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News & ArtsTuesday, August 4, 2009
News Free At Last
Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Aug 4, 2009 at 12:37 PM
North Korea frees two U.S. journalists after Bill Clinton says "please" and "sorry."
George W. Bush's ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, says Clinton—by saying sorry—is "rewarding bad behavior" on the part of the North Koreans. Kind of like George W. Bush rewarded the bad behavior of the Chinese when he said "sorry" in order to free the crew of a US spy plane that the Chinese seized after the plane made an emergency landing in China in April of 2001.
4
WHAT ?!?!? He said PLEASE and SORRY???!!!! That's called aiding the enemy!! How DARE he weaken the United States!!!!
8
Good old John Bolton. Jon Stewart asked him something like, "I gotta question, and let me make it so you don't have to come up with a complicated answer: is there a country you wouldn't bomb?"
11
I believe John Bolton said "I am the WALRUS!" Everytime I see John Bolton speak, that's all I hear.
12
I find it interesting that two American Journalists just happen to wonder from China into N. Korea, oops there's a border here? And then three American "hikers" just happen to wonder into Iran, oops, there's a border here? Both countries being members of "The Axis of Evil". I suppose all those Mexicans are just wondering about and just happen to cross into America, oops.
13
@12 I know. how do you accidentally wander into Iran? And who the fuck goes for a hike in eastern Iraq?
15
@13 - totally, how DO you? That's why all the border lines have been painted on, so that if you're up in the mountains you don't get lost (although really, who does that?) and accidentally cross over the border. I think they've been painted hot pink to really catch the eye.
16
Ah, good to know that John Bolton is, as always, ready and willing to fight evil, everywhere, with no compromises at any time, as long as it involves no personal risk of discomfort to himself whatsoever. The families of Ms. Ling and Ms. Lee should learn from his brave example, and shun their daughters upon their return, and demand that they be sent back to Pyongyang's labor camps until a method of rescuing them without being polite to Kim Jong Il can be devised.
17
John Bolton was the architect of world wide foreign policy failures for the U.S. There was hardly a nation on earth whose people didn't hate our government when he and his pal G.W. were done. But on one point I do take exception.
These two women are totally irresponsible and deserved prison time.
These two women are totally irresponsible and deserved prison time.
18
Daaaaaamn, Bubba still has it.
"Aw, come on KJI, we all good, right? Let's go get some chicks and have a brewski and be cool, ok?"
I bet he also got blown by a couple of chubby PRK apparatchiks before he split. Smmmooooth.
"Aw, come on KJI, we all good, right? Let's go get some chicks and have a brewski and be cool, ok?"
I bet he also got blown by a couple of chubby PRK apparatchiks before he split. Smmmooooth.
19
Sauron@12: we have only the North Korean government's word on the matter that the two of them were, in fact, on the wrong side of the border. Given the DPRK's long and documented history of using kidnapping for political purposes, you'd be well-advised to take their statements with a grain or two of salt.
20
That April '01 incident exposed BushCo's lousy diplomatic skills early on. In hindsight, we probably should have seen the next 7+ years of dumbfuckery coming.
His notion of diplomacy comes straight from Rich Kid Behaviour 101: "I make all the rules (as I go along), and if you don't like it, you will be escorted from the estate!"
His notion of diplomacy comes straight from Rich Kid Behaviour 101: "I make all the rules (as I go along), and if you don't like it, you will be escorted from the estate!"
21
Re: the hikers in northern Iran: it isn't like there is a great big fence there or something. It is mostly open territory. Without a GPS or a very good map, one could easily cross the border and not know it. Much like a lot of the border between the US and Canada. There is a lot of open country in the western half of the US & Canada, and you can easily wander across the border without knowing it. There is no fence other than at major traffic crossings like I-5.
22
That is great news and the CIA could not have sent a better person.
From cnn.com/asia:
"The meetings had candid and in-depth discussions....and reached a consensus of views on seeking a negotiated settlement of them."
