Even After North Korea Frees American Journalists, Bolton Insists Clinton Trip Was A Mistake
Even After North Korea Frees American Journalists, Bolton Insists Clinton Trip Was A Mistake
Reports emerged yesterday that President Clinton — along with Center for American Progress President and CEO John Podesta — was traveling to North Korea to negotiate the release of two imprisoned American journalists. In an interview with AFP today, super-hawk John Bolton attacked Clinton for “negotiating with terrorists” and “rewarding bad behavior“:
“It comes perilously close to negotiating with terrorists,” Bolton told AFP when asked about Bill Clinton’s trip to secure the release of journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee. [...]
“I think this is a very bad signal because it does exactly what we always try and avoid doing with terrorists, or with rogue states in general, and that’s encouraging their bad behavior,” Bolton said.
However it seems Clinton’s trip has paid off. Reuters reported this afternoon that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il granted “a special pardon” and, according to Fox News’s Jennifer Griffin, both would be traveling back to the U.S. with Clinton and his team. Bolton appeared on Fox just after Griffin’s report and despite Clinton’s successes, he still couldn’t bring himself to offer any praise and instead again attacked the move:
BOLTON: But I worry that the outcome is a lot better for North Korea than for the United States. I mean this is a classic case of rewarding bad behavior, the seizure of these two basically innocent Americans. Obviously all of us want to get them out but we want it done in a way that doesn’t increase the risks in the future for other Americans seized by North Korea, seized by Iran, seized by other despotic regimes and then turned into pawns to get senior officials like former presidents to come and legitimize the regime in order to get them out.
Watchi it:
On CNN this afternoon, nonproliferation expert and Ploughshares Fund president Joe Cirincione explained why Clinton’s trip is not rewarding bad behavior:
CIRINCIONE: The Obama administration seems to have played North Korea just about right — largely ignoring them for the first eight months, not rewarding their bad behavior, not reacting to their provocative statements or actions and now after about two months of relatively quiet, moderate North Korean behavior and the involvement of China…you now send in a real power player to hopefully negotiate the release of the journalists…and help reset U.S.-North Korean relations, refreezing that nuclear program and if things work out we could see the beginning again of the dismantlement of that nuclear program.
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Good ole Bolton! When he is not insisting that the Untied Nations should be a pile of rubble, he was busy chasing secretaries around hotel lobbies! What a man of character! Christ! Why can’t he do a Bush and fade away into the sunset and pick up dog-crap in his retirement.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:14 pmBolton has never been right about anything. Why do people take him seriously?
August 4th, 2009 at 4:19 pmUh, the proof is in the pudding.
Didn’t you argue for measurable results – if so the score is Clinton 2, Bolton a gigantic zero.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:20 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
“super-hawk John Bolton attacked Clinton …”
– - Ahem, “super-chickenhawk John Bolton attacked Clinton…”
August 4th, 2009 at 4:20 pmBolton has been pissed off ever since he flubbed his Village People audition.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:20 pmGOP: We have a no-holds-barred image to protect. Those young women simply need to die. I wouldn’t have lost any sleep.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:21 pmthat should read: “why I’m Glad”…
August 4th, 2009 at 4:22 pmI wonder what Bolton would say if his daughter was held by North Korea and President Clinton went in to save her life. Bolton is so crazy he just might let his own kid suffer. Look for the Republicans and the Bush Family to take credit for the freeing the young Journalist.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:22 pmCould it just be that Dems know how to get it done? I doubt if any of the scumrepublics have any respect in order to pull off such a project.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:22 pmI can’t wait for Bill and the jurnos to be out of nutty dictator land.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:24 pmShorter Bolton: It is soooooooooo not fun if we didn’t blow some people up. (Takes toys. Goes home.)
