Exclusive: Jimmy Carter headed to North Korea on rescue mission

[cal04]

http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/08/23/exclusive_jimmy_carter_headed_to_north_korea_on_rescue_mission

Jimmy Carter is set to travel to North Korea very soon, according to two sources familiar with the former president's plans, in what they characterized as a private mission to free a U.S. citizen imprisoned there.

Carter has decided to make the trip and is slated to leave for the Hermit Kingdom within days, possibly bringing his wife and daughter along for the journey. His goal is to bring back Aijalon Mahli Gomes, a 30-year-old man from Boston who was sentenced to 8 years in prison in April, about three months after he was arrested crossing into North Korea via China. In July, North Korea's official media organ reported that Gomes had tried to commit suicide. Earlier this month, the State Department secretly sent a four-man team to Pyongyang to visit Gomes, but was unable to secure his release.

There will be no U.S. government officials on the trip and Carter is traveling in his capacity as a private citizen, our sources report -- much like when former President Bill Clinton traveled to Pyongyang last August to bring home Current TV reporters Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who had wandered across the North Korean border with China and were promptly arrested and threatened with years of hard labor.

A senior administration official would not confirm that Carter has decided to go but told The Cable, "If anyone goes it would be a private humanitarian effort." Carter's office did not respond to requests for comment by deadline.



Jimmy Carter to visit N.Korea to free US man
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jse0ZgmR-jBI0XfA3vobb04c3O2A

[jwirr]

1. I wish him well. Love that man, he never stops working for our nation. nt

[customerserviceguy]

2. Is it imprudent of me to ask what the hell this guy was doing there in the first place?

I guess after Bill Clinton rescued those two reporters who trespassed where they knew there was certain danger, everybody with half a notion to do so thinks that American ex-Presidents are going to swoop in like Superman.

[saltpoint]

3. A very good man heading to a complex place.

You go, Jimmy.

[David__77]

4. Laura Ling and Euna Lee didn't "wander" over the border - they violated it on purpose.

They had an objective in violating its frontiers. They were lucky to avoid the legal consequences. This is a very clearly marked border.

[Tx4obama]

5. I have a bad feeling about this....

I don't think it is safe enough for Jimmy Carter to go there.
At least former-President Carter has life-long secret security.
Which newer presidents will NOT have.

Did ya'll know:
In 1997, Congressional legislation became effective limiting Secret Service protection to former presidents for a period of not more than 10 years from the date the former president leaves office http://www.secretservice.gov/protection.shtml

I think that is a BIG mistake! I think the Secret Service will be needed to protect Our President Obama for much longer than 10 years considering the hate from the republicans/teabaggers/etc.
This law MUST be changed!!!