RSSDaily Commentary – Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 – Bill Clinton Negotiates Release of Hostages in North Korea
- The captured journalists were released, but what does this tell us about how we deal with presidential security?
Daily Commentary – Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 – Bill Clinton Negotiates Release of Hostages in North Korea [1:18m]: | Download
Was former President Bill Clinton’s trip to North Korea wise? At what cost to American foreign policy in dealing with rouge states like North Korea did Clinton just harm by the release of the two American female reporters? It was stated to be a private, humanitarian mission by Clinton, so we should not hear the Obama Admin asking for credit or a photo op, right?
The Obama administration characterized Bill Clinton’s unexpected visit to Pyongyang to secure the release of two American reporters, held unjustifiably by North Korea for nearly five months, as a private, humanitarian mission. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has insisted that the fate of the women who strayed into the North (whether accidentally or deliberately is still not clear), should be separated from the unresolved issue of the North’s nuclear weapons program.
The fact that two journalist are freed aside, since when does the US negotiate with terrorists? Since when do we allow photo-ops with the likes of Kim Jong Il and making it appear as if he is some benevolent leader by letting these two women free?
As Macsmind states, more apolgies to evil heads of state.
At what cost did we secure the freedoms of reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee and by the way, who is running the State Department these days?
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16 Responses to “Daily Commentary – Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 – Bill Clinton Negotiates Release of Hostages in North Korea”
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Was there ever any doubt that Clinton would not leave with the girls? With his track record, he was the man for the job.
Bill Clinton leaving with two younger women … just like old times, eh Mr President?
Silly Billy did Hillary know you where going or did she make you go ???
My thoughts exactly. And who else could be cynical enough to pose with that ridiculous dictator in the green jumpsuit?
There release was already sealed before Clinton got there. This was a photo-op for Obama and bothe Clintons. This is a joke and laughable. I thought we don’t deal with terrorists nations. This is going to set a scary precedent from here on out. Unbelievable that we would deal with a rogue nation. The WH will keep under wraps what exactly it cost us as a nation to get these journatlists release who WILLINGLY entered that country on their own.
This is the last nail in the coffin for me to where this country is headed.
lol@1
smoking
maybe slick willie gave jong jr a free copy of the
slim shady does hillary & obama movie. i think obama gets the shaft in the end.
lol @ 5
nerd
Our boy GWB only had enough balls to pose in jumpsuits when the fighting was over. Shamefully, our dearly bveloved ex-Prez would be far too yellow to do anything useful like rescuing fair maidens.
That said, he was probbaly doing something heroic like reading childrens books and looking scared sh*tless, just like during 9-11.
I was at ground zero and hear a lot of jets but never saw our yellow bellied woodchopper once.
How can anyone put a negative spin on this? There was no “negotiating” with terrorists; Bill Clinton flew over and got them. The same people that criticized Obama for authorizing the rescue of that ship captain from the Somali pirates a few months ago will, no doubt, find a way to put a negative spin on this triumph by the former president, but my hat is off to everyone that played a role in securing the release of the journalists.
So, you think we should have given them arms instead, the way Reagan did?
Bill negotiated squat. The outcome of his trip was known before he left the states, the negotiating was already done. I have to ask myself how did the NK screw us on this deal because they always do. As for the young ladies in question I am very pleased and happy for them and their families that they are free and home.
#8 And what does that have to do with the subject of Bill Clinton going to North Korea?
Are you going to bring up GWB every time someone makes a comment on this board that is not praising Obama?
I think it is commendable of Pres Clinton for doing what he did. To me it is what it is, he is about the only person who could have done this. If you notice, he purposely posed with a sullen look on his face to record forever that this was not a diplomatic mission.
Thank God for these girls safe return. Whomever decides to spin it in their favor should be ashamed of therselves.
Why the were there is another question. I know the want to expose the injustices that abound in North Korea but we already know all that. Unless President Bush was making all that up?
Many say that Clinton passed nuclear secrets to China while in office. Did he pass these secrets to N Korea to get the ladies release? This was all well planned from beginning to end.
If my loved ones were trapped there, I wouldn’t care if Clinton begged on his hands and knees wearing a tutu, if it got them home.
____________
SM: I understand your point, but these 2 journalist need to take some responsibility for their actions. Did they think that Kim Jong Il and NK were some misunderstood people and were good? They took a foolish risk by doing what they did and are lucky, lucky to have ever seen the light of day.
People who do this crap put themself in danger and America at risk. Thus, the USA was forced to deal with NK and photo-ops because 2 journalist decided to play chicken with the Korean border.
R
Kim Jong looks like an alien.