Hey Obama, Laura Ling & Euna Lee been held captive since March 17th!

Hey Obama, please don't forget about Laura Ling and Euna Lee. You know, the two American Journalists that were kidnapped by North Korea back on March 17th.

I know you don't want to deal with their situation because it might force you to actually have to make a decision. That's always a problem with you because you don't want to make your position know. You are the one that votes 'present.'

Obama says he is the man, and if he is, he needs to give some direction to Hillary Clinton, Susan Rice, Stephen Bosworth and whoever else may be associated with his North Korean foreign policy and get things moving.

And one more thing, where is Al Gore in all of this? Ling and Lee worked for former Vice President Al Gore's media venture 'Current TV'. I haven't heard one peep from him about this. Way to use your global influence, Al.
Rees


Laura Ling, Euna Lee To Be Put On Trial June 4: North Korea
by JAE-SOON CHANG
May 13, 2009

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea said Thursday that two U.S. journalists arrested nearly two months ago near the nation's border with China will stand trial on June 4.

Laura Ling and Euna Lee, reporters for former Vice President Al Gore's San Francisco-based Current TV media venture, were detained March 17 while reporting on North Korean refugees living across the border in China.

The brief dispatch in Pyongyang's official Korean Central News Agency did not say what charges they face and gave no other details. State media previously said Ling and Lee stand accused of illegal entry and unspecified "hostile" acts _ charges that could carry up to 10 years in prison.

North Korea's detention of the two Americans comes at a time of mounting tensions between Pyongyang and Washington, and there are concerns Pyongyang could use the women as bargaining chips as it seeks to position itself for talks with the Obama administration.

The announcement of the June trial date for Ling and Lee also comes on the heels of the release in Iran this week of an American journalist originally sentenced to eight years for spying. Roxana Saberi's sentence was reduced to a two-year suspended term. She was freed Monday after four months in jail and international calls for the release of all three U.S. journalists.

Pyongyang, which conducted a nuclear test and test-fired a long-range missile in 2006, had agreed as part of a 2007 pact signed with five other nations to begin dismantling its atomic program in exchange for fuel aid and other concessions.

That process came to a halt last year amid a dispute with Washington, and talks in December in Beijing failed to resolve the matter.

North Korea's move to launch a rocket early last month further heightened tensions. Pyongyang claims it put a satellite into orbit, but the U.S. and other nations believe it was a long-range missile test banned under a U.N. resolution adopted after the 2006 atomic test.

The U.N. Security Council's condemnation of the April 5 launch angered North Korea, which quit the international nuclear talks, expelled inspectors and threatened to conduct nuclear and long-range missile tests.

The regime also said it has began reprocessing spent nuclear fuel roads _ a move aimed at harvesting weapons-grade plutonium used to make atomic bombs.

Washington has expressed its willingness to hold talks with the North in order to get the nuclear negotiations back on track. But the North dismissed talks with the U.S. as useless, accusing President Barack Obama's government of maintaining what it called a "hostile policy" toward the nation.

The U.S. does not have diplomatic ties with the North and has relied on the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang to negotiate on its behalf.

A Swedish envoy met with each journalist on March 30, but the North since has refused access to them, U.S. officials said.

"I'm not aware of any kind of reasons that have been given to us as to why they're denying the consular access, which, of course, is contrary to the Vienna Convention," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters Monday.

Under North Korea's criminal code, conviction for illegal entry could mean up to three years in a labor camp. Espionage or "hostility toward North Koreans" _ possible crimes that could be considered "hostile acts" _ could draw five to 10 years in prison, South Korean legal experts say.
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North Korea thumbs its nose at Obama

N. Korea tells the U.S. to change policy

from The Korea Herald
May 17, 2009

North Korea will not come back to the negotiation table unless the United States and South Korea give up their "hostile policy" toward the communist nation, North Korean state media said Sunday, according to Yonhap News.

"No matter what nonsense the Lee group may say under the clutches of the U.S., the DPRK remains unchanged in its determination and declaration made to protect the dignity and sovereignty of the nation," North Korea's Cabinet newspaper, the Minju Joson, said in a commentary carried by the Korean Central News Agency.

