Posted on 08/04/2009 11:51:44 PM PDT by Chet 99
Never underestimate the power of a former president. Expressing "sincere words of apology," Bill Clinton persuaded North Korean President Kim Jong Il to release two American journalists in Pyongyang Tuesday, the North Korea state media reported. Laura Ling and Euna Lee were arrested last March, while reporting for U.S. news outlet Current TV.
The two, who inadvertently crossed a stream bordering China into North Korea, were convicted of "hostile acts" and sentenced in June to 12 years of hard labor. The state news agency of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea announced "the measure taken to release the American journalists is a manifestation of the DPRK's humanitarian and peace-loving policy."
Hopefully it won't be a matter of some friction at the Clinton dinner table that last month Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, describing the two women as "remorseful," requested a grant of amnesty, but was refused. Her husband garnered what the North Koreans called a "special pardon."
CNN reported that the Korean government declined to accept similar overtures from the Obama administration to send Clinton's former Commerce Secretary, Bill Richardson, or former Vice President Al Gore to negotiate for release of the women. Gore is a founder of Current TV.
This is one of the most amateurish pieces of reporting on this issue I have ever seen. Riddled with inaccuracies, and very shallow.
Title is probably true.
Ping.
I guess we’re just going to have to be patient as the full story leaks out in dribs and drabs.
If these two twits actually did inadvertently wade across the whatchamacallit river and get arrested by border guards then I would have said let em’ rot.
Perhaps, li’l Kim was satisfied by an ex-presidente kissing his ring and perhaps a lot more was involved.
Gibbs says the administration had nothing to do with it, and no official favors were promised. Well, we’ll see.
I’m not too encouraged. Ostensibly, the five high-ranking Iranian Al Quds agents captured in Iraq who have been quietly released on Obama’s orders were in exchange for Iranian-American journalist Roxanne Saberi. In which case we can look forward to dictators and terrorists the world over grabbing hot chick reporterettes in exchange for fabulous cash and prizes.
Maybe the far-out lefty “hikers” who accidentally-on-purpose strayed across the border into Iran are going to be ransomed back for more Iranian agents?
Great!
Who else can these tards apologize to?
I think we might have pissed of Satan once, can apologize to him...
Apology and what else did we give them?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.