Crossing over the 38th parallel

[FCB 2013 treble]

I do not know what Travis King is thinking, but when he ran over to North Korea he surrendered all of his human rights. Travis is still a young man and likely confused, but he could experience the immediate or eventually harsh reality in North Korea. King also possibly put the United States in a predicament with North Korea using him as a bargaining chip. I do hope King arrives back to the United States unharmed.

I think the Department of Defense needs to explain why King did not use military travel by using the Patriot Express out of Osan and why they decided commercial travel dropping him off at Incheon .

 

[gamecockengineer2011]

Theres probably more to the story, that are either unknown to everyone or maybe some details are being withheld by the Govt about what exactly he did. On the surface given the details out now, he knew he was being flown home to face additional charges per our defense agreement with South Korea. Another couple months in an American jail seems like a better option than being a political prisoner in North Korea. Perhaps he committed a more serious crime that hasnt been made public yet like murder or something, that might explain him being willing to do something so rash.

 

[Gamecockben1979]

Good luck with that.

 

[DeeDave]

Given the little we know about his history, it seems he had a practice of making rash decisions. That's why he was in trouble anyway.

 

[king ward]

After this news cycle, I'll never give him another thought.

 

[hahnenkampf]

He likely bought into the “Hate America” obsession many people living in the U.S. are now voicing. I’m sure he’ll get a good education about our great nation in the next year. Either way, the current administration will likely release 10 North Korean spies to get the one guy back.

 

[DeeDave]

He likely bought into the “Hate America” obsession many people living in the U.S. are now voicing. I’m sure he’ll get a good education about our great nation in the next year. Either way, the current administration will likely release 10 North Korean spies to get the one guy back.

From everything we know- including from his family- he had a history of making poor decisions and rash decisions. He was in trouble already and was headed for more when he arrived home.

Likely panicked and made another rash decision.

Otto Warmbier was one of the last Americans that made a rash decision when in North Korea and North Korea beat him to death in June 2017. A year later, Trump saluted a North Korean General and started telling us how much he "loved" dictator Kim Jong Un and how "beautiful his letters" were.

 

[usc_nc]

I think in five years he will return to the USA, buy a rifle and some one who looks like him will shoot a president in Dallas….hmmm…think about it….

 

[instateson]

I do not know what Travis King is thinking, but when he ran over to North Korea he surrendered all of his human rights. Travis is still a young man and likely confused, but he could experience the immediate or eventually harsh reality in North Korea. King also possibly put the United States in a predicament with North Korea using him as a bargaining chip. I do hope King arrives back to the United States unharmed.

I think the Department of Defense needs to explain why King did not use military travel by using the Patriot Express out of Osan and why they decided commercial travel dropping him off at Incheon .

You are absolutely correct. No doubt he did not think this effort through. And no doubt he will regret it.

 

[GoCocksFight2021]

From everything we know- including from his family- he had a history of making poor decisions and rash decisions. He was in trouble already and was headed for more when he arrived home.

Likely panicked and made another rash decision.

Otto Warmbier was one of the last Americans that made a rash decision when in North Korea and North Korea beat him to death in June 2017. A year later, Trump saluted a North Korean General and started telling us how much he "loved" dictator Kim Jong Un and how "beautiful his letters" were.

Not true. Otto was taken into custody in 2016, under Obama, who did nothing to help him. And he was not "beat to death in June 2017". Doctors didn't do a full autopsy because the parents didn't want it, but "test did not reveal any signs of physical trauma to Warmbier, such as "acute or healing fractures."

Otto Warmbier Suffered 'Extensive Loss Of Brain Tissue,' No Sign Of Botulism : The Two-Way : NPR

Either way, a bad situation. Pathetic how you use it to bash Trump with your obsessive TDS stupidity.

 

[DeeDave]

Not true. Otto was taken into custody in 2016, under Obama, who did nothing to help him. And he was not "beat to death in June 2017". Doctors didn't do a full autopsy because the parents didn't want it, but "test did not reveal any signs of physical trauma to Warmbier, such as "acute or healing fractures."