August 4th, 2009 at 4:24 pmBOLTON: I mean this is a classic case of rewarding bad behavior
– - Yo Stash, when your boss elevated North Korea to “most favored evil status” he gave them all kinds of recognition and frankly put them front and center on the world stage for better or worse. In a propoganda war the only bad press is no press.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:24 pmNine years after leaving office, Bill’s successful governance irks and exposes the rigid hacks to no end. In fact, without the pressures of the office, he has perfected the act. Anything the right throws at Clinton is their boomerang grenade.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:26 pmHis solution to every foreign policy issue is to bomb them. Anything short of that is ‘rewarding bad behavior’. Wrong again, Mad Bomber.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:27 pmWhy does anyone report anything this idiot says? He is neither diplomatic, honest, or smart. Clinton was perfect. He’s an ex-president, his wife is Secretary of State, and he has no political position. This is how Bush should have operated instead of being an isolationist.
It’s a shame incompetence is not a criminal offense. Bolton qualifies for First Degree.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:27 pmHow many children did Bolton eat alive when they became fussy?
August 4th, 2009 at 4:28 pmBolton, like all neocons, doesn’t understand that there is nothing to “legitimize” by dealing with North Korea. It is a sovereign state whether they want to admit it or not. Putting your hands over your eyes and pretending you don’t see them doesn’t make them go away; saying nasty things about them doesn’t make their government fall. Obama sent a retired gentleman of stature to visit and that gentleman accomplished what no amount of ranting and raving could have. Bravo Mr. Clinton. That fact that it was you just drives the neocons crazier and makes it that much more sweet.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:28 pm“It comes perilously close to negotiating with terrorists,”
Negotiating? Negotiating what? Bill Clinton is not a currently elected official. He has no authority to “negotiate” anything. He went on a humanitarian mission.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:28 pmI guess we can’t expect a putrid conservative to understand the meaning of humanitarian. Idiot!
Former President Theodore Roosevelt — a Republican — said “Speak softly but carry a big stick.” What Bill Clinton did was speak softly. Bolton only believes in using the big stick.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:28 pmWhat is truly important is that these two women are being released – absolutely wonderful news!
Bolton is such a fool that he is self-negating. The epitome of GOP foreign policy: Concern yourself with your ideology and with looking like a big bully, not with what actually might accomplish your goals.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:28 pmJackie says
August 4th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
I wonder what Bolton would say if his daughter was held by North Korea and President Clinton went in to save her life. Bolton is so crazy he just might let his own kid suffer. Look for the Republicans and the Bush Family to take credit for the freeing the young Journalist.
_____________________________________________________________
Nah — Bolton would have demanded that Obama order the carpet bombing of the entire country, and then scream that he was “weak” on foreign policy when Obama refused to do something so stupid.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:29 pmBolton is just following the approved script:
Anything Republicans do= good for mankind
Anything Democrats do = massive failure and Satan’s work.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:29 pmI’m shocked that Bolton isn’t claiming that Clinton got the releases by promising to sell missiles to North Korea so the profits could then be used to overthrow some popularly elected South American government…..I mean that’s how Saint ROnnie Raygun did it, so why not?
/snark
August 4th, 2009 at 4:29 pmMega@7, Graphic, but true. Neo-cons have no conscience. They love to wage wars. At other peoples expense. Especially our Military.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:30 pmLittle Seanie Vanity is pulling the same cr*p on his rant-fest today. Hilarious! He’s so discouraged that Bill Clinton once again is demonstrating why he was so effective and popular . . . just like our current President.
Seanie and Little Johnny (”Got Milk?”) Bolton really wish that this whole incident would have happened during the GDumbya/Darth Cheney regime. It would have been so much simpler. They would have sent Condoleeeeeeeeeezza over there and she would have struck out. Then, they would have bombed the sh*t out of North Korea.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:30 pmBolton my dick, John.
Your ‘taliban diplomacy’ worked real well, eh?
Why were you never confirmed as our UN Ambassador, Mr. Moustache?
Oh, I remember, YOU WERE NOT QUALIFIED!
August 4th, 2009 at 4:30 pmHowever it seems Clinton’s trip has paid off. Reuters reported this afternoon that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il granted “a special pardon” and, according to Fox News’s Jennifer Griffin, both would be traveling back to the U.S. with Clinton and his team.
Good job, Mr. Clinton! And quick, too!
