Jun 8, 2009 10:58pm
Closing Arguments: North Korea’s Hold on U.S. Journalists
EmailAmerican journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee were sentenced this weekend to twelve years in a labor camp by a North Korean high court. Tonight, the families of the two women — arrested three months ago while working along the China-North Korea border — issued a statement pleading with the North Korean government to "show compassion" and release them. The case comes at a particularly sensitive moment, after President Obama and the U.N. condemned North Korea for testing a series of powerful weapons. So tonight, we ask you: What should the U.S. government do to secure the safe release of the journalists? Tell us what you think. And you can follow "Nightline" anytime on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Nightline.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
The US government needs to help straighten this out. Go to the UN and get help.
Posted by: Rob | June 8, 2009, 11:39 pm 11:39 pm
I say we do whatever it takes, up to and including military action. It’s so absurd that this country has sunk to a place where we have to practically beg for other nations not to be “mean” to us or our citizens. The people of this country are so worried about hurting the feelings of other nations that we have become impotent. It’s pathetic. War is hell and innocent people die. How about we bomb the hell out of any country that dares to threaten any American? For every one of us they kill, we kill 100 or 1000 of them. Time to get off the bleeding heart wagon and take back this country’s sovereignty.
Posted by: winsomebulldog | June 9, 2009, 12:09 am 12:09 am
Hillary Clinton should offer to trade Al Gore for the two women, Ling and Lee.
That would be the manly thing to do.
BC
Posted by: Barbara Cahill | June 9, 2009, 12:13 am 12:13 am
Journalists always think that they are above the rules, then when they get in trouble they expect the government to fix it for them. If these 2 were not journalists there would be no news story about them. Let them take their medecine.
Posted by: john | June 9, 2009, 12:13 am 12:13 am
Journalists always think that they are above the rules, then when they get in trouble they expect the government to fix it for them. If these 2 were not journalists there would be no news story about them. Let them take their medecine.
Posted by: john | June 9, 2009, 12:16 am 12:16 am
Journalists always think that they are above the rules, then when they get in trouble they expect the government to fix it for them. If these 2 were not journalists there would be no news story about them. Let them take their medecine.
Posted by: john | June 9, 2009, 12:17 am 12:17 am
First things first they shouldn’t have been over there dont go where your not welcome. Why should we start wwIII over two people who apparently dont know when enough is enough. I mean seriously North Korea everyone knows they are psychotic idiots over there. Let them do their time if they did the crime. When you visit a country you are to abide by their laws you breakem you pay their way.
Posted by: caro | June 9, 2009, 12:18 am 12:18 am
Journalists always think that they are above the rules, then when they get in trouble they expect the government to fix it for them. If these 2 were not journalists there would be no news story about them. Let them take their medecine.
Posted by: john | June 9, 2009, 12:18 am 12:18 am
if it wasnt lisa ling sister would they even be on the news.
Posted by: caro | June 9, 2009, 12:23 am 12:23 am
Some people think that to prove your strength you must make a big show and get a lot of attention for others to take you seriously. Our country’s leadership does not seem to understand what real power is or how to use it. “Teddy” Roosevelt tried to express this concept by saying “Talk softly and carry a big stick.” Instead of a lot of amateur diplomacy, Barack should send a SIMPLE message without any elaboration directly to Kim. “Treat our citizens with utmost respect and return them home where they belong.”
Posted by: Paul Brown | June 9, 2009, 12:26 am 12:26 am
The US needs to use any means necessary to procure Ling and Lee’s release. Mr. Kim seems to be completely out of order! Even if the nuclear stand-off is not related to the imprisonment of the two journalists, clearly this is a power play and should the US not respond in equal measure–the consequences may bring like incidents from other countries such as Iran .Due to the damage done to US credibility in recent years, we are not viewed as powerful or “untouchable” as we were in the past. The matter of the nuclear weapons and these unfortunate women needs to be dealt with decisively.
Posted by: Tanya A. Martin | June 9, 2009, 12:49 am 12:49 am
We need to have the US do everything possible to get these girls back. It is time to quit giving in to insane dictators and terrorits. If you are not in agreement, I ask you — Remember Hitler?
