Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Bill Clinton To The Rescue

Check the AP article here.

We aren't privy to exactly what went on behind the scenes, or even before the meeting, but former President Bill Clinton went into Pyongyang, North Korea yesterday and brought home the two imprisoned U.S. citizens/journalists less than 24 hours later.

As the article states:

The journalists' release followed weeks of quiet negotiations between the State Department and the North Korean mission to the United Nations, said Daniel Sneider, associate director of research at Stanford University's Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center.

Clinton "didn't go to negotiate this, he went to reap the fruits of the negotiation," Sneider said.

So obviously there's more to it than Clinton just walking in and asking for their release. But politics aside, should anyone be surprised that one of the most beloved American presidents could get this done? The guy's personality and laid-back demeanor could win over just about anyone.

This all happened despite the playground insult throwing his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, has been involved in with the North Korea government.

Of course, Clinton's involvement could've just been to help out his old Vice-President, Al Gore. Gore founded Current TV, the media organization for which the two women work.

No matter why he got involved, and no matter what these journalists did to get caught, it's good to have some US citizens safe and sound.

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