Bill Clinton to N Korea re: deal in the works for the release of the two journalists n North Korea

Greta Van S just announced that Hillary Clinton is sending Bill Clinton to NK regarding a supposed deal being made with NK for the release of the two incarcerated journalists.

I was going around the cable at the top of the hour and stopped at Fox and saw this report. anyone else see it and have more details.

http://www.examiner.com/x-2086-Foreign-Policy-Examiner~y2009m8d3-Breaking-News-Bill-Clinton-heading-to-North-Korea

Breaking News: Bill Clinton heading to North Korea
August 3, 9:50 PM

Former President Bill Clinton is en route to North Korea in an effort to secure the release of the two journalists who have been under arrest since mid-March for having trespassed into North Korea from China.

Laura Ling and Euna Lee of the San Francisco-based media group Current TV were reporting on destitute North Koreans who attempt to escape to China or South Korea and were with their filmmaker at the time of their arrest. They were charged with illegal entry and of committing hostile acts and condemned to twelve years of hard labor.

There will be an official announcement of Bill Clinton's visit when he lands in Pyongyang Airport.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been calling for the release of the two women, stating that they had expressed remorse over the incident, that 'everyone is very sorry it happened'.

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Thanks for finding the article! :hi:

I can only imagine how their families are feeling tonight.

but that's over now. To the future and beyond. I think the only reason he couldn't make the major changes he wanted to back then was internet wasn't as huge then but it is now.

They say he's going to seal the deal. I think he's a very good choice to go as an envoy in this situation.

All good thoughts continue to go out to the families.

Because no other Democrats are out there helping Obama

over the recess - and it is clear that the RW expects and fears that too. If not, why would they have guidelines out on how to disrupt them.

getting those two reporters, Laura Ling & Euna Lee, reporters on Al Gore's tv station, current news..back in the USA.

What did I win?!!!

I hope that he can bring these women back.

:thumbsup:

So it appears that they were reaching a deal recently. Like you say, he can get it done!

Like you said, it appears that a deal was agreed upon and Bill is there to finalize it, do the obligatory Photo-op so the Koreans save face and then he can take the women back home.

Here's crossing fingers that all goes well.

:)

"Andy Laine, a spokesman for the State Department in Washington, said on a conference call with reporters that he had “no information on those reports.” Aaron Tarver, a U.S. embassy spokesman in Seoul, said he hadn’t heard about a trip. The White House approved the mission, Politico reported.

Clinton had “likely arrived” in Pyongyang, Yonhap reported at 11:23 a.m. local time. North Korea had asked in unofficial contacts through its UN mission that Clinton or a high-ranking Obama administration official visit for such negotiations, the largest South Korean news agency said."
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aPqSV.s3wE28

Way back when the reporters were jailed, I read an article stating that North Korea wanted to "demand respect" on the world stage and wanted a "big gesture" on the part of the United States in order to release these women. At the time, it was speculated that Al Gore would go, but he is their employer and perhaps they would not see him as the former VP of the United States. (stupid yes, but remember who we're talking about)

Enter Bill Clinton. The behind the scenes wrangling goes on, the North Koreans get their respect and "photo op" and the reporters get released.

Diplomacy 101.

This administration is made up of serious people and they know how to do their jobs...

Good luck President Clinton, I hope it works out...

Good luck Big Dog!!

And thanks to Barack and Hillary for getting this done.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/world/asia/04korea.html

"WASHINGTON — Former President Bill Clinton went to North Korea on Monday to negotiate the release of two American television journalists who were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor for illegally entering North Korean territory, a person who was briefed on the mission said.

Mr. Clinton landed in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, early Tuesday morning local time, Central TV, a North Korean station, reported. The White House declined to comment."

I hope the mission is successful.

:loveya: Bill Clinton

will be released.

The "Big Dog" looks more bemused than anything else. And that's John Podesta with him, former COS for Bill and head of the transition team for Obama and a close friend of both Rahm and Axe.

I'm damn impressed by this whole thing...

:patriot:

I wouldn't blame her if she was pissed about it - it's kind of a diss.

A former President or Vice President has more leverage than a Sec of State no matter who they are.

It's called diplomacy. An official of the Obama administration couldn't go because it would give the N. Koreans too much credence. But, the N. Koreans needed to save face and a prominent person had to go to finalize the deal and do the obligatory photo-op. A win-win situation for everyone. We get back the two women and they get to brag that they had the US on their knees.

have gone without OBAMA'S permission.