Life inside a North Korean prison

looks good on them. sorry if i seem mean but 2 reporters managed to sneak into my best friends funeral to get pictures and a story because of a bad accident. i have no remorse.

Why do we waste money builing nuclear bombs if we aren't going to use them? So many people need to be nuked these days. I'm so tired of all the sickness in this world, we're the most powerful country with the most powerful military in the world and we're scared to step on the toes of psychotic dictators...ridiculous.

And liberals are whining like little cry babies about Gitmo. In the grand universe of world prisions, Gitmo is a country club.

If they didn't know what the consequences were, they're much stupider than I originally thought they were.

just north korea flexing what little muscle they have, and to get attention , they did and they got it , and if we want these girls back, we have to play ball . . again

The big bully in Korea is testing the US. People! hes had a stroke too. An certainly is not thinking. Wasn't thinking I'm sure before his stroke.
Have to get tough with this rude, crude, socially unacceptable dude.
We need a strong president that will not stand for his Bull S- and don;t think Obama has the B-s to do anything.,

MY CONDOLENCES TO ALL THE FAMILIES INVOLVED, UNFORTUNATELY I BELIEVE THESE WOMEN SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT MORE OF THE CONSEQUENCES INVOLVED BEFORE GOING SO FAR FOR A STORY. ALL JOURNALIST ARE AT RISK, AND NOT ALL OUTCOMES ARE POSITIVE, HOWEVER I HOPE THIS ONE WILL BE, MY PRAYERS WILL BE WITH BOTH FAMILIES AND I HOPE THEY WILL COME HOME SOON.

russ > You are a moron.

Actually I thought about it for 3 more seconds and realized I'm an idiot who can't make comparisons.

You call this reporting? Why did you speak with someone who, by his own admission, "did not compile" the atrocities at the North Korean Labor camp? A quick Google search reveals hundreds of thousands of articles based on eyewitness accounts from ex-prisoners and ex-guards, which you fail to provide in this story, and whom describe in great detail what actually happens in these camps. CNN is either unwilling to report on the multitude of readily available facts that Mr. Kumar is in the dark about, or CNN is unwilling to do so. Either way, this is exceedingly poor reporting. I would expect better from CNN.

The people that protested the water boarding of 3 terrorists won't say a word. Obama is on his world apology tour. Maybe he'll come out and blame Bush for this?

Guess they didn't get the memo, you are supposed to escape OUT of North Korea not IN. Price for stupidity in this world is high. Pray for them but expect nothing.

Russ,
What a hateful comment. I am sorry you had a bad experience with 3rd rate journalists, but that has no bearing on this very unfortunate situation. You are a hateful person!

you're quite a loser buddy.

I say cut off all aid, oil, food, to NK that we give them to keep the peace. Also stop all flow of supplies from reaching them that we can get a hold of. They want to rattle their sword, let them do it with no heat, food or supplies. Why do we pay people that cant wage war in the first place.

Im tired of that little wanna be dictator. Time to remove him from the earth.

Now we will never be able to bomb N. Korea. They have a U. S. reporter in prison.

Ummm ... Russ, Suzanne, Kevin and Martini: Are you all nuts?

Time to nuke that sorry excuse of a nation. Start with the capital and dear leader. Once the snake is beheaded, political normalacy can flow in.

Viral Reporters aren't legit anyway. Al should just hire a couple of new groupies from the local community college.

If any harm comes to these women I call on the President of the United States to impose the full rath of the U.S. on the North Korean government.

That was a rhetorical question, of course.

Well it is a very unfortunate situation for these two ladies. I do feel that you should not travel to these horrible countries. Maybe some good will come out of this and reopen the eyes of many Americans that America is the best and will always be the best country in the world. I wonder why Al Gore is not helping with this. They are employees of Al Gore.

Get these 2 women the hell out of there. The US cannot trust that fair justice is being done for its citizens in a country like North Korea. Whatever it takes, if it's sending in special forces, or using a more diplomatic route, get them out.

Typical insightful comments that I've come to expect here. Reporters snuck into a funeral...how does that relate to slave labor again?

