North Korea releases Boston man held since January (Jimmy Carter negotiated release)

[alp227]

Source: Associated Press

A spokeswoman says North Korea has granted amnesty for a Boston man jailed in the communist country since January after former President Jimmy Carter worked to negotiate his freedom.

Carter Center spokeswoman Deanna Congileo said late Thursday that the former president will return to the U.S. with Aijalon Gomes. She says Gomes should be in Boston by Friday afternoon. North Korea news agency KCNA says Carter has left Pyongyang.

U.S. officials have billed Carter's trip as a private humanitarian visit to try to negotiate Gomes' release. Gomes was sentenced to eight years of hard labor in a North Korean prison for entering the country illegally from China.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fgw-north-korea-carter-20100827,0,6775543.story

[Wilms]

1. Perhaps Carter could negotiate Obama's release from the DLC/GOP. n/t

[LiberalFighter]

3. That would be good.

So would letting them have Bush in exchange for the prisoner. Or Cheney.

[me b zola]

10. [phone]

:thumbsup:

[Bitwit1234]

2. And the republicans were cursing him for going.

I guess it is because they are so hated the world over they are jealous when a Democrat secures a release. I bet Mr. Gomes family is thanking President Carter.

[jobycom]

7. They always complained when Jesse Jackson did that, too.

Jackson went into Beirut, Iraq (twice) and I don't even remember where else, and every time the Republicans would accuse him of meddling and grandstanding and trying to find a camera (the usual slanders). Then each time when he got them released--which was darned impressive in Iraq, since both times we were on the verge of invading--the Republicans said they were secretly pulling for him but hadn't wanted to jinx it by publicly supporting him.

Way to go, President Carter. My hero worship of the man is reaffirmed constantly.

[babylonsister]

4. Carter Wins Release of American in North Korea

Carter Wins Release of American in North Korea
By CHOE SANG-HUN and SHARON LaFRANIERE
Published: August 26, 2010


SEOUL, South Korea — Former President Jimmy Carter was expected to leave North Korea on Friday with Aijalon Mahli Gomes, an American who was sentenced to eight years of hard labor for illegally entering the country, the Carter Center said.

“Former President Jimmy Carter announced that he is leaving Pyongyang, North Korea, this morning accompanied by Mr. Aijalon Mahli Gomes,” the Carter Center said in a statement sent in an e-mail message.

Mr. Carter had been visiting Pyongyang on a private humanitarian mission to win the release of Mr. Gomes, who was sentenced in April to eight years in a North Korean prison and fined $700,000 for entering the country illegally. There has also been speculation that North Korea might try to use Mr. Carter as a conduit to ease tensions with the United States.

Mr. Carter had arrived on Wednesday at the invitation of the North Korean government, but he apparently did not meet with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/27/world/asia/27korea.html?_r=1&hp

[Iwillnevergiveup]

5. Thank you, Mr. President

Very well done indeed.

:patriot:

[NYC Liberal]

6. Bush would have bombed NK.

Actually no. He would have just left the guy there and used it to whip up some fear when convenient (like with Osama).

Thank you Presidnt Carter!!

[jobycom]

8. Bullshit.

He'd have bombed Canada, instead. :P

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Next time Kim Jong Il nabs an innocent American

Next time Kim Jong Il nabs an innocent American, lets send Bush and Cheney to bail him out.

Dear Leader can send back the innocent American and keep the change.

[Rhiannon12866]

11. K&R for President Carter!

:patriot:

[JTFrog]

12. Carter wins release of American from North Korea

Source: CNN

Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- Former President Jimmy Carter is expected to arrive in the United States Friday with a U.S. citizen who was imprisoned in North Korea after entering it illegally in January, the Carter Center said here.

The communist nation sentenced the American, Aijalon Mahli Gomes, to eight years of hard labor and a fine of about $600,000 for illegally crossing North Korea's border with China and for an unspecified "hostile act."

"At the request of President Carter, and for humanitarian purposes, Mr. Gomes was granted amnesty by the chairman of the National Defense Commission, Kim Jong-Il," the Carter Center said in a statement. "It is expected that Mr. Gomes will be returned to Boston, Mass., early Friday afternoon, to be reunited with his mother and other members of his family."

~~~~

The U.S. State Department welcomed the development.

~~~~



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/08/27/north.korea.carter/index.html?hpt=T1

[medeak]

13. way to go Jimmy!

and an American with a funny name and no ties to the media to boot!

[madrchsod]

14. thee best president we have had after they left office....

[icnorth]

15. The froth and fury crowd must

be absolutely nuts. No bombs, no weapons, just one individual doing what he does best. Thanks Jimmy.

[redirish28]

16. This guy is amazing. He is very under-rated and Obama should use

him more.


He deserve another Peace prize medal.

[SpiralHawk]

17. "If only Saint Ronnie were alive he'd have stopped this." - Republicon Homelanders

[liberal N proud]

18. What Republican past President has ever done anything diplomatic?

EVER!

Jimmy time and time again has proven his soft spoken style of diplomacy works better than the GOP guns.

Thank you Jimmy!

[John Kerry VonErich]

19. Watch the opposition spin this....

by questioning what NK got in return

[another saigon]

20. I thought the same this morning

Jimmy's diplomacy merited all of half a minute on cnn. All I could imagine was if it had been 43 (lol, as if!) omg, the coverage would be nauseating.

I Love you Jimmy!

:)

[Javaman]

23. I'm sure rushballs will spin it as a failure. nt

[Lightning Count]

21. Way to go! nt

[Overseas]

22. K&R //nt