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U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bill C

Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

I am honestly torn on this issue.

Part of me, as an American, is outraged by the imprisonment of a US citizen. But on the other hand, the two reporters broke North Korean law. They were not arrested unfairly, they had broken one of the nation's laws. So part of me says they should have to serve their time. The imprisonment of the two journalists shouldn't be cruel and unusual, but it should not be prevented.

Whether they broke an American law or not, these two broke some of the laws of land and they had to pay the price for it. North Korea didn't sentence them to death or anything, they gave them the same punishment that any Korean would have received. The US government did not have the authority to step in and free them, because the reporters had broken a law.

That's all fine and well, but the problem is that they weren't doing the alleged crime for certain. The DPRK thinks the girls were spying, and had entered illegally or whatever. There was doubt, and rather then put them to trial, as they should have done, they punished them for something that they allegedly did.
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

Polls also showed that more than 50% of Americans were stupid enough to vote for Obama.

What's your point?

Hilarious. How about letting Obama do something before you complain that he's a failure?

This is the Conservative way of doing business. "I'm going to vote against everything Obama does." "No, the stimulus package MUST BE TONED DOWN for me to vote for it. IT'S TOO BIG." "Look, Obama hasn't accomplished anything." "Stimulus package? It didn't stimulate anything."

By preventing Obama from doing anything, Conservatives support failure. At least if you go in one direction, you have a 50% chance of being right. If you go halfway, you have almost zero chance of success. And before you say Conservative policies > Liberal policies, Bush's tax cuts really helped us stay out of a recession (I heard this on Hannity tonight. Ha!).
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

While I think this was poor diplomacy by the obama administration by legitimizing kim jong il. I have to say, BJ did well here.... Even though all he did was do what the n. koreans said....

As effed up as it was, I am glad the two algore reporters are home....
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

While I think this was poor diplomacy by the obama administration by legitimizing kim jong il. I have to say, BJ did well here.... Even though all he did was do what the n. koreans said....

As effed up as it was, I am glad the two algore reporters are home....

Kim Jong told Clinton to take the gals home? He must be nicer than I thought if that's all he wanted. Thanks for enlightening us on what a gentleman Kim is.
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

1. as gravity pulls DOWN and not UP, just as surely kim demanded SOMETHING in return for giving bubba the reporters

2. it is as equally obvious and natural that kim's interest would dictate his LEVERAGING, ie, PUBLICIZING his gain

3. so, just what POSSIBLY COULD IT BE that kim could GET and VALUE that he would also want to keep SECRET?

4. hmm, just what COULD IT BE?

5. ie, hello

6. not a lot of real DEEP THOUGHT on this thread, some, maybe, but not a whole lot

7. LOLOLOL!
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

Kim Jong told Clinton to take the gals home? He must be nicer than I thought if that's all he wanted. Thanks for enlightening us on what a gentleman Kim is.



Dood, I won't debate you if your ignorant of the facts....


He did, he would only release them if BJ showed up... .


Study and get back to us.... :lol:
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

Dood, I won't debate you if your ignorant of the facts....


He did, he would only release them if BJ showed up... .


Study and get back to us.... :lol:

Kim Jong Il was so controlling of the situation that it is highly regarded as a win for US diplomacy. I'm sure he got a lot of political power through his actions. :roll:
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

Kim Jong Il was so controlling of the situation that it is highly regarded as a win for US diplomacy. I'm sure he got a lot of political power through his actions. :roll:



Please, you have hope as an old schooler, do not go "full retard".....


Review the timeline and get back to me.... :lol:
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

Please, you have hope as an old schooler, do not go "full retard".....


Review the timeline and get back to me.... :lol:

Link to a reputable timeline?
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

1. as gravity pulls DOWN and not UP, just as surely kim demanded SOMETHING in return for giving bubba the reporters

2. it is as equally obvious and natural that kim's interest would dictate his LEVERAGING, ie, PUBLICIZING his gain

3. so, just what POSSIBLY COULD IT BE that kim could GET and VALUE that he would also want to keep SECRET?