It also said the North will never attend the six-party talks aiming to end Pyongyang's nuclear program, and will strengthen its nuclear power no matter what other nations have agreed in the six-party talks that also include the U.S., China and South Korea.

Since its rocket launch last month, the North has pledged to carry out its second nuclear test despite U.N. sanctions. It has also threatened to shut down an industrial complex run jointly with the South, a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation achieved by former liberal South Korean governments.
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North Korea Expelling Nuclear Inspectors

from Sky News
Tuesday April 14, 2009

North Korea is expelling the UN's nuclear inspectors and has vowed to reactivate its nuclear reactor, the International Atomic Energy Agency has said

Pyongyang told the monitors to remove seals and cameras from the Yongbyon site, which makes bomb-grade plutonium, and leave the country as quickly as possible.

It also said it was ceasing all cooperation with the energy agency, which is the UN's nuclear watchdog.

North Korea's move came after it declared it would leave six-party talks on scrapping its nuclear programme.

The communist state has faced heavy criticism after recently launching a long-range rocket which some believe was a disguised ballistic missile test.

Pyongyang said the rocket was carrying a satellite and the mission was peaceful.

After news of the expulsions, the United States called on North Korea to "cease its provocative threats" and respect the will of the international community by honouring its international commitments.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Il

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Pyongyang's vow to restart its nuclear reactor and boycott international disarmament talks is a serious step in the wrong direction.

Britain's Foreign Office said North Korea's decision to cease co-operation with the watchdog was "completely unjustified".

It urged the country not to pull out of the so-called six-party talks with the US, China, Russia, South Korea and Japan.

On Monday, the UN Security Council unanimously condemned the rocket firing on April 5. It said it contravened a UN ban and demanded enforcement of existing sanctions against the country.

UN nuclear watchdog spokesman, Marc Vidricaire, said the small inspection team had been ordered out of the country "at the earliest possible time".

He said: "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has today informed IAEA inspectors in the Yongbyon facility that it is immediately ceasing all cooperation with the IAEA.

"It has requested the removal of all containment and surveillance equipment, following which IAEA inspectors will no longer be provided access to the facility."

He added: "The (North) also informed the IAEA that it has decided to reactivate all facilities and go ahead with the reprocessing of spent fuel."
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North Korea Better Watch It or Obama Will, Well He'll, You know...

President Pantywaist - there is a new surrender monkey on the block…

from Don Surber
April 10, 2009

Gerald Warner of the Times of London: “Watch out, France and Co, there is a new surrender monkey on the block…”

Maybe it is just me, but I don’t think Warner is too impressed with President Obama’s performance in Europe.

In fact, Warner pointed out that the world leaders in public lavished praise on the young president — and then did nothing for him in private.

Help in Afghanistan?

Warner wrote: “The One retired triumphant, having secured a massive contribution of 5,000 extra troops — all of them non-combatant, of course — which must really have put the wind up the Taliban, at the prospect of 5,000 more infidel cooks and bottle-washers swarming into the less hazardous regions of Afghanistan.”

That does free our troops from having to pull KP duty, I suppose.

But Warner’s real point is our president’s reaction to the North Korean missile launch was decidedly wanting: “President Pantywaist is hopping mad and he has a strategy to cut Kim down to size: he is going to slice $1.4bn off America’s missile defence programme, presumably on the calculation that Kim would feel it unsporting to hit a sitting duck, so that will spoil his fun.”

I let Warner use the British newspaper stylebook.

I must agree that at a time when we are squandering trillions on stimulus packages that are spooking investors, cutting any spending in Washington is like emptying the ocean by the spoonful.

President Pantywaist.

Wrote Garner: “Watch out, France and Co, there is a new surrender monkey on the block and, over the next four years, he will spectacularly sell out the interests of the West with every kind of liberal-delusionist initiative on nuclear disarmament and sitting down to negotiate with any power freak who wants to buy time to get a good ICBM fix on San Francisco, or wherever. If you thought the world was a tad unsafe with Dubya around, just wait until President Pantywaist gets into his stride.”
His column is here.
Click to go to Don Surber article

57% Wanted a Military Response to North Korea Missile Launch

57% Wanted Military Response to North Korea Missile Launch - It's too bad 52% decided to elect a coward for Commander in Chief!

from Rasmussen Reports

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of U.S. voters nationwide favor a military response to eliminate North Korea’s missile launching capability. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that just 15% of voters oppose a military response while 28% are not sure.

