Jimmy Carter to make private visit to N. Korea: State Dept.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Source: Yonhap

WASHINGTON, March 24 (Yonhap) -- Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter will soon travel to North Korea without carrying any official message from the U.S. government, the State Department said Thursday.

"Former President Carter is traveling in a strictly private capacity," spokesman Mark Toner told a daily news briefing. "He is not traveling with an official U.S. delegation and he does not carry an official message. We have not had any contact with him other than being informed about the trip."

Toner did not elaborate on when the visit will take place, but informed sources said that Carter will tour the reclusive communist state late next month to broker a rapprochement in U.S. relations with the North, which have chilled over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs and other provocations.

Read more: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2011/03/25/0200000000AEN20110325000700315.HTML

[cornflake_31]

1. Can't wait to see...

how the M$M will try to spin this.
That man will never get the respect he deserves in this country.

[center rising]

2. Why??

[killbotfactory]

3. Because sometimes diplomacy works? n/t

[razorman]

5. It might if he were a diplomat. But, he is going as a private citizen.

Since he has no official standing, he cannot make any agreements on behalf of the U.S.

[Lochloosa]

8. Baby steps....he can open the lines of communication. He was always good at that.

[jberryhill]

11. Ummm.....

The way this works is that he can tell them "here is the way things look to my friends... maybe if you could think about doing X, then my friends my think about doing Y".

[LanternWaste]

15. Being a respected statesman is not predicated...

Being a respected statesman is not predicated on governmental employment. Opening doors to future agreements does not requite certifications, elections, or any particular employment status-- merely wisdom, and a popular knowledge of that wisdom.

[RandomKoolzip]

7. Well, obviously it's because he's a communist dictator with a notebook.

Carter, that is. He's plotting to come back to the US and INSTALL A COMM'NIST/SOSHALIST DICK TATER SHIP!

[NeoConsSuck]

13. LOL!!

Dick Tater Ship :rofl:

[EC]

4. Maybe they're having second thoughts on nuclear

after looking across the water at Japan. I did read a while back, where Kim was having his ambassadors beg for food.

[Uncle Joe]

6. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Viva_La_Revolution.:thumbsup:

[Dawgs]

9. Where's George W. Bush going?

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[FLPanhandle]

10. I've always thought all presidents since Reagan haven't leveraged Carter enough

It may be "unofficial" but that's diplomat talk.

Carter has been under utilized and, with his international reputation, that's a shame.

[BOG PERSON]

12. he's moving there

free housing + healthcare and all the korean barbecue you're willing to work for! i'm green with envy!

[unkachuck]

14. if any ex-President....

....can help broker a new lasting peace, it's President Carter....look at the turmoil in Egypt and the ME; the Carter/Begin/Sadat peace treaty is still holding!

....for an old guy, he sure is a busy man....