So what was the bargaining chip that got Kim Jong-Il to crack? I’m guessing two cases of Hennessey.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:30 pmDumb Question – as repubs like counting things in dollar and cents:
How much would it cost us to invade N. Korea
August 4th, 2009 at 4:30 pm-vs-
a plane ticket for Clinton to visit N. Korea
If they haven’t started already, I’m sure the pundits are going to start calling this the “Asian Apology Tour”.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:30 pmWonderful News!
ESAD rightwingers.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:31 pmBut Bolton, they weren’t “seized by rouge states” that tortured them…
August 4th, 2009 at 4:31 pmBOLTON: I mean this is a classic case of rewarding bad behavior
Donald Rumsfeld (who had served in various positions in the Nixon and Ford administrations, including as President Ford’s defense secretary, and at this time headed the multinational pharmaceutical company G.D. Searle & Co.) was dispatched to the Middle East as a presidential envoy. His December 1983 tour of regional capitals included Baghdad, where he was to establish “direct contact between an envoy of President Reagan and President Saddam Hussein,” while emphasizing “his close relationship” with the president.
Ahh, the irony
August 4th, 2009 at 4:32 pmI know that Clinton is a delightful conversationalist, just imagine all those anecdotes about Al Gore, but is his presence in North Korea really a “reward” for Kim Jong Il? I suppose if the alternative is sending Bolton’s mustache…
August 4th, 2009 at 4:33 pmWaiting until the right-wingers introduce a bill requiring the carpet-bombing of every country Bill Clinton visits.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:35 pmI was just waiting for a Neo-Con, any Neo-Con, to piss all over this. Remember the Somali Pirates and how the Repugs thought it made Obama look weak? Then came Obma’s orders to cut them down. And the Repugs response? Oh, well he will make matters worse! WTF? You can never win with these Neo-Con scum buckets.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:37 pmSurprised he didn’t call for their execution ala “Play Soldier” Peters did with the GI.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:38 pmIsn’t that cute, Yosemite Sam thinks his opinion matters.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:41 pmWhy didn’t Clinton call up Ollie North and get some tow missiles and a cake and go over to North Korea and trade arms for hostages like their hero Ronald Reagan did.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:42 pmWill@39, LOL! Dye Bolton’s hair red and he IS Yosemite Sam! Oh, so sorry Yosemite. You deserve better.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:43 pmComment #24 is very funny, it is that very kind of “blind allgeiance” a term which someone else used here today in one of the blogs, which got us George Bush, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney in positions of power.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:45 pm* * *
that mustache is home
to a lot of crabs.
:\
August 4th, 2009 at 4:45 pmBolton is pissing in the wind.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:47 pmBy the way, thank you President Clinton & Mr. Podesta.
A job well done, indeed!
August 4th, 2009 at 4:55 pmBolton is an idiot, why the fug would anyone pay any attention to this war monger?
Everyone has been frying Turkey Bacon on the treads, good job pwning that ahole.
Fcuk the Republic Fascist Party
August 4th, 2009 at 4:55 pmIn Bolton world, invade them or nuke em and then get the hostages ashes. What a moron.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:56 pmIt is time for the rightwinger neo-cons to STFU. I don’t know about anyone else, but I want peace in my lifetime. This nation has been at war for most of my time on earth: the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Bay of Pigs (minor, though), Grenada, the first and second Gulf Wars, Iraq, and Afghanistan. I may have overlooked something, but this is too much war-mongering. A really smart president uses a strong diplomatic program instead of bombs. When neo-cons start vomiting sh!t, I tune them out. Bolton and the rest of them are has-beens and they know it. They are so vocal because they want to remain relevant and make themselves feel important, but when I see them talking sh!t, it makes me know they are neither relevant nor important because if they were they’d be trying to come up with solutions rather than more wars and bombings.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:58 pmHey….Why didn’t the send G.W.Bush to do it?
Hahahahaha…..giggle….hahahahahahaha…..(breath)….hahahahahaha.
August 4th, 2009 at 4:59 pmMr. Bolton:
You’ll be kissing B. Clinton’s ass when you see him, had he freed your daughter,son ,or wife after they were sentenced for 12 years in prison in a country that is over 10,000 miles away as captives.