Otto Warmbier Suffered 'Extensive Loss Of Brain Tissue,' No Sign Of Botulism : The Two-Way : NPR

Either way, a bad situation. Pathetic how you use it to bash Trump with your obsessive TDS stupidity.

We all realize you are one of the people Trump was talking about when he said he could murder someone and wouldn't lose any supporters.

You go argue with Otto's parents about it and tell them they are wrong.

In a sharp rebuke to President Donald Trump, the parents of Otto Warmbier blamed Kim Jong Un for the death of their son from injuries suffered in a North Korean prison and said "no excuse or lavish praise can change that."

Trump said that Kim told him he had not been aware of Otto's treatment and the president said he would "take (Kim) at his word."

After 17 months in prison, Otto was released in June 2017 in a vegetative state and flown back to the United States where he died less than a week later with a severe neurological injury.

"He felt badly about it," Trump said, referring to Kim. "He knew about it very well, but he knew it later."

The president went on to say: "He tells me that he didn't know about it, and I will take him at his word."

Trump also took pains to praise Kim as his "good friend."

the Warmbiers, who live in Cincinnati, said, "Now we must speak out."

Republican Sen. Rob Portman, who represents the Warmbier's home state of Ohio, also spoke out strongly to assess blame directly at North Korea and Kim Jong-Un in the student's death.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell found that North Korea "deliberately caused Otto's brain damage, which resulted in his death."

“Otto had severe brain damage. Otto was systematically tortured and intentionally injured by Kim Jong [Un] … Kim, and his regime. This was no accident.”

Fred Warmbier described some of his son's injuries

1) His bottom teeth had been damaged and rearranged
2) A large scar running the length of Otto’s right foot
3) Hands and legs best described as deformed
4) He was in a vegetative state. North Korea didn't want him to die on their soil and wanted him to die somewhere else.


“This is solely the responsibility of the Kim Jong Un regime,” said Fred Warmbier.

 

[GoCocksFight2021]

We all realize you are one of the people Trump was talking about when he said he could murder someone and wouldn't lose any supporters.

You go argue with Otto's parents about it and tell them they are wrong.

In a sharp rebuke to President Donald Trump, the parents of Otto Warmbier blamed Kim Jong Un for the death of their son from injuries suffered in a North Korean prison and said "no excuse or lavish praise can change that."

Trump said that Kim told him he had not been aware of Otto's treatment and the president said he would "take (Kim) at his word."

After 17 months in prison, Otto was released in June 2017 in a vegetative state and flown back to the United States where he died less than a week later with a severe neurological injury.

"He felt badly about it," Trump said, referring to Kim. "He knew about it very well, but he knew it later."

The president went on to say: "He tells me that he didn't know about it, and I will take him at his word."

Trump also took pains to praise Kim as his "good friend."

the Warmbiers, who live in Cincinnati, said, "Now we must speak out."

Republican Sen. Rob Portman, who represents the Warmbier's home state of Ohio, also spoke out strongly to assess blame directly at North Korea and Kim Jong-Un in the student's death.

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell found that North Korea "deliberately caused Otto's brain damage, which resulted in his death."

“Otto had severe brain damage. Otto was systematically tortured and intentionally injured by Kim Jong [Un] … Kim, and his regime. This was no accident.”

Fred Warmbier described some of his son's injuries

1) His bottom teeth had been damaged and rearranged
2) A large scar running the length of Otto’s right foot
3) Hands and legs best described as deformed
4) He was in a vegetative state. North Korea didn't want him to die on their soil and wanted him to die somewhere else.


“This is solely the responsibility of the Kim Jong Un regime,” said Fred Warmbier.

View embedded media

"we" don't all realize anything like that. The only place that is realized is in your TDS head. Your warped mind actually equates that to Trump himself killing Otto. Liberalism is a mental disease.

Ultimately, his death was on North Korea, but the fact remains that we don't know for sure what happened, since the parent wouldn't allow a full autopsy. Of course they roughed him up, like they do anybody that breaks the law. The most likely scenario is that they accidentally killed him. No real upside for them killing him and a lot of downside.

