But I do want to try and level some of the “Iran – where Americans are imprisoned” leanings in the introduction.

A few data points
– Iran had a perfectly functioning democracy until the US decided to overthrow it (in 1952) and put the Shah back in power so we could continue to suck out their oil at bargain prices – the Shah was hated, which made a perfect opportunity for the theocracy. Screwing with other countries’ democracies, which we have often done and continue to do, has usually had unintended consequences.
– the US imprisons more of its citizens than every other country put together. I needn’t mention Guantanamo, but I will mention 10s of thousands of Iraqis held by the US in Iraq (illegally, under international law)
– and Iran practices “extreme torture” – I don’t know how you grade torture, I think it’s binary myself, despite all the quaint euphemisms for water torture used by the US press (such as waterboarding, which they invented). But if we still are still tempted to think our variety is quaint by comparison, we should wait for the several hundred photos the courts have ordered the Pentagon release by May 28.