It has been confirmed: Bill Clinton has arrived in North Korea, ostensibly to negotiate the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee.
I think this is great news. Bill Clinton is not officially part of the Obama cabinet (though he’s UN Special Envoy to Haiti), which should keep our non-official relationship with NK’s terrorist government, and Clinton still has the cachet as a former President of the United States, which should please the North Koreans. Plus, he’s a great negotiator and master politician. As David Brooks said of Clinton, “he was a member of every clique at once.” There couldn’t be a better guy to send for this job. Though I’ve seen Willie burn bridges, I sincerely believe right now that when he leaves NK, the Kims will be happy, the Obamas will be happy, and Laura and Lisa will be free. I think this will be over within the next couple of weeks, if not the next few days.
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If North Korea is good enough for Clinton, it should be good enough for you. After all, he’s our most respected former president. You should be appreciative of his efforts, and embrace the North Koreans as you have China, Vietnam, the Soviets and other communists. The Truman doctrine, and the policies of containment and rollback are no longer in effect. Be good Americans and follow your leaders blindly.
I am curious. Did these two people enter the country illegally?
If so, why is there such a big deal to get them free. They did this to themselves.
If you enter a country illegally and get caught. You go to jail or you are sent back to your home country.
You know you are breaking the law. You know if you are caught you will be detained.
What have happened to, “You do the crime – You do the time”.
Dodie
And here we thought Obama was the Messiah, who would part the seas of politics standing between New Worl’ Orda, yo.
Instead he sends a white man, America’s own Bono, who who part his interns’ legs, to parley peace and love.
Nice points Dodie. I wonder who decides which terrorist nations the US will negotiate with. Unfortunately, it’s starting to be an opportunity to obtain a political bargaining chip when Americans are apprehended by foreign nations, as seen in Iran recently. Not sure how the negotiations are going there, and I can’t help but wonder if being male would lessen my chances of being negotiated for if I were in that position, but that’s another discussion. I can only hope it would be a high profile arrest presenting a PR opportunity for one of our politicians. Mostly, having Americans in a North Korean labor camp is a perfect opportunity to show the world how hard working we are. Seems our leaders only want to see hard work when it is for one of their bailed-out corporations.
It’s a slow day at work, so I’ll take the bait just for discussion’s sake. I’m confused as to what your points are. i detect an undercurrent of sarcasm and hostility here. Who’s embracing the N. Koreans and the other communists? The Messiah? America’s Bono?
We don’t know exactly the circumstances about their capture. We only know what is publicly talked about or acknowledged. It is still comforting to know that if you were in trouble somewhere in a foreign country, the US government would try and help you, depending on the circumstances, versus knowing that they’re not going to do anything on your behalf.
As with many blogs, the comments are always more interesting than the original blog posts. With that being said, I probably should’ve linked an earlier Laura/Euna post:
http://www.bigwowo.com/2009/06/euna-lee-and-laura-ling-sentenced-to-twelve-years/
Check out the comments.
As Mojo says, we don’t know the circumstances of their capture. People think they entered illegally, but only because that’s what North Korea is saying. I don’t know if we’ll ever know the truth either.
Yes, Matt, I think things would be different if you were an imprisoned male. That being said, I agree with Mojo–it’s comfortable to know that the U.S. government is trying to help these women and not just abandoning them.
oh, THAT’S what they were rehashing? yeah, whatever, man…
oh and at the risk of starting that discussion up again, N. Korea is not on the US St. Dept’s list of countries that engage in State Sponsored Terrorism. Just an observation.
Well, he did it. How great. Mr. Clinton “negotiated” to free the reporters.
My question is to all of you.
DID THE UNITED STATES GIVE UP TO BRING THEM HOME.
IT DIDN’T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH ONE OF THE LADIES HAVING A SISTER THAT IS A TVPERSONALITY. DID IT?
Holy shit! Thanks, Dodie. Even I underestimated Willie.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/08/04/nkorea.clinton/index.html