North Korean President has "pardoned" two U.S. journalists

[rdowns]

Only on the CNN and MSNBC breaking news boxes. No story yet.

EDIT:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32277010...s-asiapacific/



In other news, criticism of Bill Clinton for going to North Korea.

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The Obama administration is rewarding North Korea for its bad behavior by sending ex-president Bill Clinton to Pyongyang to win the release of two US journalists, the former US ambassador to the UN said Tuesday.

John Bolton, an outspoken hardliner in the previous administration of George W. Bush, told AFP that Clinton's mission to Pyongyang undermines a number of public stands held by his own wife, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"It comes perilously close to negotiating with terrorists," Bolton told AFP when asked about Bill Clinton's trip to secure the release of journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee.

[MyDesktopBroke]

Incredible. Let's hope this revitalizes the average American's faith in diplomacy.

[yg17]

Diplomacy works. Suck on that right wingers. Bombs don't solve every problem.

[Peace]

Originally Posted by rdowns

Only on the CNN and MSNBC breaking news boxes. No story yet.

EDIT:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32277010...s-asiapacific/



In other news, criticism of Bill Clinton for going to North Korea.

Jeez. That makes it sound like the right wingers would rather see the two dead..

Diplomacy works sometimes. Nothing wrong with that.

[Eraserhead]

I'm surprised to see this happen though it is good news.

North Korea seems to have been acting very weirdly lately (first with the nuclear weapons - and now this in the opposite direction), I think Kim Jong Il is losing his grip.

[BoyBach]

Originally Posted by rdowns

In other news, criticism of Bill Clinton for going to North Korea.

John Bolton =

[.Andy]

This is good news .

Originally Posted by Eraserhead

North Korea seems to have been acting very weirdly lately, I think Kim Jong Il is losing his grip.

Another reading is that the recent behaviour is Kim Jong Il flexing muscle with the aim to make a case for his son to be "selected" to follow in his footsteps. KJI reportedly isn't well (although doesn't appear that bad in the admittedly highly staged press photo below).

[Signal-11]

John Bolton, an outspoken hardliner in the previous administration of George W. Bush, told AFP that Clinton's mission to Pyongyang undermines a number of public stands held by his own wife, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

This sentence is indicative of why John Bolton was and is a terrible diplomat. A key skil in real world diplomacy is achieving your objectives through channels and means other than the official while still maintaining your official public stance.

[yg17]

Originally Posted by BoyBach

John Bolton =

John Bolton =

[Shivetya]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=8123015&page=2


Yeah, we caved. This will only bolster the loon who runs North Korea. What a great message to send to the world. The guy looks for an excuse to test the new administration and we cave.

Why should any nation take us seriously? First we continue the same hard line versus NK that Bush was doing, even Bill Clinton did (until famously sabotaged by Carter), and then we cave over two reporters who are friends of the Administration.

Bolton was right, it is very much dangerously like negotiating with terrorist. What is done in NK to its people will continue as the regime gets bolstered by events such as this.

[skunk]

Originally Posted by Shivetya

Bolton was right, it is very much dangerously like negotiating with terrorist. What is done in NK to its people will continue as the regime gets bolstered by events such as this.

Presumably you are privy to some information the rest of us are ignorant of which demonstrates how much better things were for the North Korean people when Mr Bolton was being righteously intransigent?

[Eraserhead]

Originally Posted by skunk

Presumably you are privy to some information the rest of us are ignorant of which demonstrates how much better things were for the North Korean people when Mr Bolton was being righteously intransigent?

Hes right wing, obviously his way was better .

[Signal-11]

One of the tricks to negotiating is letting people walk away having saved face while letting them know how the cards really lie by publicly accelerating the development of stuff like this.

[rdowns]

When Bill Clinton wants to bring home two women at the same time, not even North Korea can stop him!

(Saw that on Twitter)

[BoyBach]

Originally Posted by Shivetya

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=8123015&page=2


Yeah, we caved. This will only bolster the loon who runs North Korea. What a great message to send to the world. The guy looks for an excuse to test the new administration and we cave.

Why should any nation take us seriously? First we continue the same hard line versus NK that Bush was doing, even Bill Clinton did (until famously sabotaged by Carter), and then we cave over two reporters who are friends of the Administration.

Bolton was right, it is very much dangerously like negotiating with terrorist. What is done in NK to its people will continue as the regime gets bolstered by events such as this.

How do you know that Bill Clinton (or more likely China) didn't threaten The Dear Leader with a dose of Instant Sunshine if he didn't quieten down a bit?

Or maybe he traded the two journalists freedom for a new iPod and couple of bottles of cognac!