Stop playing selfish …
Just shut up..,and go and shave your ugly looking mustache.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:02 pmBolton is an arrogant, war-mongering pig. This is just more proof.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:05 pmIsn’t Bolton the one that said we should bomb Iran into rubble to stop them from getting a nuclear bomb? And remember, he said if we blew off the top 10 floors of the UN building, no one would notice. Of course, he would prefer to have the two American journalists rot in a North Korean prison if it furthered his militaristic agenda…he’s just a bloodthirsty neocon who doesn’t care about the American people, just a bullying and violent agenda that is the Republican way–look at how the Rethuglicans are disrupting the local healthcare town halls—they only know how to bully and threaten and shout down other ideas…because they have no good ideas of their own.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:06 pmNothing more pathetic than a failure pretending someone who succeeds where they fail is doing something wrong. The Bush Administration was a failed administration. Bolton is a failure and should shut his mouth.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:07 pmBizarro World, 7.0
White is black. Left is right. Success is failure.
I LOVE that this irks Bolton to know end. Deep down, he must know that he’ll never do anything on tenth as positive for this country.
(Side Note: Can’t wait to hear the comedians’ take on Bill Clinton’s success today…”Is there any girl this man can’t get?” kind of stufff…)
August 4th, 2009 at 5:07 pmWho cares what Bolton says.
eff him,
He’s not a diplomat.
He’s a major nutjob/fruitcake.
What he says would be no more relevant than what the opinionated loudmouthed know-it-all spews at the neighborhood bar…
August 4th, 2009 at 5:09 pmif it wasn’t for the fact that he has some seriously deep-pocketed people backing him.
I wonder what Bolton would say if his daughter was held by North Korea
OMG!! You don’t mean to say that man reproduced?!! Too bad it wasn’t Dick Cheney’s spawn Liz over there….he’d be so embarrassed to have to be beholden to Bill Clinton!!
August 4th, 2009 at 5:09 pmBolt-on?
More like “bolt-OFF”.
Somebody stick a sock in that man’s pie-hole, PRONTO…
August 4th, 2009 at 5:10 pmBuckie Boy says:
Hey….Why didn’t the send G.W.Bush to do it?
Hahahahaha…..giggle….hahahahahahaha…..(breath)….hahahahahaha.
There would be some very confused Koreans if Dumbya’s imbecilic syntax was put through translation.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:12 pmYou know you’re the black sheep of the family when Michael Bolton ends up looking like the talented one ….
August 4th, 2009 at 5:12 pmBolton is a short-sighted warmonger who loves to rattle his saber as he struts around the world — he insulted and denigrated the United Nations, he prefers, like George Bush, to be the lone ranger — he is belligerent and bellicose — we are far better off to be rid of him. Now if the media would simply ignore the pontifications from this societal misfit, it would be a good thing.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:13 pmMarie@60, Yeah, Look how many has-beens are on MSM. Rick Santorum, Tom (The Hammer) Delay, Karl Rove… Jesus, why don’t they put on people like us? You know, REAL PEOPLE? Because I guess even MSM doesn’t like reality.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:17 pmRight, Bolton. Your “better way” would have been for the North Koreans to imprison the journalists without charges for several years, deny them any access to legal counsel or any judicial system, and just let them rot away, hopefully dying before too long. This would let you fear-monger, and “ain’t it awful” this condition for years, and continue with the erosion of civil liberties and the building of a military-industrial empire so we could “remain safe.” No negotiations with terrorists in that scenario, right buddy?
Or, as an acceptable alternative, the journalists could have been killed, thereby giving you justification to launch a balls-to-the-wall macho man attack on North Korea, complete with unconventional weapons and skunk works, assassinations, and all manner of “we’ll show them” cowboy atrocities. With even more fear mongering and military buildup.
Thanks, but I take Clinton’s “failure” on this one. And the North Koreans will make propaganda out of any scenario or outcome. Kind of surprised you didn’t know that.
By the way, your bad behavior was appropriately rewarded – by the electorate who threw you and your like minded bums out of office.