North Korea defied international pressure and launched a missile last night. Officials from that country claim a satellite was placed in orbit. U.S. defense officials confirm that a missile was launched but that no object was placed in orbit.

"With this provocative act, North Korea has ignored its international obligations, rejected unequivocal calls for restraint, and further isolated itself from the community of nations,” President Obama said. (But he did NOTHING!)

The telephone survey was conducted Friday and Saturday, April 3-4, the two days immediately prior to North Korea’s launch. The question asked about a military response if North Korea actually did launch a long-range missile.

Support for a military response comes from 66% of Republicans, 52% of Democrats and 54% of those not affiliated with either major political party. There is no gender gap on the issue as a military response is favored by 57% of men and 57% of women.

Overall, 75% of voters say they’ve been closely following news stories about the possible launch. That figure includes 40% who’ve followed the news Very Closely.

Seventy-three percent (73%) are at least somewhat concerned that North Korea will use nuclear weapons against the United States. That’s up just a few points from 69% who held that view in October 2006. Prior to that survey, North Korea had successfully conducted an underground nuclear test.

Currently, 39% are Very Concerned about a possible nuclear attack from North Korea.
Just three percent (3%) of voters view North Korea as an ally while 46% say it’s an enemy.

Click to read the article

Satellite launch sparks conflicting claims

By Wang Linyan (China Daily)

2009-04-06

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Sunday it launched a satellite into orbit which was circling the Earth transmitting songs - but the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) said it had failed to enter orbit.

The "Taepodong-2" rocket was launched at 11:20 am local time (0220 GMT) from the East Sea Launch Ground in the east coast of the country, the DPRK's Korean Central News Agency said.

The "Kwangmyongsong-2" satellite was sent into orbit at 11:29 am local time (0229 GMT), the agency said.

But North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and US Northern Command officials issued a statement disputing any success.

"Stage one of the missile fell into the Sea of Japan," the statement said. "The remaining stages along with the payload itself landed in the Pacific Ocean. No object entered orbit and no debris fell on Japan."

ROK Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee said that Seoul had judged that the DPRK had failed to put its satellite launched into orbit, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported.

"Based on our judgment made so far, all first, second and third (stage) rockets fell into the ocean, and thus nothing has been put into orbit," Kyodo quoted Lee as telling a parliamentary session in Seoul.

US, ROK and Japanese officials - who monitored the launch from nearby warships and high-resolution spy satellite cameras - have said they suspect the DPRK was testing long-range ballistic missile technology that could be used to carry a nuclear warhead to Alaska or beyond.

The US insisted it was a missile launch, but the ROK, in a U-turn, said it was a satellite. Japan used "flying object" to describe it.

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FREE THE JOURNALISTS! North Korea is Taunting Obama - How will he respond?

When the two journalists were first kidnapped, it was reported that they were in Chinese Territory at the time. The Official China News Agency (Government) confirms the first news report.

This is a deliberate act by North Korea to taunt and intimidate Obama. Hey Barry! FREE THE JOURNALISTS!
Rees

FM: Detained US journalists 'not in Chinese territory'

from The China Daily
March 24, 2009

BEIJING - China said Tuesday that two Americans detained by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) were not "within the territory of China."

A report by the DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency said that the country detained two American women as they were "illegally intruding into the territory of the DPRK by crossing the DPRK-China border."

When asked to comment on the incident at a regular press briefing, Qin Gang said the two were not in Chinese territory and told reporters to ask for more information directly from relevant countries.

Pyongyang said the authorities were "investigating the case," while the United States was reported to have requested the DPRK to release the two journalists as soon as possible.

U.S. State Department spokesman Robert A. Wood said the country was in contact with the DPRK through the Swedish embassy in Pyongyang to ascertain the truth.
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