But you don't give a damn about any of it other than for an outlet for your TDS. If you did, you would be bashing Biden for his trip and fist bump with the Saudi crown prince. And then came out and said that he has immunity in US courts when Khashoggi's fiance wanted to sue in US Court. So Biden claims he was a murderer when Trump was in office, then kisses his ass when he gets elected, and then banned anybody from suing him. Literally gave him a license to kill.

So, WE realize that not only would Biden not lose supporters like you if he shot somebody in the street, he wouldn't even lose supporters of he allowed other people to shoot people in the streets. Of course, we already knew that by looking at places that Democrats run and how quickly they run to the defense of criminals HERE. AND THEN called him up and asked him to interfere in our midterm elections by just delaying oil price hikes for a month. If that were Trump, you would be screaming "Saudi collusion". But since it is Biden, you open wide, swallow hard, and act like there is nothing to see.

 

[hahnenkampf]

"we" don't all realize anything like that. The only place that is realized is in your TDS head. Your warped mind actually equates that to Trump himself killing Otto. Liberalism is a mental disease.

Ultimately, his death was on North Korea, but the fact remains that we don't know for sure what happened, since the parent wouldn't allow a full autopsy. Of course they roughed him up, like they do anybody that breaks the law. The most likely scenario is that they accidentally killed him. No real upside for them killing him and a lot of downside.

But you don't give a damn about any of it other than for an outlet for your TDS. If you did, you would be bashing Biden for his trip and fist bump with the Saudi crown prince. And then came out and said that he has immunity in US courts when Khashoggi's fiance wanted to sue in US Court. So Biden claims he was a murderer when Trump was in office, then kisses his ass when he gets elected, and then banned anybody from suing him. Literally gave him a license to kill.

So, WE realize that not only would Biden not lose supporters like you if he shot somebody in the street, he wouldn't even lose supporters of he allowed other people to shoot people in the streets. Of course, we already knew that by looking at places that Democrats run and how quickly they run to the defense of criminals HERE. AND THEN called him up and asked him to interfere in our midterm elections by just delaying oil price hikes for a month. If that were Trump, you would be screaming "Saudi collusion". But since it is Biden, you open wide, swallow hard, and act like there is nothing to see.

Yep, as long as crimes are done by democrats everything is A-okay. The media is complicit in the criminal activity by not even a hint of investigative curiosity. But let a Republican sneeze and it becomes Watergate all over again.

 

[DeeDave]

"we" don't all realize anything like that. The only place that is realized is in your TDS head. Your warped mind actually equates that to Trump himself killing Otto. Liberalism is a mental disease.

Ultimately, his death was on North Korea, but the fact remains that we don't know for sure what happened,

"we don't know what happened"


We all realize you are one of the people Trump was talking about when he said he could murder someone and wouldn't lose any supporters.

You go argue with Otto's parents about it and tell them they are wrong.

 

[DeeDave]

But let a Republican sneeze and it becomes Watergate all over again.

Well, that's patently false

and Trump is being indicted for a lot more than sneezing. Keep the indictments coming. So much fun to watch.

I realize your cult members don't care.

 

[GoCocksFight2021]

"we don't know what happened"


We all realize you are one of the people Trump was talking about when he said he could murder someone and wouldn't lose any supporters.

You go argue with Otto's parents about it and tell them they are wrong.

They don't know either, since they refused to do an autopsy.

Trump probably doesn't really believe that KJU ordered the murder of Otto, but he certainly gave them their day in court. Biden publicly said MBS murdered Khashoggi, goes over there and fist bumps him, and then covers for him in the courts. And you still support him, so you got NO room to talk about any Trump supporter.