Originally Posted by rdowns

When Bill Clinton wants to bring home two women at the same time, not even North Korea can stop him!

(Saw that on Twitter)

Harsh... but fair!

[Signal-11]

Originally Posted by rdowns

When Bill Clinton wants to bring home two women at the same time, not even North Korea can stop him!

(Saw that on Twitter)

LOL.

Two asian girls, no less.

[rdowns]

Originally Posted by BoyBach

How do you know that Bill Clinton (or more likely China) didn't threaten The Dear Leader with a dose of Instant Sunshine if he didn't quieten down a bit?

Or maybe he traded the two journalists freedom for a new iPod and couple of bottles of cognac!

Or maybe he traded the journalists for tips on chasing women.

Should be fun to watch the Republicans froth at the mouth over Clinton going there. That's right Republicans, Bill Effing Clinton back on the world stage.

Question is, will they label Clinton or Obama as the bigger traitor for dealing with them?

[yg17]

Originally Posted by Shivetya

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=8123015&page=2


Yeah, we caved. This will only bolster the loon who runs North Korea. What a great message to send to the world. The guy looks for an excuse to test the new administration and we cave.

Why should any nation take us seriously? First we continue the same hard line versus NK that Bush was doing, even Bill Clinton did (until famously sabotaged by Carter), and then we cave over two reporters who are friends of the Administration.

Bolton was right, it is very much dangerously like negotiating with terrorist. What is done in NK to its people will continue as the regime gets bolstered by events such as this.

So what's your solution, oh wise one? Let the journalists spend 12 years in a North Korean labor camp where they'll probably die? Nuke Pyongyang and hope the girls don't die from radiation poisoning? Economic sanctions since those have obviously been working so well?

I don't think these two journalists really give a flying **** if we "negotiated with terrorists." Are you really going to tell them that they should remain in the concentration camp to avoid making us look weak?

[BoyBach]

Originally Posted by yg17

So what's your solution, oh wise one? Let the journalists spend 12 years in a North Korean labor camp where they'll probably die? Nuke Pyongyang and hope the girls don't die from radiation poisoning? Economic sanctions since those have obviously been working so well?

I don't think these two journalists really give a flying **** if we "negotiated with terrorists." Are you really going to tell them that they should remain in the concentration camp to avoid making us look weak?

That's the philosophy of those like John Bolton: so long as it doesn't directly affect them, they couldn't give a toss about sending others to their death in the name of Patriotism, stuff and gubbins.

[yg17]

Originally Posted by BoyBach

That's the philosophy of those like John Bolton: so long as it doesn't directly affect them, they couldn't give a toss about sending others to their death in the name of Patriotism, stuff and gubbins.

It seems like they got their ideas for dealing with North Korea from Team America World Police

America, f*** yeah!

[hulugu]

Originally Posted by rdowns

...Question is, will they label Clinton or Obama as the bigger traitor for dealing with them?

This sounds like a version of strapping buttered toast to the back of a cat and then pushing it off the table, rather than hitting the floor you create a perpetual motion machine.

[BoyBach]

Originally Posted by yg17

It seems like they got their ideas for dealing with North Korea from Team America World Police

America, f*** yeah!

"I'm so Ronery / So ronery / So ronery and sadry arone..."

Maybe all it took was a hug from Bill?

[spaceboots06]

I guess N.K. acted stupidly.

[MyDesktopBroke]

Originally Posted by Shivetya

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Story?id=8123015&page=2


Yeah, we caved. This will only bolster the loon who runs North Korea. What a great message to send to the world. The guy looks for an excuse to test the new administration and we cave.

Why should any nation take us seriously? First we continue the same hard line versus NK that Bush was doing, even Bill Clinton did (until famously sabotaged by Carter), and then we cave over two reporters who are friends of the Administration.

Bolton was right, it is very much dangerously like negotiating with terrorist. What is done in NK to its people will continue as the regime gets bolstered by events such as this.

You get captured by North Korea. You get framed for espionage and sentenced to undertake 12 years of hard labor in a filthy North Korean brig where disease is abundant. Then a powerful figure flies over to this hostile country to try and negotiate your freedom.

What do you say?

A. Thank you for coming and arranging my freedom. This action shows that America always extends an open hand before clenching it into a fist.

B. No thank you, this action will diminish a perception of Americas unmatched military power. I don't care if my family and friends miss me, but I want to stay in this brig. What's wrong with you, Willie? You're making America look weak!

If you answered B, you are trolling!

[obeygiant]

Originally Posted by yg17

Diplomacy works. Suck on that right wingers. Bombs don't solve every problem.

lol what? Do you realize we've been negotiating with NK for like the last ten years? Two pardoned journalists doesn't make everything fine-n-dandy over there.