Go shave.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:20 pmIt’s probably been brought up but, Bolt-on and his ilk will always favor bombs over diplomacy. They can’t seem to grasp the fact that, when one feels wronged, the first thing to do is talk to the other party. Of course, you can’t issue a no-bid contract for politely asking a perceived enemy to talk.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:22 pmAll I can say is, that it is a damn shame that President Clinton didn’t offer to trade Bolton for the journalists as part of the deal. Coulda killed two birds with one stone.Maybe we can trade him for those dimwit hikers that Iran has.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:28 pmWell many people played a part in getting these young Journalist freed. It seems Al Gore, Jimmy Carter, Mr. Richardson and even Michael Jackson have contacted the North Korean Leader and asked for a pardon. I did notice how no Republican Law Maker or former President has helped in this matter. But the Foreign Press is more informative and honest then the US Media/Press. Many don’t know Michael Jackson has been helping many countries where there are poor people who need help while here in the United States we attack Michael on every front. No wonder people around the World honored Michael Jackson for his help to all the people around the World who needed help.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:30 pmGood old John…you can set your watch by his tantrums against doing the right thing.
Freedom is a bargaining chip that can be taken off the table in his view of things.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:38 pmThe neocons/GOP should go away and keep their focus on birth certificates. The likes of Bolton have made it clear that the GOP have no place at the “adult table” and will be on the fringe for a long time.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:42 pmThree cheers to Bill Clinton, Hillary and the State Department and the President. What a breath of fresh air to have a smart President, who knows how to get things done without going to war.
What a difference from Bush and the Bolton thugs, who would have let these two women rot until they could gin up the country to go bomb North Korea.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:48 pmClinton getting these two Americans released has no downside for the United States. I supposed the right wing will complain about appeasement and negotiating with terrorists, we can’t really be surprised it is what they do best. Sometimes a country just has to support it citizens, even if it is just a couple of them.
August 4th, 2009 at 5:48 pmI don’t want to diminish the joy and relief about the release of these two young ladies but, I’m curious. Does Bill have a standing book deal? If not, his next book is going to cause quite a bidding war among the elite publishing houses.
August 4th, 2009 at 6:01 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
And of course jb is completely ignoring the central aspect to this, that it wasn’t the government of the US that did it, but private citizen Bill Clinton that got it done. No official niceness to Mr. Kim. But the moustache criticized the action in terms of national dick-swinging.
Even if it is ‘rewarding bad behavior”, John, it’s Bill! Isn’t ‘bad behavior’ his middle name?
Seems a perfect match to me…
August 4th, 2009 at 6:05 pmShould have left them to rot in a North Korean work camp for 12 years, huh Bolton?
August 4th, 2009 at 6:06 pmI recognize you as one.
August 4th, 2009 at 6:11 pmfreedomluvr
You have plenty of freedom to luv your luvs – you’ll need ‘em when that terrorist under your bed rears its mythical head.
August 4th, 2009 at 6:16 pmActually, the best way to deal with monsters is to contain them and wait until they get shot by their own people or die of old age. Quite a few have even mellowed as the cold hand of death approaches.
The best approach to getting civilians out of a monster’s hands, on the other hand, is best solved diplomatically. How soon they forget their history. Even during WW2, surely the most glorious kill-fest ever, people were getting in and out of Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan for humanitarian reasons. And diplomacy between all parties was constant.
Sigh… I fear that history is wasted on stupid trolls.
August 4th, 2009 at 6:17 pmBolton strikes me as a very naive and childish guy. Combine that with being a bully and you have yourself a train wreck of a human being who has no business doing what he’s doing. With people like him once having power in this countries government it’s no wonder the country is a mess today.
August 4th, 2009 at 6:20 pmfreedomluvr
By the way, Bolton couldn’t even get confirmed by a republican majority and 9/11 happened on cowboy’s watch.
Tough on national security, indeed.
August 4th, 2009 at 6:21 pmIt should be pointed out that John Bolton is a mistake.
August 4th, 2009 at 6:23 pmSTFU and shave that stupid moustache.
August 4th, 2009 at 6:33 pmI guess this was just put here for laugh value. Bolton is irrelevant.
A republican walks into a bar in Washington with a frog on his head. The bartender asks: Where did you get that? The frog replys: It started out as a growth on my butt.