 

[DeeDave]

Trump probably doesn't really believe that KJU ordered the murder of Otto,

Clearly Trump doesn't - he said he took Kim Jong-Un "at his word"

Trump is the only human in the world that believes Kim Jong Un

right wing nut bags defend Trump. (of course if any Democrat had praised Kim Jong Un, they'd be calling for impeachment)

As if the North Korean dictator was just a pawn of things and had no idea- as if a prisoner as high profile as a young American had something done to him (torture per his parents) without approval from the very top

then Trump called him his "friend"

Biden publicly said MBS murdered Khashoggi, goes over there and fist bumps him, and then covers for him in the courts. And you still support him, so you got NO room to talk about any Trump supporter.

Trump and right wingers offer an alternative regarding MBS?

Trump's son in law is in business with MBS.

8 months after the dismemberment:

“It’s an honor to be with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, a friend of mine, a man who has really done things in the last five years in terms of opening up Saudi Arabia,” Trump said.

Trump continued, “I want to just thank you on behalf of a lot of people, and I want to congratulate you. You’ve done, really, a spectacular job.”

 

[GoCocksFight2021]

Clearly Trump doesn't - he said he took Kim Jong-Un "at his word"

Trump is the only human in the world that believes Kim Jong Un

right wing nut bags defend Trump. (of course if any Democrat had praised Kim Jong Un, they'd be calling for impeachment)

As if the North Korean dictator was just a pawn of things and had no idea- as if a prisoner as high profile as a young American had something done to him (torture per his parents) without approval from the very top

then Trump called him his "friend"



Trump and right wingers offer an alternative regarding MBS?

Trump's son in law is in business with MBS.

8 months after the dismemberment:

“It’s an honor to be with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, a friend of mine, a man who has really done things in the last five years in terms of opening up Saudi Arabia,” Trump said.

Trump continued, “I want to just thank you on behalf of a lot of people, and I want to congratulate you. You’ve done, really, a spectacular job.”

Trump should have just ignored it altogether. People have been told not to go to North Korea. If you put yourself at risk intentionally, don't expect to US to go to war with a country to save you. Everybody knows that those folks in North Korea hate America almost as much as Democrats hate America, so go at your own risk. File that under "F around and see".

As for Khashoggi, he wasn't a US citizen and didn't happen on our soil. You can go ahead and file that one too, under "none of our f'ing business". If Biden wasn't going to do anything about it and wanted to help him avoid any kind of consequences, he should have kept his mouth shut for once.

 

[DeeDave]

Trump should have just ignored it altogether. People have been told not to go to North Korea. If you put yourself at risk intentionally, don't expect to US to go to war with a country to save you.

Of course. That goes without saying. I don't think any human expects us to go to war over it. That seems like an extreme stance. But it is our business. He was an American citizen.

I just wish, as President, he wouldn't have been so ludicrously over the top praising the North Korean dictator. That's never, ever smart.

I realize Trump thinks lavish praise is a tool. But it's only a tool useful if the person on the other end is a child. Kim Jong-Un isn't going to suddenly deal with the United States because a President heaps silly amounts of praise on a murderous dictator. Kim knows what Trump is doing. It's not like it's some big secret. He's kissing the dictator's backside so he'll do what Trump wants. It's foolish to think that would ever work.

Everybody knows that those folks in North Korea hate America almost as much as Democrats hate America, so go at your own risk. File that under "F around and see".

Only people with mental problems think "democrats hate America." It's not worth discussing.

But I do understand it's easier to hate someone if you think they hate America. Demonizing people that disagree with your political views is as old as time. It also doesn't work.

The really stupid thing about such statements is - there are people on this very board that are right wingers through and through that are married to Democrats- or their mom or dad is a Democrat.

It's like the Clemson- South Carolina fan that says "I hate Clemson. All their fans are fools and are nothing but a POS" or "I wouldn't stop to help a Clemson fan on the side of the road" etc... then in another totally separate post about another topic they mention that their spouse is a Clemson fan, or their daugther goes to Clemson and is a big fan. LOL

As for Khashoggi, he wasn't a US citizen and didn't happen on our soil. You can go ahead and file that one too, under "none of our f'ing business". If Biden wasn't going to do anything about it and wanted to help him avoid any kind of consequences, he should have kept his mouth shut for once.

