Breaking News: U.S. Journalists Convicted in North Korea Pardoned
According to CNN, after a visit from ex-President Bill Clinton to N. Korea on behalf of the journalists serving time in North Korea, a special pardon has been issued for Euna Lee and Laura Ling.
President Clinton is said to have delivered a message to Kim Jong Il from President Obama.
The two women arrested in March are journalists employed by the California-based cable channel Current TV. They were convicted and sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for politically motivated crimes.
Former US President Bill Clinton arrived in North Korea on Tuesday to try to negotiate the release of two American journalists convicted by the communist state of “grave crimes,” South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said.
[snip]
Some analysts have held out hope that Clinton’s visit could end a cycle of provocative military action and lead to Pyongyang’s return to fresh dialogue.
August 4th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
God, I love that man.
Sage Reply:
August 4th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
I think this is a great use of Bill Clinton. Clinton was much better liked by the rest of the world than in the U.S.
August 4th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Next stop Iran?
Sage Reply:
August 4th, 2009 at 6:17 pm
I had the same thought.
August 5th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Remember, Bill is doing this on his own and not as part of our government. Therefore, if some idiotic regime decides to keep him, they have that right
Sage Reply:
August 5th, 2009 at 10:49 am
It was a smart move to have Bill do this.
Barga Reply:
August 5th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Oh, i agree:
1: It keeps Obama and crew out of the crosshairs (literal and political)
2: he is respected
3: it shows NK that we still are willing to work with them
but, it is dangerous, as he is a private citizen and has no protection
August 5th, 2009 at 11:49 am
The Koreans don’t respect Hillary in the least, so Bill had to step in. Their remarks about Hillary being a “funny lady” who sometimes “looks like a primary schoolgirl and sometimes a pensioner going shopping” was demeaning and shows their distain for our country and the administration. Hopefully Bill will be more effective on a private level than she has in her official capacity as Secretary of State.
Sage Reply:
August 5th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
I think it had to do more with the lack of respect for women in general than Hillary in particular.
Wizcon Reply:
August 5th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Hillary is an official representative of the US right now. Talking to her is talking to the President in official capacity. Bill is not.
August 5th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
I read somewhere that Kim Jong Il specifically named Bill Clinton as the person with whom he would most be willing to meet to discuss the journalists’ imprisonment and possible release. Sorry, I can’t remember where I read that.