Bill Clinton Vists North Korea

[curriegrad2004]

The American President before Bush apparently paid a visit to North Korea last Tuesday... and brings home two journalists locked up in North Korea. Wonder what he said that made them free those two journalists?

Source:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090804/ap_ ... lists_held

My opinion on this: This shows the Americans don't have the balls to face a rouge nation like North Korea. They had to send out a former President just to deal with these guys. We all know that Bill Clinton 'officially' isn't affiliated with the US Government (Though I suspect the White House covertly paid for the entire 'private' mission to North Korea). If he makes a wrong word or comment, the White House can say that Clinton's views or words don't 'reflect' on the current stance of the American government. Nice one. Nice.

[Max]

I too wonder what he could have said. I mean, I would think he truly isn't officially affiliated with the US government, so in that sense, he can't make any promises or commitments or issue any formal statement - so what could he have possibly said???

Unless he really was sent by the US government with some sort of secret message or something, but then why would N. Korea believe him?

Oh well, either way, good that the journalists are home.

[DaveBusey]

I'm sure that all the details of release were worked out ahead of time through "side channels." The visit of Clinton was just the little gift to N.K. to help them think that the world respected them a bit more. But the information that Clinton harvested by being able to talk with their leader face to face is invaluable. Of course the war enthusiasts argued that we shouldn't talk with any outlaw nations like N.K., that it gives them too much undeserved prestige. I say that talking face to face (with a few obvious assumptions of mutual civility) is almost always a good thing - and should be tried.

[Max]

No doubt.

But given the US has no diplomatic contact with NK, I am wondering how they worked out anything beforehand, or even contacted them to tell them the plane was coming over?