Former President Clinton Headed Home from N. Korea with Journalists

[Hissyspit]

Source: ABC News

Former President Clinton Headed Home from North Korea with Journalists
Clinton Spokesman Says Former President Homebound, with Ling and Lee Onboard
By MARTHA RADDATZ and JOOHEE CHO
Aug. 4, 2009

Former President Bill Clinton ended his surprise trip to North Korea today, bringing home the two Asian-American journalists who had been jailed in the secretive nation, after he helped negotiate their pardons.

After meeting with Bill Clinton, Kim Jong Il lifts the 12-year labor sentence. Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna verified Tuesday evening that Clinton "has safely left North Korea with Laura Ling and Euna Lee" and was "en route to Los Angeles where Laura and Euna will be reunited with their families."

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Il today ordered the release of jailed U.S. journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee through "a special pardon," the country's state-run news agency reported Tuesday.

North Korea's Central News Agency said Clinton took a surprise trip to the country to negotiate Ling and Lee's release apologized for the two female journalists "illegally crossing the border and committing a grave crime against our nation." Ling and Lee's families said in a joint statement they are "overjoyed by the news of their pardon."

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/International/story?id=8245688&page=1

[bemildred]

1. I can hardly wait for the spin about how getting these people freed is a bad thing for America. nt

[Hissyspit]

4. Oh, it's already started. Failure on Hillary's part, bargaining w/ terrorists, etc. blah, blah

blah

[bemildred]

5. See, no waiting. nt

[Beartracks]

9. It's a matter of principle

Do a lot of people hold fast to the "can't bargain with terrorists" thing because it's a matter of "principle"? What if there's more than once principle at stake? Or is that too nuanced for those people?

Great news, and great job Presidents Obama and Clinton.

[Jefferson23]

16. I hear this makes Obama look weak to the rest of the world, LOL

[bemildred]

17. Yep, "Fuck the prisoners, this is all about how we look to the world!"

Assholes.

[alstephenson]

2. Great news. Good work, Bill.

[Chemisse]

3. Excellent news - yah for Bill Clinton

And Al Gore deserves some credit for bringing this to Clinton's attention. There must be two incredibly happy families tonight.

[Joey Liberal]

6. Thank you Bill Clinton (and Al Gore) nt

[Aslanspal]

7. Woo Hoo! good news...we just counter spin back

We got the MOJO...time to spin it back to the naysayers until their head explodes.

[MadMaddie]

8. If the Repugs were in power what would they have done?

Most likely nothing because they do not have the guts to deal with countries they don't like or add into the Axis of evil...

Bravo President Clinton for a job well done!!

[MADem]

18. Nothing. Jesse Jackson would have had to get up his creaky old ass and do it.

Like he used to back in the day.....

[Red1]

10. Its a Good Thing!!

Wad da go Bill!!! MY man...never doubted your sincerity, the need to help...

[ProSense]

11. Analysis: Clinton to North Korea -- a matter of respect (Kerry coordinated deal)

This episode featured the Democrats showing how diplomacy works.

[karynnj]

23. Kerry has made extraordinarilly good use of his SFRC chair

susccessfully acting as a diplomat in Syria, the Gaza strip, Sudan, and China - and now, we hear with North Korea. This is in addition to having held the most interesting, deep, well planned hearings I have heard of in the SFRC since Fullbright (who had a brilliant 27 year old vet testify).

[silverweb]

12. The right man for the job.

Thank you, President Clinton!

[Kablooie]

13. My wife says that Japanese news reported that they were treated as guests, not prisoners.

I'm sure we'll hear from them soon and see it it was true.

[MADem]

19. The P3 crew that wound up in Chinese hands got the same treatment.

Here's how you know you are a prisoner, and not a guest:


You Cannot LEAVE.

[Kablooie]

20. Yes, of course they were prisoners, but they weren't tortured like America does to their prisoners.

[MADem]

21. Oh Jesus. How many North Korean prisoners do we have in jail for crossing our borders?

Just stop. It's stupid and lacks equivalence.

If you want to play that game, KJI 'starves' his prisoners and works them to death. LITERALLY. To death. And uses their carcasses as fertilizer.

:eyes:

[dipsydoodle]

30. BBC News implies that too

The senior US administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said the two reporters were in "very good health" and that the North Korean government had agreed in advance that Mr Clinton's mission would not touch on the question of its nuclear programme. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8184698.stm

[Ian David]

14. When was the last time Hillary celebrated Bill coming home with a couple women? n/t

[troubledamerican]

24. Gonna hear that one on Late Night, but you said it first. Bravo.

[abq e streeter]

15. and John Podesta , "who was also involved in the planning" ... gotta give props there too

[mnhtnbb]

22. Great news. Tag team of Hillary and Bill. Props to them both.

[never cry wolf]

25. Imagine how bush/cheney would have handled this

it boggles my mind, the difference

[residentfan]

26. I started crying

...when I saw the photographs of the journalists getting on the plane. Damn, President Clinton, you did it! I'm sure the hate mongers and fringies will throw their hate at you, but you deserve all the love and respect we can give you.

[NBachers]

27. Holy Shit I'm Amazed

I've been following this, but I wasn't sure he could pull it off.

Good going to the entire Obama / Clinton team!

This is how the Democrats do it, you stupid fucked-up repuke Neanderthal slimeball pieces of shit.

[saigon68]

28. Don't mince words like that

They are turds, floating in a toilet bowl of Diarrhea (The Chimp, Cheney and their ilk)

:-) :-)

[dipsydoodle]

29. BBC News link with video

Former US President Bill Clinton has left North Korea with two US reporters whose release he has helped to secure.

His spokesman said they were flying to Los Angeles where the journalists would be reunited with their families.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il issued a special pardon to the journalists after meeting Mr Clinton on Tuesday.

Laura Ling and Euna Lee had been found guilty of entering illegally in March. Mr Clinton offered no apology for the reporters' conduct, a US official said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8184698.stm

[harry_pothead]

31. President Obama sent the right ex-president for the job.

Can anyone imagine Daddy Bush or Lesser Bush being able to pull this off?