American citizens under a "previous administration". Good thing we have Jimmy Carter running around giving advice about the middle east these days - it is a good thing to have a subject matter expert when there are crises.

@ Eric-Pretty scary stuff when you can rationalize the murder of 168 innocent public servants and children. I'm all for a strong second amendment and a government that respects the rights of the people, but when it comes to blowing up day care centers in federal buildings, that's clearly one of those "family values" I disagree with.

Do you think Columbine was an innocent high school prank, too?

@ Notables-While Carter was not the strong leader needed for the time, he saved far more lives in Egypt and Israel than any president before or since. Thirty years of peace between Egypt and Israel is not something to be easily dismissed. Nor should we dismiss Nixon for his opening of the dialog between the US and China. Of course party dogma says we should focus on Vietnam when talking about Nixon, Alheimer's when talking about Reagan, and Monica when talking about Clinton.

That is pretty weak - the topic happens to be about Iran (check the question) my comment was about Iran (check my response).

Your response gives the appearance to be only an attempt at a political smear. (If you really were talking about Viet Nam, why bring up Nixon instead of Johnson or Kennedy?) More direct topics would be: Ayatollah Khomeini, Mohammad Rezā Shāh Pahlavi, SAVAK and so forth...

Glad this question generated a lot of interest (in terms of comments). But only 1 on "my Aunt Tilly". I have gotten some negative feedback suggesting I cut out the gratuitous use of my Aunt Tilly. Can people send me, either here, or on my page, how they view "my Aunt Tilly"? I guess, if it is used too much, it can get tiring..

Anyway, as far as Obama is concerned, it sounds like a number of people think he is being wimpy because of his gentle, thoughtful approach. The problem with blaming him, for his thoughtful manner, is that he might feel the need to show he can be rash -- like "shoot first, and ask questions later." This makes nations fear us, like a mad dog. You can't have it both ways. Do we want to be viewed as a "mad dog" or a thoughtful diplomatic country? Maybe there's a question there, but I already have had enough trouble with provocative question titles. Feel free to use it. :)

I just noticed your addition to question clarification -Cat Ed. Sorry, about the trouble I am causing you with "my Aunt Tilly". I think she will be going on a long vacation, you will be relieved to learn. Surprisingly, they take H$ on the virtual Cruise trips..

No objection to your "Aunt Tilly". I am sure that she is a fine lady and any help that she can provide is welcome. PS Can you post a photo first?

frog> if your comment #12 was directed at me, I have no idea what you are talking about.
There was not "168 innocent public servants and children" at Waco or Ruby Ridge...or even Elian Gonzalez's family home.

Please note the Category Editor Clarification above: "NOTE: any reduction to Saberi's sentence as a result of the appeal will be considered a success for purposes of settlement, whether that's anything from a complete commutation or dismissal of charges, to simply having one- or two-years taken from the eight years she was given during the first trial."

Iran has announced that Saberi's appeal will be heard "next week", so I've adjusted the suspend date to this Saturday at midnight Iran time.

Iranian Judiciary Spokesman Alireza Jamshidi says her appeal court "like other ones" will not be open. Go figure... :-)

http://www.isna.ir/ISNA/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-1331946&Lang=E

05/10: The appeals court is in session, but no answer yet. Soon, perhaps...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519645,00.html

05/10: the court has heard Saberi's appeal--which lasted for several hours--and plans to release its verdict within a week.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2009/10/c2326.html

Great news on this one!