But he did work for a US employer and was a journalist reporting on some very big issues facing the United States. He was respected for his work, and his reporting.


He was murdered during the Trump administration, not the Biden administration. No one did anything about it.

Trump praised MBS. His son-in-law went into business with him. Biden talked tough in the campaign and then ended up fist-bumping him. Clearly Biden has not been as friendly to MBS as Trump was- and MBS knows that- and Biden won't be. But neither administration is willing to hold him accountable or the Saudis.

 

[BattleshipTexas]

Of course. That goes without saying. I don't think any human expects us to go to war over it. That seems like an extreme stance. But it is our business. He was an American citizen.

I just wish, as President, he wouldn't have been so ludicrously over the top praising the North Korean dictator. That's never, ever smart.

I realize Trump thinks lavish praise is a tool. But it's only a tool useful if the person on the other end is a child. Kim Jong-Un isn't going to suddenly deal with the United States because a President heaps silly amounts of praise on a murderous dictator. Kim knows what Trump is doing. It's not like it's some big secret. He's kissing the dictator's backside so he'll do what Trump wants. It's foolish to think that would ever work.



Only people with mental problems think "democrats hate America." It's not worth discussing.

But I do understand it's easier to hate someone if you think they hate America. Demonizing people that disagree with your political views is as old as time. It also doesn't work.

The really stupid thing about such statements is - there are people on this very board that are right wingers through and through that are married to Democrats- or their mom or dad is a Democrat.

It's like the Clemson- South Carolina fan that says "I hate Clemson. All their fans are fools and are nothing but a POS" or "I wouldn't stop to help a Clemson fan on the side of the road" etc... then in another totally separate post about another topic they mention that their spouse is a Clemson fan, or their daugther goes to Clemson and is a big fan. LOL



But he did work for a US employer and was a journalist reporting on some very big issues facing the United States. He was respected for his work, and his reporting.


He was murdered during the Trump administration, not the Biden administration. No one did anything about it.

Trump praised MBS. His son-in-law went into business with him. Biden talked tough in the campaign and then ended up fist-bumping him. Clearly Biden has not been as friendly to MBS as Trump was- and MBS knows that- and Biden won't be. But neither administration is willing to hold him accountable or the Saudis.

Trump is the only President so far to get Kim to modify his behavior. Maybe Kim knows praise is a tool, but he still likes it.

 

[lexgamecock]

China joe will trade another dr death for him.

 

[CockySC01]

The guy obviously has some behavioral issues, maybe some mental issues. From what I read about him, he didn’t need to be in the military and should have been discharged prior to this. Muchless deployed near a sensitive area like NK/SK border.

Is he still detained there? I don’t think it should take long for NK to realize that he is a peon and a mental case and WANT to send him back.

 

[DeeDave]

Trump is the only President so far to get Kim to modify his behavior. Maybe Kim knows praise is a tool, but he still likes it.

He didn't modify his behavior. He further developed his nuclear arsenal, continued to test numerous weapons, and is stronger today than ever before.

Trump, like every other President, didn't get Kim to do anything - except gave him some photo ops to use back home in North Korea.

 

[DeeDave]

The guy obviously has some behavioral issues, maybe some mental issues. From what I read about him, he didn’t need to be in the military and should have been discharged prior to this. Muchless deployed near a sensitive area like NK/SK border.

Is he still detained there? I don’t think it should take long for NK to realize that he is a peon and a mental case and WANT to send him back.

Yes, he's still there.
North Korea has admitted he's there but that's all they saying about it.

 

[BattleshipTexas]

He didn't modify his behavior. He further developed his nuclear arsenal, continued to test numerous weapons, and is stronger today than ever before.

Trump, like every other President, didn't get Kim to do anything - except gave him some photo ops to use back home in North Korea.

Trump didn't get much, but he is the only President to get anything. For a period Kim voluntarily halted nuclear and long-range missile tests while they had previously going on, this slowed his march for a period.

 

[hahnenkampf]

Well, that's patently false

and Trump is being indicted for a lot more than sneezing. Keep the indictments coming. So much fun to watch.