(The frog couldn’t afford health insurance)
This is a better laugh
August 4th, 2009 at 6:38 pmBolton seems to be throwing a hissy fit because nobody even considered sending him!! WWWhhhhhhahaaaaaaa…. What an ass..
August 4th, 2009 at 6:47 pmheard ohanlon tell odonnel on ed shultz ealier that this was
ok “just this one time”… that it should be something special
before sending in the “big gun” like bill clinton…
jeez… i’m sure those families appreciate that sentiment…
August 4th, 2009 at 6:51 pmBOLTON: … Obviously all of us want to get them out but we want it done in a way that doesn’t increase the risks in the future for other Americans seized by North Korea, seized by Iran, seized by other despotic regimes and then turned into pawns to get senior officials like former presidents to come and legitimize the regime in order to get them out.
When you see the word “obviously”, turn your BS detector to high; frequently (particularly with political issues) there’s nothing obvious at all. Bolton doesn’t give a rusty rat’s ass whether the two journalists come out, but if they do come out, he doesn’t want it to be at the hands of anyone associated with the Democratic Party or someone who might be construed as favoring something other than iron fisted, shoot-first-never-ask-anything-later foreign policy.
The North Koreans are already legitimized. They’re in the UN and they have relations with a few other countries, most of which don’t care whether we recognize them or not.
The redundancy here should be apparent – we aren’t going to talk the North Koreans out of anything if we don’t TALK to them. Standing a few thousand miles away, muttering threats and curses doesn’t cut it.
August 4th, 2009 at 7:23 pmSorry, folks. As much as I loathe to do it, I have to agree with Bolton on this one. :/
Not because Bolton thinks it’s a bad idea, given his history, but because of the effects it will have in the long run when it comes to dealing with the NK. Bolton does pin down the legitimization part, but there’s something else as well.
What happened to the women gives the lie to this whole disgusting sham perpetrated by Kim II Song. The two prisoners were only in real prison for a few days before being put under house arrest with a Kim loyalist according to some reports I’ve read. But while that was happening, short-missile tests were occurring so people focused on that aspect more than the actual situation regarding the political prisoners. Kim and his government knew the US would do whatever it took to get them back short of attacking, and Clinton played right into that. He didn’t even actually do any negotiating – he just ended up posing for pictures and then was given the journalists.
Unfortunately I doubt there were many more options, short of having the families – also private citizens – fly over and beg for the journalists’ release on their knees. Or even have Joe Biden go over there. But naturally it would not have been as prolific as Bill Clinton, because it’s Bill Clinton. And it wouldn’t have been as ‘rewarding’ so to speak, for the North Koreans to use official channels.
And it’s a big reward – they know now that they can potentially circumvent official channels and the US government’s wishes and demands by reaching out to private citizens, former presidents or otherwise, without it having any true impact politically. And this could be used against the US at any future negotiation regarding NK’s nuclear program.
That being said, I’m still very happy that the journalists have been returned. The whole idea that they were over NK’s border is really very questionable at best to me, and I’m sad that they were used for political ends. But they’re safe and they’ll be back home in a matter of hours, and right now, that’s the best thing that could be had.
August 4th, 2009 at 7:27 pmLeave it to someone as bungling and incompetent, not to mention universally despised as John Bolton, to disparage the good diplomatic work of others.
Here’s a guy who in his entire term with the UN did nothing but alienate other countries and make enemies, and he has the nerve to complain on the day a real diplomat saves the lives of two US citizens from the hell that is the prison system of North Korea, and in doing so, averting another dangerous international incident.
If Bill Clinton had brought these two girls back with a peace treaty signed with North Korea, Kim Jong Ill in handcuffs and crapping golden eggs out of his ass, the republicans would be complaining.
August 4th, 2009 at 7:29 pmIf Bill Clinton had brought these two girls back with a peace treaty signed with North Korea, Kim Jong Ill in handcuffs and crapping golden eggs out of his ass, the republicans would be complaining.
Don’t forget burping rainbows and peeing sweet, sweet oil.