I do not share Russ' lack of remorse. Let it be his sister or daughter imprisoned without due process, defense, or assistance, and he would be camping out on the State Department's lawn. These two reporters are pawns, and NK should consider the fact they are locking up, a communication venue to the Free World, at a time they are posturing and sending out strong signals and messages.

Im really worried about those two journalists, i personally think its ridiculous to sentence them for 12 yrs in prison for an illegal entry. As T.Kumar said this is just a starting move for the much bigger game, USA have to focus on that and deal with this more appropriately. North korean government should be advised to properly treat the two journalists.

You play with fire you get burnt, North Korea is not like the US. You just cant sneak under a fence, or swim across a stream and cut grass for a living. You want to sneak into someone else's country you pay the price. Too bad we don't do the same with all the garbage from Mexico and Guatemala.

What's done is done. Don't be harsh and judgemental towards these two journalists. I'm sure they are in such fear and turmoil. I hope they will be released and definitely it's all political. Pray for their well-being and sanity. Oh, I can't imagine how devastating the families are now.

in my opinion they should drop a nuke or atomic bomb on north korea.. or @ the very least assasinate the leadership of n.korea. i understand that the us wont go military on them because of china but something has to give with this worthless country called north korea.

I agree with Russ. The US must deal with North Korea dangerous and reckless policy basing on their disastrous record only. Trying to include this episode in said record would help N.Korea to dilute the issues.

Please do not call these women "American". They are Korean with an US passport, continuimg to be active in Korean politics and a Russ implies, the North can
make a case by somewhat justifying their actions.

The State department must warn new US citizens to abstain to continue being involved in the politics of their original country, and not to try doing so under the in such case not available umbrella of the US

jeez. is cnn running some contest for dumbest remarks today?

This is the same situiation as a mountain hiker or a skier. They know the risks involved, do it anyways and then want to be rescued when things go wrong. If they actually entered N. Korea illegally, then it is on them,enjoy the 12 years.

It is high time that the international community unite solidly to teach the North Korean government a lesson and change the government if necessary. I am tired of their bullying tactics and the rest of the world does not seem to be able to do anything to stop them. What a shame.

Whether they strayed into North Korean territory or were close enough to be abducted by North Korean border guards isn't known yet, and whether they "deserve" their fate is debatable. North Korea is not just America's problem but also that of the world. Nuclear long-range missiles aside, a major accident at one of the plants can be catastrophic. I believe it's only a matter of time when this hornet's nest falls out of the tree. Do we, as in America together with other countries, take action now or wait for the hive to explode?

Let the nukes fly! The world is going insane and maybe a little attitude readjusment is what it needs. Oh I forgot we have the messiah Obama and he wants to break bread with Jong, Castro, Ahmedinejad, Chavez and any other petty dictator.

Scary aint it......

The amount of heartlessness in these comments is disturbing. Russ' comment specifically about feeling somewhat vindicated because someone of a the same profession once did something bad to him reflects some of the more ignorant and ugly human tendencies one can conjure up. These people just got sentenced to some of the worst environments imaginable and for what? For courageously trying to create more transparency in the world so that regimes like North Korea's have a harder time existing. To every person who left some ignorant comment about assumed risk or what-have-you. I say shame on you.

Anyone going near North Korea or Iran have to know what they are getting themselves into. Stupid is as stupid does.

We need to tell NK that they need to wake up and smell the coffee. They are a little nothing country going against nearly the entire world. If they continue to give us an attitude, we need to bomb them into the stone age. We have the capability to turn every square inch of their country into rubble WITHOUT using nukes and WITHOUT committing ground forces. Why do we put up with these idiots?

@Russ

Your friend hated you and always thought you were a prick.
That has nothing to do with these women.

The lack of empathy on this blog is unfortunate...

Oh nice Russ, I'm sure your best friend would be all about you being an idiot and comparing these two.

These two women knew the risk if they crossed into North Korea without legal permission that they could get caught. They made their choice and when they made that choice they risked there families emotions, marriages, ect... It is sad to see and hear the pain the families are going through at this time we must pray for them and for each other, but they have to pay for their actions and it will be horrible for them to endure 12 years of hard labour. The best thing to do is give your worries to the Lord and leave it in his hands and move on with your lives. God be with you all.