A settlement of how much $$$ was negotiated (now subtracted from Al Gore's bank account)? Ol' slick Willy came with some gifts. But, shhh…
From cnn.com/asia:
"The meetings had candid and in-depth discussions....and reached a consensus of views on seeking a negotiated settlement of them."
A settlement of how much $$$ was negotiated (now subtracted from Al Gore's bank account)? Ol' slick Willy came with some gifts. But, shhh…
24
Is "Rewarding Bad Behaviour" really a QUOTE?
These are fucking politicians, governments, dictators, ADULTS. Yeah let's use grade-school child psych and pretend like we're not obviously talking down to them. You don't just put Il in the corner because he took your citizens and won't give them back.
These are fucking politicians, governments, dictators, ADULTS. Yeah let's use grade-school child psych and pretend like we're not obviously talking down to them. You don't just put Il in the corner because he took your citizens and won't give them back.
25
@15 I appreciate the snark and all, but you would think the morons would be extra careful, considering they were hiking along the border of an avowed enemy of their homeland. Its not like they accidentally walked into Canada. Use a fucking gps.
But thanks for teaching me that the lines on the map aren't real!
But thanks for teaching me that the lines on the map aren't real!
27
Someone has to be our spies. Some do get caught. Maybe the journalists and the hikers just weren't very good spies.
Again, it is good they are free.
For more "hmmm" thinking: Journalist Lisa Ling (sister of Laura Ling) works for Oprah on special stories. I wonder if Oprah coughed up some cash for this mission.
Again, it is good they are free.
For more "hmmm" thinking: Journalist Lisa Ling (sister of Laura Ling) works for Oprah on special stories. I wonder if Oprah coughed up some cash for this mission.
28
I hate how people act like everyone who travels to northern Iraq to go hiking has, like, $100 they can just throw around on nonessentials like GPS. Who has that kind of money? And if you did have it you'd spend it on what you really need, not some gizmo that tells you whether you're still in Iraq or in whatever. Iran supposedly.
And how do the Iranians know they're in Iran? Do they all have GPS like they're all members of the Cascade Bicycle Club or some bullshit? I don't think so.
And how do the Iranians know they're in Iran? Do they all have GPS like they're all members of the Cascade Bicycle Club or some bullshit? I don't think so.
29
supposedly the 2 were on the NK side of the Yalu river. if so, there can't be much confusion about what country you're in.
at the very least they were foolhardy enough to be where NK's border guards could snatch them up without China's doing jack about it.
at the very least they were foolhardy enough to be where NK's border guards could snatch them up without China's doing jack about it.
31
I think it is bullshit that the north koreans let the two reporters go. Who gives a flying fuck if they are americans. If you are caught reporting in north korea punishment is severe, up to and including DEATH. The reporters know this and still try to sneak into north korea and break thier laws. I say they should have killed them. They killed a reporter that was from south korea not three months before the two americans were captured. They should have put clinton is the same prison and killed his ass too for trying to help people that knowingly broke the laws of a foreign country.
32
Please and Sorry are code words.
Please refers to the anti-ballistic missile system that was successfully tested this weekend.
Sorry refers to the deep-target bunker-buster bombs that have been anounced to the press as awaiting deployment.
Nukes from North Korea are significantly less of a threat than they were last week, and are now officially an endangered species.
Please refers to the anti-ballistic missile system that was successfully tested this weekend.
Sorry refers to the deep-target bunker-buster bombs that have been anounced to the press as awaiting deployment.
Nukes from North Korea are significantly less of a threat than they were last week, and are now officially an endangered species.
33
@29 "at the very least they were foolhardy"
Yes, because we prefer journalists who never risk their ass.
Yes, because we prefer journalists who never risk their ass.
34
Um, I think it needs to be pointed out that the claim that Clinton "apologized" for the incident was put out by the North Korean News Agency which I think might be worth taking with a grain of salt the size of a 747.
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