AP Source: Carter Going to NKorea to Free American

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

A senior U.S. official says former President Jimmy Carter plans to travel to North Korea to bring back an American citizen now detained in the communist nation.

The official said late Monday that Carter is expected to depart on Tuesday on a ''purely humanitarian mission'' to free Aijalon Mahli Gomes (gohms), who was arrested and sentenced in April to eight years of hard labor for entering North Korea illegally and for an unspecified ''hostile act.''

The U.S. official said no American officials will travel with Carter.

The official said North Korea had agreed to free Gomes if Carter came to bring him home.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/08/23/us/politics/AP-US-Carter-NKorea.html?hp

[awoke_in_2003]

1. notice they never ask for republicans? nt

[applegrove]

2. I was just about to say that. Isn't George W. Bush the right age to be doing **** like this? Isn't

Carter a little old? But I guess not. I guess Kim only thinks Democrats have the "stature" to meet with him.

[classysassy]

10. Bush is afraid to leave this country

there are several countries that would arrest him and send the war criminal to the Hague for trial as a war criminal.

[HEyHEY]

3. I wish they'd stop calling that place communist. Makes it sound like a country

It's just a kingdom some family of sick maniacs have overtaken.

[David__77]

5. It is, formally speaking, "ex-communist"-led.

The Workers Party of Korea no longer refers to itself as a Marxist-Leninist or communist party. Juche ideology is a variation of national socialism in fact... There are red flags waving, but they are meaningless...

[HEyHEY]

6. same as china

[David__77]

7. Sort of...

While I may agree that the red flags waving don't mean it's a communist-led country, the Communist Party of China still does consider itself a Marxist-Leninist, communist party, unlike the ruling party of N. Korea. The North Koreans have totally gone their own way. You cannot even obtain books by Marx or Lenin in N. Korea - it considered subversive, and they are restricted to special libraries along with other material from the West considered subversive. China is different... in fact, in a sense I do consider China to be following Marx's ideology, because they are pursuing capitalist accumulation while creating the material basis for socialism. N. Korea is just mired in its pseudo-"self-reliance."

[HEyHEY]

9. I disagree

China is more capitalist than the USA even is. They don't even have socialized healthcare, they have no welfare system, pretty well the government just uses this people here to get them and their friends rich. For instance, in Shandong province they are building a 60 square meter high tech park... very advanced. Thing is, they likely won't get anyone to actually be a tenant, it's just a glamour project. Meanwhile, migrant children aren't allowed to attend regular schools in Beijing for lack of a hukou. I consider it to be a massive scam.

[Historic NY]

4. It will be a Jubilee if he is successful.... Go JImmy go.

[hugo_from_TN]

8. Another dog & pony show for Kim

I few nice photos with the "Dear Leader" should seal the deal.

[classysassy]

11. World leaders

Why do we domonize other world leaders when we had George W.Bush as president for eight years?

[maddezmom]

12. Carter on way to N.Korea to free US prisoner-report

Carter on way to N.Korea to free US prisoner-report 25 Aug 2010 07:39:14 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Adds Xinhua report, details)

SEOUL, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter will fly into North Korea on Wednesday to try to win the release of an American jailed for illegally entering the reclusive state, media reports said.

The visit will take place amid heightened tensions on the peninsula after the torpedoing in March of a South Korean warship, which Seoul blames on the North and which prompted Washington to announce expanded sanctions against Pyongyang.

Chinese state media reported from Pyongyang that Carter was expected to arrive there on Wednesday.

Carter, 85, and his wife are flying in a private jet and not a U.S. military plane, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said, quoting a U.S. diplomatic source.

A U.S. official said on Tuesday Carter would travel to the North on a private humanitarian mission to secure the release of Aijalon Mahli Gomes, who has been sentenced by the North to eight years hard labour.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/TOE67N091.htm

[JVS]

13. That guy should have stayed the fuck out of North Korea!