Bill Clinton's 'rock star status' delivers in North Korea
The former president succeeded in securing the release of two American journalists partly because he brought Pyongyang the prestige it craves.
By Howard LaFranchi
Staff writer
The Christian Science Monitor
from the August 4, 2009 edition
Washington - Bill Clinton's successful mission in securing the freedom of two American journalists jailed by North Korea – a testament to the clout the former president still has abroad – could represent something of a two-edged sword for President Obama.
The release of the two journalists removes a thorn from the increasingly irritated relations between the US and North Korea. More broadly, it also constitutes a glimmer of hope for Mr.
Obama's faith in dialogue as a foreign policy tool, some diplomatic analysts say.
But the high-profile talks between the US and North Korea – carried out between a former US president and Pyongyang's dictator, Kim Jong-il – will also raise the discomfort level of US allies Japan and South Korea, both of which worry that a Washington-Pyongyang détente could come at their expense.
Moreover, Mr. Clinton's success could increase pressure for a similar high-profile diplomatic mission to Tehran to secure the release of three Americans detained by Iranian officials after wandering into Iranian territory from Iraq.
Clinton arrived in Pyongyang on a surprise visit Tuesday. By Wednesday morning, Pyongyang time, state media were reporting that Mr. Kim had issued a "special pardon" to Laura Ling and Euna Lee, the two American journalists convicted in June of entering the country illegally.
North Korean media also reported that Clinton had an "exhaustive conversation" with a "wide-ranging exchange of views on the matters of common concern" over dinner with Kim and his top aides.
25 comments:
I don't know what is the worst punishment for these girls ... life on a North Korea forced labor camp or trying to fend off Bill Clinton's advances on a long private jet ride?
Shouldn't this have been the Hildabeast's job? Oh, I forgot,shes in Kenya picking up a birth certificate.
As for Bill Clinton, all this time I was hoping Kim Mentally Ill 2nd would keep him...oh well, better ruck next time!
Sarcastic opinion: what are you blabbering about? The birth certificate is real; Hawaii has it. If you want to see pictures, check out my blog and others.
Bill Clinton did a great service to this nation (again!)...
Shaw: I have to say, I think Bill Clinton was the best president we've seen in many years. While I was disappointed in his behavior in the white house and his subsequent cover-up, it was a mistake, not a character flaw. Clinton continues to impress.
James,
I agree.
Bob,
Are you jealous that Big Dog could even get pretty young things like that interested in him--and not you?
Sounds like it. ;-)
Big Dawg is awesome.
He left office with higher approval ratings than Dubya.
And he still drives the GOPer crazy!
Ha!
Searching "Thank You President Clinton" came up with many sites, yours was one.
Just because a politician has done wrong in the past, does not mean he can not be of value in the future.
And if there are any problems that come up in Africa, President Obama should not hesitate to use the talents and assistance of former President George W. Bush.
A little reported story during his administration is the fact that he did more for Africa than any other President, and is widely well regarded for his interest and efforts there.
dmarks is right. Bush did fine things on the African continent.
Sadly they were just about the only successes he can point to.
Pity he didn't use the diplomacy, generosity, warmth and material assistance he provided in a large number of African nations elsewhere.
Like the US for starters.
"Like the US for starters."
Yes, imagine if he had significantly increased education and other social spending in the US.
Oh wait. He did.
James' Muse said...
Sarcastic opinion: what are you blabbering about? The birth certificate is real; Hawaii has it. If you want to see pictures, check out my blog and others.
Bill Clinton did a great service to this nation (again!)
---------------------------------
Wow, talk about BLABBING!
I did check out *Your* blog and I was very UNimpressed by the way..
Oh, please spare us, James Muse.. You have no idea what Kim Jon Il was given in return for 'pardoning' those women.
..sommetime between June 8, 2009, and June 18, 2009, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) changed the requirements for identification that they maintained for over 100 years. All of a sudden, Hawaii will now accept Certifications of Live Birth (COLB) as proof of identification and residency, and will no longer require the certified "Certificates of Birth" -- although Hawaii says that they will still take the traditional birth certificates.
As for Bill Clinton:
These women are not free until they are away from Bill Clinton..
So hostage taking is now to be routinely rewarded? If you consider a visit from Bill Clinton a reward.
James' Muse said...
it was a mistake, not a character flaw. Clinton continues to impress.
---------------------------------
LMAO:..
James you are such a JOKE!
Being a Pervert IS a character flaw!
What were these idiots dong crossing into Crazy land in the first place? I'll tell you why, because they were doing a story for that other crazy, Al Gore!