Posted by: Carolyn Mynatt | June 9, 2009, 12:52 am 12:52 am
06-09-09 NightLine News
As soon as that verdict came in the President of US should of launch half the fleet navy and subs with long ranger missiles and call all other Countries to join in the effort to release the two journalist and to dismantle all structure of weapons within their procession. He should of also had a News release to that Country for all Women and children and innocent bystanders to get out of arms way. We are going to hit him from all directions. That Leader and his army does not stand a chance.
The girls are one thing but what take Presidency is the threat to the other Country by their Nuclear Launches and testing even if the two girls get killed in the process of taking out the leader, and their arm forces it would be better than them living in their prison doing hard labor and god know what else they would be forced to do. The North Korea’s have over stepped their boundary in testing other Countries one time to many. This has to stop now. This would also benefit South Korea and South Korea and North Korea should become one peaceful Country. The County should be renamed NO-KIM
President Obama messed up he should of acted when they got arrested or at the threat of the first launch.
Posted by: Kevin S. Gerig | June 9, 2009, 12:53 am 12:53 am
Invade now and overthrow Kim Jong-il. Just use the Bush Doctrine as justification.
Posted by: Dan | June 9, 2009, 1:12 am 1:12 am
The U.S. government should do nothing. I do not believe they did not know they were going into North Korea. They violated the law and got caught, now they should do the time.
Posted by: J. R. | June 9, 2009, 6:29 am 6:29 am
It’s time to cut off all resources of N. Korea and ostracize them from the world. We have given them plenty of chances for redemption, but they have failed.
It is pieteous that they are using these two girls as bargaining chips against the U.S. Time to make an example to them to the world
Posted by: RexHanzo | June 9, 2009, 6:37 am 6:37 am
This should be a lesson to all the dopes that think all countries are safe and OBAMA LOVE is world wide.
OBAMA LOVE is just a disease that the AMERICAN MEDIA has and its destroying America.
Posted by: hamburger | June 9, 2009, 7:27 am 7:27 am
I believe our journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, should be freed by whatever means necessary. The North Koreans are behaving inhumanely.
When Mexicans cross our U.S. border (even illegally) the most we do is detain them a few days and send them back to their country.
Also, North Korean has been vindictive, determined to escalate their weapon capabilities, to become a nuclear threat to the United States and our allies. We have tried peaceful means to stop their escalation, to no avail.
Since diplomacy has not worked in either of the above cases, I believe more drastic measures are necessary, and if we are forced into taking drastic measures, I believe those measures need to be swift and all inclusive to ensure that North Korea is not left any means to retaliate.
Posted by: CynPro | June 9, 2009, 12:01 pm 12:01 pm
I have utmost admiration for you journalists but am really upset with Ling and Lee. Their conviction and sentence were, of course, rediculous, but I have to say they ASKED FOR IT!!! These youngsters trying to make a name for themselves are the ones who “violated”. They were wrong in the first place (accident or not). Because they did not do proper research on where they actually were, now here’s another “fine mess” for us taxpayers to clean up. As if President Obama didn’t already have enough on his plate dealing with North Korea, and everything else going on in the world, these two placed themselves in harm’s way and now they are “famous”! Isn’t this what they wanted? They should have used more care. I believe they, their families and employers should repay the US government (taxpayers) for any expenses incurred in extricating them from THEIR OWN FINE MESS! Thank you, Renee Hall
Posted by: Renee Hall | June 9, 2009, 1:36 pm 1:36 pm
It’s a tough call on whether or not our government should try to free the captured journalists. We have Americans in other country’s prisons….should they all be freed too? Why are we making an excpetion for these journalists because one of them is related to Lisa Ling. Why do we treat celebrities in this country like they are royalty? These ladies are wrong for being over there in the first place! They knew what they were doing and they knew it wasn’t against that country’s laws. When you go into another country you must abide by their laws, whether you agree with those laws or not! If we do free the journalists then upon their return they should pay the taxpayers back for the expense of their freedom and have their passports removed! If they can’t respect other country’s laws then they shouldn’t be allowed to travel to them.
