Home News Smart Talk A thaw in U.S.-North Korea relations? -- Radio Smart Talk, Thursday, August 6

A thaw in U.S.-North Korea relations? -- Radio Smart Talk, Thursday, August 6 PDF Print
Wednesday, 05 August 2009 13:43

kim yung ilIs it a sign of progress?  Former President Bill Clinton's publicly unannounced trip to North Korea Tuesday, that secured the release of two American journalists, may have opened the door for better cooperation between the two rival nations.

 

The White House stated that Clinton acted as a private envoy and wasn't negotiating with North Korea.  The U.S. and several other nations have denounced North Korea for it's on-going attempts to develop nuclear weapons.  The communist regime of Kim Jong Il launched a long range rocket, conducted a nuclear test, and test fired missiles earlier this year. 

 
 
It's not clear if President Clinton discussed nuclear proliferation with Kim.
 
Will this episode lead to at least the resumption of talks between the U.S. and North Korea?
 

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written by Josh , August 06, 2009, 10:57:43 AM

Lisa Ling a journalist who went to North Korea, she can tell u how they feel about us(americans. The program was aired on explorer season 1 episode 9. They want to destroy and kill every one of us. There is no friendship with N. korea and never will be. The korean war never ended, it only agreed to a cease fire, and thats why we still have troops there at the demiltirized zone. Six party talks are a waste of time to a country that cant be trusted. Take for example Japan before Pearl Harbor said they wanted to be friends with us. Look what diplomatic talks did with that communist country! History will repeat itself. "If you want peace than prepare for war".
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written by Mike , August 06, 2009, 12:03:42 PM

In response to Josh:
Japan was never a communist State. The United States placed a trade embargo on imperialist Japan after they invaded China in 1937. Forced to choose between withdrawing from China, which was unacceptable to them for a myriad of reasons, or going to war to gain access to the resources denied them by the embargo (Japan imported 90% of their oil at that time), they opted to invade the Dutch East Indies. Realizing that such an act would precipitate a war with the US, they decided to launch a surprise attack against the US Pacific Fleet. The Japanese felt that if they could destroy the Pacific Fleet and conquer various islands to establish a defensive perimeter around their home islands, the United States would accept the status quo and not risk all-out war.

This is a fine example of a poor political/military decision, much like a more recent preemptive strike I can think of.

More to the subject, I would suggest that diplomacy is the sole reason that those two journalists have been returned to the United States, despite the hostile and primitive nature of the North Korean government. Whatever our current relationship with North Korea, war is a last resort.
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written by Josh , August 07, 2009, 09:56:48 AM

In response to mike: Sorry, Japan was a imperialist army, I stand corrected. However, many are converting to communism to this day. They did however surprize attack us after giving us medals of peace in our diplomatic talks. I cant say that us going into Iraq was for the reason they told us. All I know is that the world is a much better place without a man who mustard gases 100's of thousands of his own people on a level of which is considerd Genocide.
Greece was lyed to about its commercial ships it needed to build in order to trade goods. If Thimistaclese-(dont know if I spelled his name right),didnt lye about the ships, they more than likely wouldn't have given the ships he needed to win the war agianst King cerxes. King Leonidas would have lost the battle at thermopoly, resulting in the fall of all city states of greece. In conclusion, we would not no freedom, if it werent for a lye.(Watch the History Channel special on the 300)
WE ARE STILL IN A STATE OF WAR WITH THE NORTH KOREANS!!-we only agreed to a cease fire!!
Im glad those two reporters were brought back safely, they didn't deserve to live in those horrible, inhumane conditions. Neither do the North Korean people who work in slave/work camps. I hope we liberate/rescue the oppressed people that still are stuck in these conditions. Unfortunatly, I dont think Kim Jong is going to repent his evil ways, and become a friend of the United States. With that I hope all of u over there at witf understand that their is evil in this world, and sometimes u have to fight it.

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