I realize your cult members don't care.

“Patently false”? Like a true Lib you think you know what truth is. You are the personification of the Dunning-Kruger Effect.

 

[DeeDave]

Trump didn't get much, but he is the only President to get anything. For a period Kim voluntarily halted nuclear and long-range missile tests while they had previously going on, this slowed his march for a period.

Their last nuclear test was in 2017, during the Trump administration.

They don't stop for anyone.

They stop when they feel like they have what they need.

They haven't conducted any nuclear test during the Biden administration so far? I mean, are you giving Biden credit for that?

I'm certainly not. Because I don't give US Presidents credit for something a dictator chooses to do.

Some observers say they are getting ready for another nuclear test. Again, they don't stop for anyone. They do what they want to do. No one else controls them.

They've continued to further develop their program.

Kim plays all our politicians.

 

[bayrooster]

I do not know what Travis King is thinking, but when he ran over to North Korea he surrendered all of his human rights. Travis is still a young man and likely confused, but he could experience the immediate or eventually harsh reality in North Korea. King also possibly put the United States in a predicament with North Korea using him as a bargaining chip. I do hope King arrives back to the United States unharmed.

I think the Department of Defense needs to explain why King did not use military travel by using the Patriot Express out of Osan and why they decided commercial travel dropping him off at Incheon .

Bargaining chip for what?

 

[FCB 2013 treble]

Bargaining chip for what?

North Korea could use him as a bargaining chip to try and ease some of the sanctions

North Korea may use him as a bargaining chip to retrieve some of the North Korean defectors that went to South Korea.

North Korea could hold him at ransom to try and stop the United States and South Korea joint military exercises and stop bombers from flying around Korean airspace time to time.

 

[ElectricalCock89]

Have fun rotting in a NK prisoner camp

 

[BattleshipTexas]

Their last nuclear test was in 2017, during the Trump administration.

They don't stop for anyone.

Their last was early in his administration and they stopped for him. As I said. They haven't done anything like that for anyone else.

 

[bayrooster]

North Korea could use him as a bargaining chip to try and ease some of the sanctions

North Korea may use him as a bargaining chip to retrieve some of the North Korean defectors that went to South Korea.

North Korea could hold him at ransom to try and stop the United States and South Korea joint military exercises and stop bombers from flying around Korean airspace time to time.

I guess what I should have asked is, what value does he have (over any other US citizen) that makes it likely NK would use him as a bargaining chip?

 

[Ward Jr]

Anyone who decides to vacation in North Korea has serious mental issues.

We've got an epidemic of the same going on in America but mainstream media doesn't want to discuss.

Instead, they focus on a single individual to tug at the heartstrings of those who can't see the forest for the trees.

 

[FCB 2013 treble]

I guess what I should have asked is, what value does he have (over any other US citizen) that makes it likely NK would use him as a bargaining chip?

I guess North Korea knows that the United States along with many other nations have compassion and sympathy for human beings. No one wants to see Travis King in pain or in fear of his life on television.

 

[DeeDave]

I guess North Korea knows that the United States along with many other nations have compassion and sympathy for human beings. No one wants to see Travis King in pain or in fear of his life on television.

This is true.

I read an article a month or so ago that talked about Chinese and Russian warplanes getting close to our airplanes. One of the people quoted said that Chinese and Russian Air Force top leadership knows that US Air Force Pilots are trained and the most disciplined in the world at following the proper rules.

In other words, they know they can fly dangerously next to our planes and our pilots are the best trained and are always going to do the right thing, even if they don't trust their own pilots to do the right thing.

This is also known throughout the world by other countries. They fully know, even if they won't admit it, that our pilots are going to fly the right way in these encounters.

North Korea fully understands that the United States is going to want and try our best to return our people home even if they do something they shouldn't do. They understand our values demand we care about our folks - even if they don't care about their own folks.

 

[Ward Jr]

This is true.

North Korea fully understands that the United States is going to want and try our best to return our people home even if they do something they shouldn't do. They understand our values demand we care about our folks - even if they don't care about their own folks.

