An American Who Went to North Korea and Iran in 2010 – And Lived to Tell

An American Who Went to North Korea and Iran in 2010 –
And Lived to Tell

Ever wonder how ordinary North Koreans and Iranians would treat an American they discovered in their own country? Couldn’t be good, right?

Would you be surprised to discover that American tourists have been to Iran THIS year – and were neither tossed into prison, water-boarded nor killed? And what about North Korea? Death? Prison for sure, right? Wrong, to my total surprise. I didn’t even know Americans were allowed into these two isolated countries.

This week on Global American radio I interview a retired insurance agent who was one of fewer than 200 Americans who have visited North Korea this year. Then in October he went to Iran! (Not Iraq). He found some big differences and some big surprises he didn’t expect. And he wasn’t thrown into prison or killed. How can that be?

You’ll be surprised what Iranians he met on the street told him about their government! How did ordinary Koreans and Iranians treat the Americans? And what about the odd ritual he and the other tourists had to agree to do to even be allowed into North Korea?

Listen in Saturday at 9 am Central time on Houston’s Business 1110 AM which is streamed on www.Business1110KTEK.com and carried as a podcast 24/7 on www.GlobalAmerican.org

North Korea and Iran each have huge potential to impact our future, yet we know almost nothing about them. One has nuclear weapons and one is close to having them. Both countries have missiles and are international outcasts. Both have faced sanctions for decades. Few people ever get to travel there. Three American hikers in Iraq were put in prison by Iran a year ago (one has been released). Bill Clinton recently secured the release of two journalists held in North Korea after they crossed the Chinese border.

So how can it be that ordinary Americans can show up in these countries and not face the same treatment?

Tune in Saturday and find out. Americans will be surprised by what they hear, especially about how Americans were treated in each country (and which one kept them away from normal people and which did not!).

Michael Fjetland
Global American Series
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GlobalAmerican/
www.GlobalAmerican.org