Posted by: Charlotte Hopkins | June 9, 2009, 2:44 pm 2:44 pm
What is it about people who take this means to attack President Obama? He is doing all he can do to solve the many problems we have in our country and in the world. I am certain that he is also taking serious steps to let the North Korean government know that they have pushed too far. Through diplomatic channels you can be certain that there are steps being taken to get the women back and to get other governments, like China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and others to support our efforts and to put pressure on North Korea, as well as to cement assurances that military action would or will be supported by all other governments in the area. It is their region, and they are the ones who are threatened, and maybe they will be the ones to take North Korea out militarily before they even can release the hoards of soldiers into South Korea. Anyway, we as a country are not going to advertise our diplomatic steps or our military steps. President Obama and his administration are doing all they can to ameliorate the situation with North Korea, and President Obama is doing all he can to solve the countless problems in our country and around the world. Support for his efforts is merited.
Posted by: Ken | June 9, 2009, 9:26 pm 9:26 pm
They were there without permission?
Did this look like espionage?
But of course we should try to mitigate their sentence, if they were guilty of infraction .
On the other had N. Korea has been testing us and our new government; setting off stuff. We should have
high explosive missiles aimed at their facilities by now and along with South Korea for them to ask them is that what they really want. It goes without saying
that we have the locations of their missle bases and launching pads.
Posted by: Frank Lornitzo | June 9, 2009, 11:02 pm 11:02 pm
Compassion from the North Korean is not enough,by telling the truth to the north Korean why they capture the American journalist and punished them to twelve years labour camp because they overstep on their land.We are now at year 2009 do this punishment still exist.The whole world in recession,global warming,overpolluted,don’t we highly needed each other consideration,tendency and might need each other help one day.
Posted by: guatsimlow | June 10, 2009, 1:23 am 1:23 am
U.S. journalists, Laura Ling and Euna Lee are in extreme danger and should be rescued by whatever means necessary. North Korea is clearly trying to provoke us. They are a serious nuclear threat to the U.S., South Korea, and many countries. We cannot just turn the other cheek and expect to remain a free nation. We must respond quickly and aggressively to gain our journalists release, and NO WEAPONS SHOULD BE LEFT for retaliation against us or to continue to threaten the U.S. and our allies.
U.S. citizens should be warned that during these particularly dangerous times, traveling outside the U.S. could not only be deadly for them, but they are also endangering the lives of those Americans and others who try to rescue them. Will 10 Americans or allies be killed to rescue 2?
A note to John: If it weren’t for journalists we wouldn’t know what is going on in the world or in this country! Sometimes, they are the only ones telling us the truth or following up to let us know what is really happening. (I‘m not talking about the reporters who just read the same tired news over and over – like what Casey Anthony had to eat, etc.).
Charlotte and Renee felt the journalists should pay the taxpayers back for the expense of gaining their freedom for them and one suggested passports be removed. I’m still thinking about this.
Posted by: Tina | June 10, 2009, 3:17 am 3:17 am
Whatever happened to the priciples of accountability/responsibility in this country? The USA was conceived as a nation ruled by laws, not ruled by man. Of late, the progressives have changed that all in the name of “rights”, humanity, equality. In the never ending search for victimhood, the “I feel your pain” politicos have harnessed the liberal press in their relentless quest to associate any/every ill that may befall anyone something that should never happen to any honorable citizen. Never should we look for a just outcome. But always let the government fix the matter–that is, as long as we can tax the rich or corporation for resources. After all wherever there is a victim, there must be a villain–let them pay. I am not a fan of North Korea as presently led. But it is a sovereign state having its borders,and rules. Clearly, however honorable their purpose or intent, Ling and Lee knowingly broke rules. They were caught, tried, and convicted. Shouldn’t they do the time? Are not rules to be followed? Or should we make exception because they’re pretty, they were only doing their job, they need their medicine, they have family who miss them……..
Posted by: Frank Phillips | June 10, 2009, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm
The reason the reporters were kidnapped across the border is because our nation through Obama has shown that he will not stand up to them. He conceded Iran could have nuclear power just before all this stuff started.
North Korea is pushing and pushing. And all Obama does is talk talk talk travel travel travel and throw Israel under the bus.
Posted by: anyone.listening | June 11, 2009, 1:00 am 1:00 am
Obama…”The Iyatolla of Squatolla” ain’t gonna do nofin in Korea! We didn’t do it for the Myaguez,and we sure as hell ain’t gonna do it for 2 journalist. Your dealing with a leader who has less intestinal fortitude than any prez. before him.
Posted by: crackmeupp | June 17, 2009, 1:16 am 1:16 am