Round of Applause for Jimmy Carter

SEOUL, South Korea (Aug. 26) -- Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter flew out of North Korea on a private jet Friday after securing a special pardon for an American who had been jailed in the communist country since January.

Carter and Aijalon Gomes, 31, were expected to arrive in Boston later Friday, Carter Center spokeswoman Deanna Congileo said in Atlanta late Thursday.

North Korea's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported Carter's departure, saying the ex-leader apologized for Gomes' actions.

Ahn Young-joon, AP
North Korea freed Boston man Aijalon Gomes, who had been jailed there since January, after former President Jimmy Carter went to the country to help negotiate his release.
The pardon "to set free the illegal entrant is a manifestation of (North Korea's) humanitarianism and peace-loving policy," KCNA said.

The rare trip by an American dignitary to the North Korean capital took place amid reports that leader Kim Jong Il was making a surprise trip to China. There was no indication that Carter and Kim Jong Il met during Carter's three-day trip.

Gomes had been arrested in January, accused of crossing into North Korea illegally from China. He was the fourth American in a year detained for sneaking into North Korea, a country that fought against the U.S. during the Korean War and still does not have diplomatic relations with Washington.

In April, North Korean authorities sentenced Gomes to eight years of hard labor and fined him the equivalent of $700,000 for trespassing and committing a "hostile act." Gomes "admitted all the facts," state-run media said.

Last month, North Korean media reported that Gomes attempted suicide, "driven by his strong guilty conscience, disappointment and despair at the U.S. government that has not taken any measure for his freedom," and was hospitalized.

A U.S. delegation, including a consular official, two doctors and a translator, earlier made a secret visit to Pyongyang to try to secure Gomes' release. The group visited Gomes at the hospital but were unable to negotiate his release, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said.


http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/carter-helps-secure-release-of-boston-man-held-in-n-korea/19610354

Why a round of applause?

He just gave what is perhaps the world's most repressive regime a public relations coup. It's obvious it's what the Nork's were seeking. Otherwise they would have accepted the private apology presumably offerred by the state department.

Typical Carter cluelessness.

Jimmy Carter..............snicker.

I can never figure out why we don't actually prosecute bozos like this under the Logan Act.

he sucked as a president but he does alot of good humanitarian work

Birdofthad wrote:

he sucked as a president but he does alot of good humanitarian work

Maybe, but this is a lousy example. He just lent legitimacy and granted a public relations victory to a regime that effectively keeps 25 million souls in near slavery. An apology?????? To North Freaking Korea?

Reprehensible behavior.

hey we got an american citizen back

N Korea says alot of shit their people arent dub enough to really believe Kim Jong Ill doesnt shit or pee (he has that taught) as well as spring time broke out when he was born

Birdofthad wrote:

hey we got an american citizen back

N Korea says alot of shit their people arent dub enough to really believe Kim Jong Ill doesnt shit or pee (he has that taught) as well as spring time broke out when he was born

The Norks get news ONLY from their government. They have NOTHING to compare it to. Carter just contributed to the regime. Reprehensible.

you think they believe that shit though?

come on they know that guys bat shit nuts

we got an american back cause Carter kissed some asses this isnt a reprehensible act IMO

What did Carter do that was so bad? Diplomats getting Americans out of shit in oppressive regimes is pretty standard behavior. Locked Up Abroad episode coming next season.

gree wolf it isnt like jimmy sucked Kims dick and burned an american flag

marbleheadmaui wrote:

Birdofthad wrote:

hey we got an american citizen back

N Korea says alot of shit their people arent dub enough to really believe Kim Jong Ill doesnt shit or pee (he has that taught) as well as spring time broke out when he was born

The Norks get news ONLY from their government. They have NOTHING to compare it to. Carter just contributed to the regime. Reprehensible.

So would you have rather the guy stay locked up for no reason? You think he's saying "Fuck you Jimmy Carter, now you've given these Koreans a chance to look good" or " Thank You Mr. Carter for giving me my freedom back"...?

Birdofthad wrote:

you think they believe that shit though?

come on they know that guys bat shit nuts

we got an american back cause Carter kissed some asses this isnt a reprehensible act IMO

Of course they'd believe it. THEY HAVE ACCESS TO NO OTHER INFORMATION!

Bird have you ever set foot in a repressive nation? They believe strnager things that you'd believe. I'll tell you sometime about my experiences in the Soviet Union and Kahzakstan.

Despicable might be a better word for Carter's apology.

SlickMoneyXL wrote:

marbleheadmaui wrote:

Birdofthad wrote:

hey we got an american citizen back

N Korea says alot of shit their people arent dub enough to really believe Kim Jong Ill doesnt shit or pee (he has that taught) as well as spring time broke out when he was born

The Norks get news ONLY from their government. They have NOTHING to compare it to. Carter just contributed to the regime. Reprehensible.

So would you have rather the guy stay locked up for no reason? You think he's saying "Fuck you Jimmy Carter, now you've given these Koreans a chance to look good" or " Thank You Mr. Carter for giving me my freedom back"...?

You're making the same damn mistakes that made Carter a HORRIFFIC President. You are damaging American prestige and propping up a disgusting dictatorship for the sake of one man who acted badly in the first place.

Damaging American prestige? Dude that's North Korea. Dude that's Jimmy Carter. As if anyone takes them serious.

That meeting existed and happened that way so the two could convince themselves they matter.

Jimmy Carter lent legitimacy to North Korea?

Dude just snuck an american citizen out of a north Korean jail.

Didn't have to blow anything up while doing either. Pretty slick imo.

marbleheadmaui wrote:

Birdofthad wrote:

you think they believe that shit though?

come on they know that guys bat shit nuts

we got an american back cause Carter kissed some asses this isnt a reprehensible act IMO

Of course they'd believe it. THEY HAVE ACCESS TO NO OTHER INFORMATION!

Bird have you ever set foot in a repressive nation? They believe strnager things that you'd believe. I'll tell you sometime about my experiences in the Soviet Union and Kahzakstan.

Despicable might be a better word for Carter's apology.

Wawa weewa! Did you meet top prostitute in all of Kahzakstan and claw the Jew?

Why do people go to N. Korea, or Iran for that matter? Especially Americans, go hiking somewhere in the Alps instead of Iran!!! COME ON!