Seriously? Those left behind in Afghanistan, the vaccine injured who never needed it in the first place but were lied to and now have no recourse, and the 600,000 Americans currently without a home while we send money to Ukraine and let people pour into our border for votes ---- They all say hi.

If the Biden Administration chooses to keep this story in the news and attempts to strongarm him out of NK, it's nothing but a publicity stunt leading up to an election.

Remember serviceman Paul Whelan? Does he not look the part for their grand humanitarianism?

 

[DeeDave]

Seriously? Those left behind in Afghanistan, the vaccine injured who never needed it in the first place but were lied to and now have no recourse, and the 600,000 Americans currently without a home while we send money to Ukraine and let people pour into our border for votes ---- They all say hi.

If the Biden Administration chooses to keep this story in the news and attempts to strongarm him out of NK, it's nothing but a publicity stunt leading up to an election.

Remember serviceman Paul Whelan? Does he not look the part for their grand humanitarianism?

No idea what you are talking about. I can't argue with you about every possible topic.

All I said was that North Korea- and others- know the United States tries to bring our folks home. That's not new information to anyone. The United States always tries to return our citizens home if they want to come even if they do something really stupid in that country - or even break their laws there.

No idea what "strongman him out of NK' means. No one forces anyone out of North Korea. You talk to countries like Switzerland, or Sweden who often represent out interests in countries like North Korea. You hope China and South Korean might talk to them and hope that North Korea is willing to send them back, or make some sort of deal that is possible.

Paul Whelan is in jail in Russia and has been since December 2018. Efforts to get him out haven't worked and it continues to be a problem. There is no forcing anyone out of countries like Russia, North Korea, China, and some others. You try to make a deal, and hope for the best knowing that it's not up to us.

 

[Ward Jr]

No idea what you are talking about. I can't argue with you about every possible topic.

All I said was that North Korea- and others- know the United States tries to bring our folks home. That's not new information to anyone. The United States always tries to return our citizens home if they want to come even if they do something really stupid in that country - or even break their laws there.

No idea what "strongman him out of NK' means. No one forces anyone out of North Korea. You talk to countries like Switzerland, or Sweden who often represent out interests in countries like North Korea. You hope China and South Korean might talk to them and hope that North Korea is willing to send them back, or make some sort of deal that is possible.

Paul Whelan is in jail in Russia and has been since December 2018. Efforts to get him out haven't worked and it continues to be a problem. There is no forcing anyone out of countries like Russia, North Korea, China, and some others. You try to make a deal, and hope for the best knowing that it's not up to us.

If any of that were true, why did we leave those people behind in Afghanistan? Why wouldn't we make any real attempt to help get them out given that they were actually serving our country when we bailed on them, unlike this North Korea (NK) situation?

 

[DeeDave]

If any of that were true, why did we leave those people behind in Afghanistan? Why wouldn't we make any real attempt to help get them out given that they were actually serving our country when we bailed on them, unlike this North Korea (NK) situation?

It is true

and we have "tried" to get some out.

As much as Afghanistan folks helped us, they aren't "our people" - meaning American citizens detained in another country - North Korea. in this instance.

My comment above was about "our people" AKA- detained citizens.

Afghanistan is a different subject than the one I was discussing here about North Korea and I'm not going down another off-subject rabbit hole with you.

 

[Ward Jr]

It is true

and we have "tried" to get some out.

As much as Afghanistan folks helped us, they aren't "our people" - meaning American citizens detained in another country - North Korea. in this instance.

My comment above was about "our people" AKA- detained citizens.

Afghanistan is a different subject than the one I was discussing here about North Korea and I'm not going down another off-subject rabbit hole with you.

View embedded media

I'm certain it's inconvenient for you, yet far from off-topic.

We could have easily printed another billion (or two) and retrieved those who were critical to our effort in Afghanistan and who we promised would come with us. We abandon $30+ billion in weapons - what's another billion among friends? Speaking of friends, it would have been less than 1% of the money we've handed the former Ukrainian actor and comedian, Zelensky, to date.