August 4th, 2009 at 7:31 pmThe republicant trolls in here try to convince us of their puppet masters doctrine, i.e. that government doesn’t work.
But in a few short months under President Obama the countries image has been restored, diplomatic relations have begun to be restored and the economic collapse Bush brought us is turning around.
And today Bill Clinton freed two American girls from the North Korean dungeons, with a handshake and a smile.
So when the republicants tell you that government doesn’t work, be sure to correct them.
Government doesn’t work, when THEY are in charge.
We’re doing just fine.
August 4th, 2009 at 7:58 pmFor those of you who haven’t been paying attention, John Bolton is known as one of the most psychotic Zionists in America. A leading pusher of hate on Faux News, he received the “Zionist Nut-Job of the Year Award” in 2002.
August 4th, 2009 at 8:03 pmI never cease to be amazed at the utter lack of common sense leftists manage to drool. Most liberals, who champion so loudly for appeasement, would be the first to be slaughtered by a Marxist/Stalinist dictatorship, having worn out their usefulness as “useful idiots.”
Likely not one leftie in ten thousand has ever actually lived in a “workers paradise” where the “dictatorship of the prolatariat” is in force. Drinking their own Kool-Aid, spiked with mindless utopianism, they view the world in the light of their own mental disorder, seeking to destroy the very freedoms that give them the right to speak.
Until they hear the screams (to quote Whittaker Chambers)of the truly oppressed, they will rail against this great nation… The last best hope of mankind. BTW… Did you hear about all the U.S. citizens who drowned trying to escape to Cuba or Venezuela? No? Neither did I.
August 4th, 2009 at 8:39 pmDrop Bolton into the DPRK.
August 4th, 2009 at 8:46 pmAt least Clinton didn’t trade missiles for their release.
August 4th, 2009 at 9:06 pmDo the stupid trolls really think that crap can go unanswered? Here’s the deal.
Our country scored a major diplomatic victory for the price of a plane ticket plus whatever enumeration a grateful nation may bestow on Bill Clinton. He, with no official office, negotiated the physical release of two innocent citizens with no preemptive concessions. We got our girls back and Kim can kiss our ass cause he don’t got ‘em.
The best part for the released prisoners, the U.S. and N.Korea is that no lives were lost on either side. Of course, the right-wing authoritarians don’t believe in diplomacy.
The poor slobs think it’s weakness to negotiate for the release of innocents. They think it’s treason to follow protocol with foreign leaders. They would rather die of thirst than ask someone who looks different, or talks different, or Believes anything different than themselves, for a sip of water.
Fortunately, they are the kind who expend their energy “purifying” their ranks as they die out for lack of new blood. Too bad they can still be dangerous.
August 5th, 2009 at 12:38 amIn this chaotic world where the unanticipated and the unexpected are givens, John Bolton is a rock solid island of predictability and stability in a sea of swirling chaos. No matter whose policy toward the DPRK it is, Clinton’s, either Bush’s or Obama’s, you can count on one thing – John Bolton’s opposition. Of course, the lack of insight and perspective and nuance and sound judgment does tend to discredit him. But Good Ol’ John is like clockwork. But I wish the 24/7 cable media would stop giving him and his ilk (Beck, Limbaugh et al) the air space. Or at least put them on the entertainment shows rather than the alleged news shows.
August 5th, 2009 at 12:50 amI never cease to be amazed at the utter lack of common sense leftists manage to drool. Most liberals, who champion so loudly for appeasement, would be the first to be slaughtered by a Marxist/Stalinist dictatorship, having worn out their usefulness as “useful idiots.”
Likely not one leftie in ten thousand has ever actually lived in a “workers paradise” where the “dictatorship of the prolatariat” is in force. Drinking their own Kool-Aid, spiked with mindless utopianism, they view the world in the light of their own mental disorder, seeking to destroy the very freedoms that give them the right to speak.
Until they hear the screams (to quote Whittaker Chambers)of the truly oppressed, they will rail against this great nation… The last best hope of mankind. BTW… Did you hear about all the U.S. citizens who drowned trying to escape to Cuba or Venezuela? No? Neither did I.
Hey hey. Not cool.
