Pablo on August 5, 2009 at 12:01 PM

Read this…then tell me where exactly there exists “diplomatic relations” between the government of the United Statesand the government of the DPRK.

As for the fallacy you raise…as a career US government official, mostly overseas, involved in dealings with North Koreans, among others, and in the late 80′s and into the 90′s a key member of our government’s joint departmental and multi-agency North Korea program, I know whereof I speak when it comes to the Kim regime.

We do not recognize the government of North Korea, we are still in a state of war with North Kora and we do not entertain diplomatic relations with North Korea.

Having the head of the State Department jet off to Pyongyang to beg for mercy would have been humiliating.

No way was the other Clinton going after the Norks called her a “schoolgirl” or whatever it was – that would just further degrade her status with them. Hence the Billy Jeff action.

As for the Norks “kidnapping” these two idiots, get real. They tried to break into the country and got what they had destined for themselves. Morons. They also win once the book deals are signed, though.

You still do not understand the legal concept of recognition.

Take the FSO exam, oral and written, pass your final interview, spend a year at the DoS FSO School in Rosslyn, get back to me afterward.

coldwarrior on August 4, 2009 at 10:39 PM

We were talking about diplomatic relations. Put the goalposts back where you found them, then get back to me. And leave the fallacy at home.

A state visit every 10-12 years to keep Kim stable-ish and out of our hair seems like a bargain as a way to buy time until the regime eventually implodes.

There are many times that politics requires you to play nice with some really nasty characters.

Sort of like when the US made deals with various dictators in an effort to control the spread of communism.

The left still screams about some of those deals.

Sending BC to NK to pat lil Kim on the head from time to time, is vastly superior to the kind of mischeif lil kim could commit if he tried.

Hotair is so predictable.

he’s out doing his wife, the president, etc

lyfsatrip on August 5, 2009 at 6:16 AM

I thought Hillary wouldn’t let Bill near her?

And the pres? He bats for the other team?

And who else?

All I know is that when he was President he certainly did us.

:-)

I’m not a Clinton fan, but he did the right thing. Now those two idiots can get on with their lives — hopefully, far away from the NK border.

Kim Chong-il apparently asked for Bill Clinton to come to P’yongyang.

Guess KCI really “hearts” Bill.

There is much more to this “rescue mission” than is being allowed to meet the eye.

I’m going to be sick.

Wolftech on August 5, 2009 at 12:24 AM

Thought they were in a little jar on her vanity.

Pablo on August 4, 2009 at 10:27 PM

You still do not understand the legal concept of recognition.

Take the FSO exam, oral and written, pass your final interview, spend a year at the DoS FSO School in Rosslyn, get back to me afterward.

We do not have diplomatic relations with nor recognition of North Korea.

H.R. 1980 (this past April) is now committee. It calls for a ban on recognition. Not rescinding recognition, nor limiting recognition, but banning recognition.

We’re a bit late, as the Norks pulled the plug first. But as soon as that becomes law, then we’ll have a law banning recognition of North Korea. We didn’t have that (and we still don’t) when we were signing deals with them.

Further the talks in Geneva were not part of any sort of official recognition of North Korea, but an initiative by the Clinton Administration to get North Korea to stop its fissile material enrichment program and offer North Korea light water reactors to replace their graphite breeding-capable reactors at Yongbyon.

Right. Achieved through diplomatic relations. We signed a two party agreement. Us and them. You’re saying we signed a deal with an entity we didn’t recognize? And that happened without diplomatic relations?

While the October 1994 agreement discussed in a broad sense the possibility of eventual recognition, this entire agreement has long since been abrogated by North Korea in toto.

Thus the October 1994 Geneva Agreement is completely moot.

Yeah, but it wasn’t moot then. It also wasn’t a good idea. Appeasement rarely is.

I just hope they were not subjected to the usual treatment of political dissidents. That stuff makes me sick, and I have the constitution of a Pit Bull raised on spikes and nails.

Thank you, Mr. Clinton and Obama. I don’t say that often, and might not ever do so again.

Haha. President B. Hussein wins again. But hey, you guys have Sarah Palin!

Ha.ha.

simplesimon on August 4, 2009 at 8:01 PM

You really think Bill Clinton’s going to share the credit with Obama on this one after last year’s little kerfuffle in North Carolina?

Norvell on August 4, 2009 at 9:23 PM

There is no way this Administration did not have anything to do with Clinton’s “rescue mission” to P’yongyang.

Approval at at least the NSC level had to be obtained…we are dealing with a former president, not just some random do-gooder from the general population, and these “reporters” were employed by an organization that is run in part by a former vice president.

So, yes, the Administration was involved, and they are offering a fairly flimsy fig leaf to boot.

Pablo on August 4, 2009 at 6:22 PM

We do not have diplomatic relations with nor recognition of North Korea.

H.R. 1980 (this past April) is now committee. It calls for a ban on recognition. Not rescinding recognition, nor limiting recognition, but banning recognition.

Further the talks in Geneva were not part of any sort of official recognition of North Korea, but an initiative by the Clinton Administration to get North Korea to stop its fissile material enrichment program and offer North Korea light water reactors to replace their graphite breeding-capable reactors at Yongbyon.

While the October 1994 agreement discussed in a broad sense the possibility of eventual recognition, this entire agreement has long since been abrogated by North Korea in toto.

Thus the October 1994 Geneva Agreement is completely moot.

Recognition is a legal term, set in international law (actually the oldest form of international law) and imposes standards, restrictions and obligations. it is a lot more than merely declaring that you are going to open an embassy. And one can have discussions, dealings and talks with a nation one does not recognize. This sort of thing happens often, actually.

I find it hard to believe that the government would approve of anyone going over to meet with the leader of North Korea on their own willy nilly. You people are being way too cynical.

State media claims an apology was involved,

Our State media, or NoKo’?