They knew what kind of a closed society it is. Did they just wander in thinking they could talk the Leader into doing what?! What a bunch of morons.
What did Home Boy have to give to the crazies to get them released?
We send an Ex-President, who was one of only two Presidents to be impeached in the history of the country and then had his law license yanked due to lying under oath charges, to supposedly negotiate with a rogue dictator.
Question: How does this lend 'prestige' to the event ?
FINALLY, they can give Clinton the Peace Award! It's been totally `embarrassing` that both Jimmy Carter and Al Gore won, and Bubba has been passed over.
Yep. This stunt of a Photo Op using a Perverted EX-President will do it
Seriously, if North Korea got anything for this, which I can't believe they didn't, bargaining with the Devil is never wise. It's like making a deal with terrorists.
I'm happy for those two girls and their families, but when it comes to world affairs, and adversaries, two people in the scheme of things, are not important.
They were hostages, and it cost Kim Jung IL nothing. If nothing else, it gave him a propaganda victory. He put one over on the United States, and we fell for it.
It's a bad signal to the world, that this administration is a pushover, and invites more of the same.
What's next negotiations with the butchers of Iran, to get three stupid American hikers out who refused to listen to border guards' warnings in the Kurdish territory of Iraq?
Anon: "two people in the scheme of things, are not important."
With this remark, you discredit yourself and everything you stand for. At least there are some persons of conscience who still have a reverence for human life, freedom, and civil liberties. A pity you are not one of them.
"The former Bush bullies have no credibility on diplomacy. They spent eight years wrecking it, and the score for them on North Korea is 0-6; zero meetings with Kim and enough plutonium for six nuclear bombs."
Sarcastic:
You said: sommetime between June 8, 2009, and June 18, 2009, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) changed the requirements for identification that they maintained for over 100 years...
Obama wasn't born this year, so this wouldn't matter. You conspiracy theorists won't believe anything. Those are hi-def images up on my blog, btw. If you believe he isn't a natural born citizen, you are an idiot.
Also: Clinton wasn't a "pervert." He had an affair with another adult. That's not perverted.
Also, you said:
Oh, please spare us, James Muse.. You have no idea what Kim Jon Il was given in return for 'pardoning' those women.
Neither do you. But it doesn't matter. Those two women are now spared the cruel and inhuman tyranny of a N. Korean prison.
James' Muse said...
Also: Clinton wasn't a "pervert." He had an affair with another adult. That's not perverted.
Any one with even a half of a brain especially the President of the United States that shoves a cigar up the poop of a girl his own daughters age in the OVAL Office of the White House IS A PERVERT!
You can call it whatever you want to, and people like you usually do make excuses for that CREEP.. But it is still perverted.
Joe has a point. Clinton's cigar "habit" should have been done in the bedroom. Part of his private life.
Instead, he chose to make it a public matter, as part of White House employee relations (as covered under the ethics regulations) in a public office.
Does anyone here truly believe that Bill Clinton put this deal together? Please... It was worked out long before Clinton became the chosen messenger - what we do not know is what message from Obama was delivered - and with the total lack of transparency in this Administration, we shall never know... And, in the not too distant future, this scenario will be replayed perhaps with new actors when we pay another secret ransom to the Iranians to release the latest group of "hikers".
By the way, I read that that after a couple of hours alone with klintoon, they were begging to go back to the north Koreans.
To the commenter who uses President Clinton's name and wrote this:
"Does anyone here truly believe that Bill Clinton put this deal together? Please... It was worked out long before Clinton became the chosen messenger"
And you know this how? The voices in your head?
COMMENTER USING PRESIDENT CLINTON'S NAME WROTE: "And, in the not too distant future, this scenario will be replayed perhaps with new actors when we pay another secret ransom to the Iranians to release the latest group of 'hikers'."
We know, dear. Another Obama triumph and you'll be chewing the furniture. Good news from the Obama administration just doesn't fit into your apocolyptic paranoia.
THE COMMENTER USING PRESIDENT CLINTON'S NAME WROTE: "By the way, I read that that after a couple of hours alone with klintoon, they were begging to go back to the north Koreans."
"Why attribute to malice that which can more easily be explained as stupidity."
For someone who dislikes Mr. Clinton as much as you do, it is curious that you feel the need to assume his name.
Was Dickhead already taken?
What is ex-President Bush doing these days?
Helping the dislocated, poverty stricken children of Iraq?
George is refilling the 'coffers'.
The rest of the world weren't the only ones having to sacrifice during eight miserable years of Bush misrule.
George himself had to take a pay cut.
Go figure.
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