The United States needs to do something rather than just sitting around. Ok, I know the government has pride but we need to get these 2 women back on U.S. soil.

Does not North Korea realize that if they fire one nuclear missle toward another country we will wipe them off the face of the earth with a thousand nukes.

They were reported as captured in China across the border, not in North Korea. They were also over 100 miles apart when "captured". So the consequences DiWarren is contemplating are inexistant and that statment barely needs to be dealt with further. Yes, compared to just about every other country's prisons ours, including GITMO are easy streets: TV, free access to communication, weights, free time, books, FOOD and MEDICAL care. The unfortunate case of the journalists is just another step in the increasing proviocations of the North Korean regime. kim Jong-iL is in his death throes, and I believe he knows it, he is attempting to consolidate power and see through his and his father's dream of "powerful state. It's funny as every totalitarian regime needs to either acutally be IN a state WAR or PRETEND it is. This allows the governing body to make decisions while subjugating the needs of the people while placating the people's thoughts because they think they are in war time conditions. Really KJI is following the old "legalist" tradition of government with some of the latter brtual Taoist elements. The US' methods of engagment and sanctions are such a far cry form the asian style of interaction it is laughable. Just getting rhem to the talijg ntable is seen by the other countires as a good sign. The whole 6PT concept needs to be rethought and revamped.

The Gitmo prisoners are treated better than the North Korean citizens by the North Koprean Government. As for the prisons, they are essentially concentration camps. Per ABC, former guards have explained that not only is the person put in these camps for minor crimes, but the family (children as well) are put there too as part of the persons punishment. Why don't we help these people and stop complaining about Gitmo which has been a convenient political platform instead of the true prison. Gitmo can have it's day but for now, let's focus on the real issues. These people in North Korea need help.

Martini DiWarren and Kevin: your comments are out of line. I'm sure they did know what consequences to expect on being captured. Kevin, this is not about liberals versus non-liberals. Two brave women are in a very bad situation and your comments are petty and mean. Not all reporters are jerks. We should all be grateful for reporters like these two women who work and put themselves at risk to get information out to regular people. It is because of investigative reporting that regular people stand a chance against powerful, corrupt governments and organizations. Freedom is what the USA is about. Reporters who help us to be free by providing information about things that may threaten our freedom or the freedom of others should be appreciated. You both sound like a couple of armchair generals who have no idea about the harsh conditions people face to keep us free. You owe a lot of your freedom to brave reporters like these women.

Suzanne:
So you're not "scared" to the end lives of scores of innocent North Korean citizens, as long as we "nuke" Kim Jong-il? Maybe you ought to hand-deliver the bomb to Jong-il (and all of the other North Koreans you'd kill) personally!

Kevin:
Nice logic. If there's one prison that's worse that Gitmo, then therefore Gitmo is a country club. But then, what else would I expect from the mind of a conservative besides a simplistic, black & white view of things...

You know, why do people insist going where they are not wanted.
Stay in America, do not go overseas, especially these countries that will never be anything but trouble. God bless them, and I hope the best for them, but I see them spending alot of time in that prison.

They knew exactly what they were getting themselves into and opted to do anyways to gain recognition. Guess what? Mission accomplished. Their pictures and names are now plastered on every news publication, website and broadcast. BRAVO!

Plain stupidity on part of those reporters. They just created, knowingly or for fun unnecessary problem in already difficult situation.
Now it is going to cost us an arm and the leg to get them out. What's kind of idiotic reporting is this? Who is responsible for their action and who allow this to be taken place? Gore?

so the full story wont be displayed why say anything at all then people dont wanna hear half a story but thats how reporters are they only tell the public what the media wants them to hear..... the full story should be told if your gonna make a report

Their presence in North Korean had to been a calculated risk that they or their editors were willing to take. I admire their dedication for their profession but at the same time it's just good common sense not to flirt with dangerous countries and situations. Yes, the media world can benefit from the information but at work cost? The risk that things might go wrong has real world consequenses. Daniel Pearl paid the highest cost. It's terrible. I wouldn't go there without military protection myself. I hope they are returned home safely. Soon.