There was talk of this on BBC radio. Apparently, Kim had wanted Clinton specifically to come. While not sure, the political analyst they talked to said that Kim had been wanting a standing president to visit NK for a while now, but probably because that would never happened, a former head of state was good enough and the journalists heard about this (and that he wanted Clinton specifically) and were able to tell about this during a phone conversation to their families. To get this visit was possibly a way for Kim to improve the chances that one of his sons will take over after him.
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

Prepare yourself for more hostage taking.

If money had been handed over people would call it negotating with terrorists but kim was given something much more important to him.
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

There was talk of this on BBC radio. Apparently, Kim had wanted Clinton specifically to come. While not sure, the political analyst they talked to said that Kim had been wanting a standing president to visit NK for a while now, but probably because that would never happened, a former head of state was good enough and the journalists heard about this (and that he wanted Clinton specifically) and were able to tell about this during a phone conversation to their families. To get this visit was possibly a way for Kim to improve the chances that one of his sons will take over after him.

Probably Kim wanted advice from the Big Dog's mouth on how to get girls.
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

And the "NO" party reaches another low.. actually willing to sacrifice some of their own to gain political points over their domestic political rivals. ...
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

And the "NO" party reaches another low.. actually willing to sacrifice some of their own to gain political points over their domestic political rivals. ...

The GOP???
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

Wow. I can tell you're going to add a lot of substance on this message board. Sigh. Another elementary-school-like poster put on ignore.

I'm reading this a day late, but if you would put a poster on ignore due to a dissenting opinion (when he/she has not even attacked you personally), then your skin must be too thin for this forum. Dissenting opinions is what DP is all about.

Do yoiu only read the posts for daily affirmation?... like Stuart Smally, aka Al Franken?
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

Probably Kim wanted advice from the Big Dog's mouth on how to get girls.

What? Dear Leader doesn't just need to point?
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

And the "NO" party reaches another low.. actually willing to sacrifice some of their own to gain political points over their domestic political rivals. ...
Read the thread.
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

That's all fine and well, but the problem is that they weren't doing the alleged crime for certain. The DPRK thinks the girls were spying, and had entered illegally or whatever. There was doubt, and rather then put them to trial, as they should have done, they punished them for something that they allegedly did.

Regardless the reporters admitted they broke the law. Can you say confession?
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

Regardless the reporters admitted they broke the law. Can you say confession?

2 things.

1. If they actually admitted they did the "crimes" without any blackmail/torture/threats, then thats fine.

2. By your logic, if a country mandates that no of item X is alowed in their country, and they detain Americans driving into the country, and shoot them/hang them, they are in the right. One word: no.
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

2 things.

1. If they actually admitted they did the "crimes" without any blackmail/torture/threats, then thats fine.

2. By your logic, if a country mandates that no of item X is alowed in their country, and they detain Americans driving into the country, and shoot them/hang them, they are in the right. One word: no.

No, if you bothered to read all of my previous posts you would know that I already said that I would not have been okay if they had been sentenced to a harsh fate. North Korea did not sentence them to death, they sentenced them to 12 years of labor, which is a normal punishment there. The reporters were not treated unfairly, and the punishment they were sentenced with was not unfair.

I am honestly torn on this issue.

Part of me, as an American, is outraged by the imprisonment of a US citizen. But on the other hand, the two reporters broke North Korean law. They were not arrested unfairly, they had broken one of the nation's laws. So part of me says they should have to serve their time. The imprisonment of the two journalists shouldn't be cruel and unusual, but it should not be prevented.

Whether they broke an American law or not, these two broke some of the laws of land and they had to pay the price for it. North Korea didn't sentence them to death or anything, they gave them the same punishment that any Korean would have received. The US government did not have the authority to step in and free them, because the reporters had broken a law.

The above is a quote of what I said earlier in this thread.
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

Great outcome, Clinton got the job done, glad the two women are safe, and we'll deal with the politics later.
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

Again I ask people that think this wasn't handled in the best way we could reasonable hope for,

WHAT SHOULD WE HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?
 
Re: U.S. Journalists Pardoned by North Korea Following Visit from Former President Bi

Again I ask people that think this wasn't handled in the best way we could reasonable hope for,

WHAT SHOULD WE HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?
I think it was handled fine, don't know the exact concessions or if NK will get ballsy again, but we will deal with it as it comes, the most important thing is the two women are safely back with their families and unhurt.
 
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