Posted on 08/05/2009 2:39:45 PM PDT by knighthawk
Bill Clinton's unexpected and successful trip to Pyongyang to secure the release of two American journalists sentenced to 12-year prison terms was a highly theatrical coup for the former president. His surprise arrival in North Korea, the three hours of face-to-face talks with an ailing though evidently still sentient Kim Jong-il, the tearful dawn homecoming in California – it was a perfectly executed foreign-policy triumph, played out live on the world's TV screens.
But who has gained from it? Obviously, Euna Lee and Laura Ling have won their freedom from what was, in effect, a state-sponsored hostage-taking operation by one of the world's most loathsome regimes. A carefully orchestrated back-channel operation involving the White House ensured that their freedom had been guaranteed by the North Koreans before Mr Clinton had embarked on his mission.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Ping
Clinton probably won the North Koreans over by reminding them how his Chinagate dealings helped them improve their missile systems as well. The ChiComs surely passed along some of the transferred technology to them.
On the bright side, American officials got to see Kim up close and assess his health.
This was no surprise visit... come on.. just call a head of state and say you are dropping in? And get a 3 hr visit with a head of state. This was planned weeks if not months in advance.
What did this country have to give up (besides our dignity) to get two well connected journalist released for being stupid?! And how much did this cost us? You know Bill Clinton & Al Gore didn't pay for it. The American people will never know.
Everyone keeps saying how we should all be so happy these two are home. Well, excuse me, but what the hell were they doing there in the first place? Why should I care? I didn't send them or request anyone to send them. I think Al Gore needs to explain that to all of us! I don't think anyone just gets 'lost' and ends up in N. Korea.
Those two “journalists” were in no danger of going to a labor camp. In fact, they probably lived better than 99.9% of all North Koreans while they were in “captivity.”
I think we probably have people who have already assessed his health. If not, we need a new CIA director.
This was nothing but covering Al Gore's butt since he was the one who sent them. Only well connected politicians get this kind of treatment. You can bet none of us would have been 'rescued' had we been so stupid.
They probably saw Kim's body double.
A little “wag the dog” as thanks for N.Korea’s Clinton-funded nuclear capabilities.
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