[Dilbert San Diego]

Why go there at all? There are some places in the world I would simply be afraid of going, and North Korea is one of them.

One American being held is a college kid, who was trying to steal a propaganda banner. He was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor by North Korea. Yes he should not have touched anything; he should not have tried to steal the banner. But punishment should fit the crime. North Korea views small transgressions as major crimes against the state.

[ConservativeMind]

Wasn't the kid illegally in North Korea, as well? Sure, stealing a flag is wrong, but entering a police state Communist country with closed borders is probably the bigger crime.

These token Americans captured within North Korea should be ignored as any sort of bargaining concern.

If we bomb NK and they die, it's okay.

[Gamecock]

Top 10 list of places I have no desire to visit:

1 (tied) North Korea, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7. Turkey
8. Most of the rest of Africa
9. Egypt
10.Pakistan

And I have been to three of them!

[ExpatCanuck]

One American being held is a college kid, who was trying to steal a propaganda banner. He was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor by North Korea. Yes he should not have touched anything; he should not have tried to steal the banner. But punishment should fit the crime. North Korea views small transgressions as major crimes against the state.

Not justifying his sentence, but this 'kid' was probably an ardent leftist who went there to visit the socialist paradise. I'm sure the thought his trophy banner would have looked wonderful in his dorm room. The kid is an idiot - they might have given him one if he told them he was a supporter and wanted to display it back home. Good bet his parents are leftists too and fully supported and even financed his trip to the paradise that is North Korea.