7 Comments

John
June 15th, 2010 | 5:56 pm

I followed your link to the story – maybe you have more information, but there was nothing in the story about US policy stopping the guy. He was stopped by Pakistani police for wandering around the countryside with a pistol, a dagger and hashish.

Krakow
June 15th, 2010 | 9:32 pm

Maybe “Karachi Cops” of Worldlink TV never made it into syndication because they beat suspects for lying. A suspect was determined to be lying when his statements contradicted those of the accuser while professing the goodness of Allah. Often the accuser would land a sucker punch after the desperate suspect was handcuffed. Cops seemed to think that the sucker punch was within bounds. Hopefully, Mr. Faulkner will return home safely from his misguided mission.

Mark
June 16th, 2010 | 2:57 am

Can’t say the guy wasn’t well-intentioned but the tribal areas of Pakistan are no place for an American civilian. He was a danger to himself and others. Hopefully, Pakistan will go easy on him on weapons and drug charges and return him to his family as soon as possible.

Nickp
June 16th, 2010 | 8:53 am

Further to what John wrote above, if it is US policy to discourage freelance terrorist hunters, it may be because an American wandering around foreign countries armed with guns and knives and threatening “to kill anyone who got close to him” tend to annoy the local police and create headaches for the US embassy.

Nickp
June 16th, 2010 | 9:13 am

If we assume that the guy is mentally ill, then I’m sure we would all hope that he is returned home soon. But, if he has possession of all his marbles, why would we expect or desire that the Pakistanis go easy on him? Shouldn’t he face trial for weapons, drugs, and making terroristic threats?

(I think that freelance terrorist hunting in a country where he doesn’t speak the language is pretty good evidence that he is mentally ill. Did he expect to just stumble across Bin Laden out for a stroll?)

jason taylor
June 17th, 2010 | 7:00 pm

“Can’t say the guy wasn’t well-intentioned but the tribal areas of Pakistan are no place for an American civilian.”

Why no, we can’t have American civilians doing DANGEROUS things. Horror of horrors! We can’t have American civilians crossing the continent in wagons, sailing in clipper ships, or herding cattle. No those things are DANGEROUS. And we certainly can’t have American civilians not being afraid of terrorists. No that just wouldn’t be right.

Mark
June 18th, 2010 | 4:00 am

Why no, we can’t have American civilians doing DANGEROUS things.

Why of course you can. If you do these things on foreign soil, the police may well ask you to leave, politely or otherwise.