Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee to be released

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In summary, Bill Clinton has been sent to gain the release of two American journalists from North Korea. John Bolton is criticizing the Obama administration for rewarding North Korea's behavior and suggests a different approach. However, it is revealed that the decision was made after careful consideration by National Security Advisor Jim Jones and that no money or nuclear reactors were traded for the release. The journalists were eventually released and welcomed back to the United States.
  • #1
Ivan Seeking
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The story is breaking just now.

Way to go Bill Clinton! Of course, it must have all been arranged already. He was only there a few hours.
 
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  • #2
Predictably, John Bolton is crowing about the Obama administration "rewarding" NK's bad behavior by sending a high-profile statesman to gain their release. He gives the impression that the neo-cons would prefer to threaten NK, and harden their resistance to releasing the journalists. Why do news organizations bother to interview that blowhard?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090804/pl_afp/nkoreausmediaclintonnuclearweaponsbolton;_ylt=AgqY5ohqMcDZPkdcIH3AogCs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNuNzJvcDRtBGFzc2V0A2FmcC8yMDA5MDgwNC9ua29yZWF1c21lZGlhY2xpbnRvbm51Y2xlYXJ3ZWFwb25zYm9sdG9uBGNwb3MDMQRwb3MDMgRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDYm9sdG9uYmlsbGNs
 
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  • #3
turbo-1 said:
Predictably, John Bolton is crowing about the Obama administration "rewarding" NK's bad behavior by sending a high-profile statesman to gain their release. He gives the impression that the neo-cons would prefer to threaten NK, and harden their resistance to releasing the journalists. Why do news organizations bother to interview that blowhard?

Yes, we all know how well isolation worked out. :rolleyes: And we all know that the best way to handle a scared, wild dog, is to kick him until he starts to obey.
 
  • #4
So Bolton says sending Bill Clinton will irreparably harm the negotiation process over nuclear weapons, then goes on to say such a policy is doomed to fail anyway? Basically, this was the right move?
 
  • #5
turbo-1 said:
Predictably, John Bolton is crowing about the Obama administration "rewarding" NK's bad behavior by sending a high-profile statesman to gain their release.
Isn't SOP in this situation to secretly sell them them weapons in return for the hostages and use the money to fund terrorists in another country?
 
  • #6
mgb_phys said:
Isn't SOP in this situation to secretly sell them them weapons in return for the hostages and use the money to fund terrorists in another country?
That was the Reagan model. Not that we've progressed much beyond that.
 
  • #7
turbo-1 said:
That was the Reagan model.
So it was GOP SOP ?
 
  • #8
Oh, Carter must have been livid! Doesn't Clinton know that bowing to North Korea's insane demands is the exclusive domain of former President James Earl Carter? How dare he!
 
  • #9
Interesting artice from Bloomberg:

The U.S., which doesn’t have diplomatic relations with North Korea, relied on Swedish Ambassador Mats Foyer to look out for the two Americans, arranging for delivery of medicine and mail, according to an administration official who briefed reporters after their release.

Lee and Ling eventually were allowed periodic calls to their families. In those conversations, they relayed information from their North Korean captors, which the families passed on to the State Department.

In mid-July, the official said, the two women shared some news: their captors would consider amnesty and a release from prison if a special envoy would come to Pyongyang.

The envoy they wanted was Bill Clinton.


Obama’s national security adviser, Jim Jones, worked to ensure that the offer was legitimate and would result in the journalists being released, the administration official said.

Jones asked Clinton during the weekend of July 24-25 if he was willing to undertake the mission. Clinton, 62, said he was.


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aCto8iwv7uaw
 
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  • #10
To Ling and Lee welcome back to the Land of the Free, well done by frm Pres. Clinton. I'm happy to see them safe and sound, and happy to see action take to retrieve them. As far as we know no money or nuclear reactors were traded away to get them. Maybe the NK received some free publicity that we usually want to avoid, but at least in this particular case it seems to me churlish to huff and puff about giving NK some some sit down shots with Clinton. These ladies lives are worth at least that.
 
  • #11
mheslep said:
giving NK some some sit down shots with Clinton. These ladies lives are worth at least that.
Seems an excellent use for an ex-president.
Congratualtions.
 

1. Who are Laura Ling and Euna Lee?

Laura Ling and Euna Lee are two American journalists who were arrested and detained in North Korea in 2009 while reporting on the North Korean border. They were charged with illegal entry and hostile acts against the country.

2. Why were they released?

After months of diplomatic negotiations between the United States and North Korea, former U.S. President Bill Clinton made a trip to Pyongyang and successfully secured the release of Ling and Lee. It was seen as a humanitarian gesture by North Korea.

3. When were they released?

Laura Ling and Euna Lee were released on August 4, 2009 after being detained for 140 days in North Korea's notorious labor camps. They were reunited with their families in California.

4. Did they face any consequences after their release?

Upon their return to the United States, Ling and Lee faced criticism for their actions and were accused of putting themselves and their colleagues in danger by crossing into North Korea. However, they were eventually cleared of any wrongdoing and resumed their careers as journalists.

5. What impact did their release have on U.S.-North Korea relations?

The release of Ling and Lee was seen as a positive step in improving the tense relationship between the United States and North Korea. It allowed for a brief period of thawing in relations, but tensions between the two countries have since escalated again.

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