As much as we hate to admit it, we’re starting to respect North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il.
Knowing that the rest of the world – and particularly America’s Equivocator-in-Chief – won’t do a damn thing to stop him, Kim has decided to see just how far he can push the envelope.
Over the last two months, Kim’s Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (a.k.a. the DPRK, a.k.a. “North Korea”) has walked out on UN negotiations, restarted its nuclear program, tested new intermediate-range missiles and detonated its largest-ever nuclear device.
You’d think that would be enoughto provoke some sort of American response beyond President Barack Obama’s statements of “concern,” but to hear Obama’s defense secretary tell it, there’s “no crisis.”
Now, Kim’s regime has passed judgment on two American “journalists” originally detained back in March.
Euna Lee and Laura Ling were sentenced today by North Korea’s Central Court for “illegal entry” and “committing hostilities against the Korean nation.”
Their sentence? Twelve years hard labor.
Of course, Lee and Ling aren’t really journalists, they work for Current TV – the San Francisco-based media company founded by former Vice-President Al Gore, and they were doing a story about how Kim starves his people to pay for, among other things, nuclear weapons.
But hey – the left is finally paying attention to North Korea’s “aggressiveness,” so we suppose that’s a good thing.
Look, as much as we hate censorship and feel for the families of the imprisoned spin doctors, what exactly did they think was going to happen when they went to one of the most repressive nations in the world and thumbed their noses at its dictator – a guy who, oh by the way, already has an itching inferiority complex and is desperately seeking new ways to piss off the West right now?
Some call that bravery, we call it stupidity.
Kim, on the other hand, is basically doing what Hitler did seven decades ago – he’s taking every inch the world is giving him, and growing stronger and more resolute with each step.
By Mab June 8, 2009 at 11:37 am
“Some call that bravery, we call it stupidity.”
I pick bravery. Work camp/fat camp-what’s the difference? I wanna go next.
By Jane June 8, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Hey, I dig it if you call it “bravery,” but then BE BRAVE! Bravery without risk or consequence isn’t bravery at all, is it? In other words, the two women were either very brave in their quest for truth and now have to demonstrate said bravery by accepting the consequences of their bravado or they’re meek little mice who displayed false bravado and are now crying after they got caught. You can’t have it both ways!
By Blogga Puhleeze June 8, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Euna Lee and Laura Ling went to China to report on a story about human trafficking along the Tumen River. They were on the Chinese side of that border, which is infamous for North Korean abductions. They were not there to report on nuclear arms or the means that North Korea employs to fund those aims.
Passing ill-informed judgments on the situation without getting the facts straight is the real show of stupidity.
At least you’re honest about being unfair and imbalanced?
By fitsnews June 8, 2009 at 7:29 pm
“Blogga Puhleeze,”
Your comment is inaccurate. They were reporting on Korean families that cross the border into China to seek food because the regime of Kim is starving people to death to finance its war machine/ nuclear program.
In fact, North Korea is freaking out about the whole thing because it exposes their “refugee problem,” which is obviously not something Kim wants to draw attention to.
As for passing “ill-informed judgments on the situation,” you should consider self-advising.
-FITS
By Astra June 9, 2009 at 4:32 am
Yes, the statement about them doing the story on starvation is not accurate. Also, they are “real journalists” employed with Current TV as one of the Van Guard Series. They are not viewer submitted content. The rest is opinion and you’re entitled to it. Also it fails to be mentioned over and over that there were two other members of the team that escaped the river who have a side to the story that they were still on Chinese territory.
By Jane June 9, 2009 at 11:59 am
The family of Euna Lee claim she has a daughter who is showing real anguish over her mother’s absence and I wonder to myself – WHY WOULD A LOVING MOTHER LEAVE HER TODDLER DAUGHTER TO TRAVEL HALF WAY ACROSS THE WORLD INTO EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TERRATORY TO DO A STORY ON A RUTHLESS GOVERNMENT AND PUT HERSELF INTO SUCH OBVIOUS DANGER? I’m sorry but if Lee’s daughter never sees her mother again, it will be first the fault of her mother and then the fault of the animals in North Korea and the midget with a Napolean complex. People, PLEASE use an ounce of good judgment and take your lives seriously. No “story” is worth risking your life over – never mind when you have a baby girl at home who needs you.