2 jailed journalists pardoned
 

Maybe they'll be home soon.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090804/...urnalists_held

ABSOLUTELY!!!!

HAHAHA I wish there were a "like" on GC like on Facebook! :)

No one can kiss butt like Bill Clinton can kiss butt!
I'm sure the families of those journalists will be forever grateful...not to mention the journalists!

I found out this weekend that a friend of one of my bestie's was roommates in college with Laura Ling for a couple of years!

Did you hear that the White House is saying they didn't send Bill?

OMG...I actually lol'd!!

If the White house didn't send him,then who did?:confused:

Good question.

I'm guessing the UN or his wife.

He was probably sent unofficially. Honestly the only reason I agreed with Obama on picking Hil as SECSTATE was Bill. Regardless of if you like him or not, almost everybody agrees he's a great statesman.

I am glad to hear that these ladies are back at home. To the bigger questions that are circulating: Do Clinton's actions reward North Korea's chest-thumping and erratic behavior?

They have emphasized that it was not an official state trip, Bill Clinton was acting as a private citizen. Several sources have tried to come up with what the ramifications are of calling it a "private" trip instead of a state trip, but as long as they're home and safe I don't are what it's called! :)

That's why I think they are emphasizing the fact that he wasn't sent by the White House, so that this wouldn't be considered the government acknowledging Noth Korea was in the right.

While it's great that these women are home, I hope "journalists" and other naive Americans who want to be heroes learn from the experience and don't just expect to get bailed out by the former Prez when they, too, get caught. Fact is they shouldn't have been there - they broke the law, and the North Korean government was totally within their rights to punish the women however they saw fit.

I've actually been reading that they were on the Chinese side of the border when they were caught/take prisoner and they were forced to say that they had sneaked in to NK. That wouldn't surprise me in the least.

How does an American "private citizen" visit North Korea? On whose passport, and whose visa?

This proves North Korea is not willing to play on the world stage; they'll deal only with rogue "statesmen".

And Bill Clinton now can say he didn't get bested by Jesse Jackson.

Bottom line -- illegal behavior on the part of many people has once again been reported, praised, and rewarded.

Exactly. How does a private citizen visit? They don't! North Korea does not allow visitors. These people who go to Iraq, North Korea and other places they're not supposed to be don't get much sympathy from me when they get in trouble for it.

Yeah, kinda like dat dude who broke into Burma to visit Aung Sang Suu Kyii (I know I probably butchered her name). The regime was waiting for a reason to put her on trial, then come this guy to do it. Nice going . . . NOT