First off, as someone who does have a mental disorder in real life (and I say this to both sides on the site because I keep seeing it go back and forth), I do take some offense and am getting tired of the idea that ideology is the sole indicator of a person’s mental stability. It’s kind of annoying, really, and deprecates people who need the help.
Secondly, the so-called ‘mindless utopianism’ you accuse people on the left of championing is something that people on the right are more than capable of doing. It’s happening as we speak – there is really little reason for the extremely anti-American attacks on Obama, but the truth is, it really does look purely racist – like those people who espouse the bile want ‘their’ country back – and in their version of ‘mindless utopianism’, ‘their’ country does not have a black president, much less a half-black president, regardless of his party affiliation. I can guarantee that the flack Obama and the Democratic Party has taken would be a tenth of what it is if, say, Harry Reid was president.
Thirdly, I very highly doubt you yourself have lived in a socialist commune, much less a Stalinist-style commune. Fourthly, the United States is not the ‘last great hope’ of mankind. As much as I love my country, the fact is that unchecked patriotism turns into violent nationalism and national narcisissm – and the elitist idea that we have some kind of God-given task is precisely why we got embroiled in places like Vietnam, Central American, and the Middle East to begin with. Because we thought we were better because we lived in the US. And sorry, but we are not.
Fourthly, I am willing to support military action if it’s justified. Nuking North Korea over two people, however, is overkill. Bombing it would be overkill. Sending troops past the DMZ would have been a bad idea. It would have endangered other countries. And since officially North Korea got nothing for releasing the girls, it’s not ‘appeasement’. (I’ve already stated my position regardless that Clinton’s private maneuvers were, in my opinion, short-sighted because it potentially allows North Korea to bypass normal diplomatic channels to get what it wants through private citizens – and the photo ops give NK’s state TV fuel to validate its regime to its citizens. But again, just me.)
If you’re going to shout and yell at people and call people names, by all means, do it. However, I for one am not going to stoop to that level. I’ll debate you. So please, freedomluvr, other so-called trolls, be ready to have something more than mudslinging and empty posturing at your disposal.
August 5th, 2009 at 1:50 amI wonder what Bolton would say if his daughter was held by North Korea and President Clinton went in to save her life. Bolton is so crazy he just might let his own kid suffer. Look for the Republicans and the Bush Family to take credit for the freeing the young Journalist.
August 5th, 2009 at 2:36 amPay no attention to the luntatic fringe behind the curtain. No one is paying attention to his constant whining on Fox News and other outlet. Bolton is just a jealous parasite. Even the current UN Ambassador Susan Rice doesn’t want to be bother with Bolton.
And good for Bill Clinton,John Podesta, Al Gore, and Bill Richardson in helping to negotiate the release of the two imprisoned journalists. It is amazing that an impeached ex-President and an ex-Veep whose canidancy for President was stolen in 2000 [and not a peep from Bush and Cheney in this situation] to help in the negotiations of the journalists.
August 5th, 2009 at 3:14 amThe biggest mistake is that stupid mustache.
August 5th, 2009 at 10:06 amBolton is a traitor and a threat to the security and safety of America and should NOT be allowed any where near microphone. This guy is nothing but a warmongering neo-con wingnut who wants to bomb every country that does not agree with America.
August 5th, 2009 at 10:54 amIt is scary to think that Bolton was ever in a position of power. the man is sick. There is a related post at http://iamsoannoyed.com/?page_id=58
August 5th, 2009 at 2:47 pmThere is a special category of foaming insanity reserved just for Bolton…
August 5th, 2009 at 7:09 pmThis ultra hawk neo-con has been preaching for the United States government to adopt an imperialist agenda in foreign relations since I can remember. This son of a b!#@# wants war as bad as any other neo-con in the United States, and is a firm believer in their pathetic ideology of applying American military power across the globe. Bolton, like other neo-cons, are, to quote Tom Clancy, “A Clear And Present Danger” to the security and future of the United States of America.
I support Bolton’s right to say it, but I do not support his belief that our military and government should interfere and hostily engage with other nations so recklessly and arrogantly.
August 5th, 2009 at 7:32 pm