To Suzanne Lee

I have to say that I feel bad for the journalists, they are in a spot they don't deserve to be in. the reason they are there is because the US has infuriated yet another nation. And I hate to break it to you but you are not the most powerful nation anymore. You need to get off your high horse.

Suzanne Lee – you are either ignorant or just plain stupid. Do you know what Nuclear Weapons do?

serves them right. don't go into a country illegally. and then expect the world to drop what its doing and save you.

russ your comments, though very opinionated, are ludicrous in nature. Im sorry for your friend who passed, but c'mon, a 12 year sentence might as well be death, have a heart. imagine if it were you, clearly you can't. Suzanne you have nuclear weapons to defend yourself, not use them, you sound like the dictator to me. How could you possibly want to use nuclear weapons, do you realize if the United States were to use a nuclear weapon on any nation that you would see your beloved country fall quicker than a house of cards..... Bottom line these journalists should be returned to their native country and i pray that they do not have to endure a sentence in a North Korean prison. I pray that no one ever does, but maybe i'm crazy.

Hi Suzanne Lee, Interesting comments, I had to LOL, I think the reason we don't use them is that it will set off many countries to use them as well, we built them as a deterrent of the USSR, no intent on using them, just to let the USSR know that we could, if needed, destroy them.

Although, I too feel like we need to crush the DPRK, or better known as North Korea, it will not happen unless they make the first move. China will have none of it either, China likes that buffer and is on first name basis with North Korea.

What NK is doing is outright wrong, but hey, they have manipulated every administration since the Korean War and technically we are still at war with them since no treaty was every signed at the close of the war.

So perhaps we should finish what was started back in 1950, but it will have to be done conventionally and the US will have to be ready for millions of Koreans on the offense towards them, on the other hand, perhaps they will lay down their arms, but I suspect not as they have been brain washed for over 50 years now!

russ: and your point is?
suzanne: i think the issue is more complex than that
kevin: go and read Fox – we don't want you here
Martini: remember no details of the arrest were given, or charges. Perhaps they accidentally stepped across a border. Is there a giant fence?

That sentence is a death sentence for both of them. They are using them as human shields , when we attack North Korea, which we will.

These women are journalists; not two nitwits who happened to skip acrossed the border. They were reporting on defectors. There is no chance that they didn't know they had crossed the border. They were in a North Korean village just across the border interviewing people who had been detainees. You mean none of the villagers knew they were living in North Korea and therefor didn't tell the journalists where they were? Not likely.
I DO think 12 years is ridiculous but I doubt there will be a reduction given the hard stance that North Korea is taking with international relations of late.
I hope Mr. Gore is able to negotiate their release as he has great respect world wide.

russ, that is the stupidest correlation i have ever seen. basically, you are justifying every form of racism there is. just because you had a bad experience with two idiotic reporters does not mean that these women's lives should be forfeit.

It is because of the U.S. system of rendition, secret prisons, secret trials before military commissions, and public disgraces such as Guantanamo Bay and U.S. prisons in Iraq and Afghanistan that we as a nation have lost our privilege of complaining about other countries abusive justice systems.
How do we expect to hold other nations accountable when we perform just as badly or worse?

Auschwitz, Buchenwald and North Korean labor camps... will the human race ever learn?

The sentencing of these two journalists is tragic and of course everyone hopes for their immediate deportation back to the US, but I completely agree with the decision not to conflate this issue with the larger much more dire nuclear one. The two journalists assumed the risk of entering NK and they should not expect the US to lose any political leverage with NK for the sake of their timely release.

I'm surpised at these comments, yet again, i'm not.

Suzanne Lee: If a nuclear holocaust is what you are looking for, then you are in the wrong country. North Korea is waiting for your citizenship application form. Let's see you talk like this after NK bombs your little town and kills american civilians.

Kevin: Liberals cry about Gitmo because it does not respect the American humanitarian vision. We are intelligent enough to know better than take human rights away from prisoners, whatever the context. As the leaders of the world, we should not reduce ourselves to the level shown by totalitarian nations.

The punishment should fit the crime. No one deserves to be treated like a slave. For all practical purpose these two women have been sentenced to death. Community service, fines, deportation or perhaps a combination of all three, but not digging mines and breaking rocks. Sounds like a Nazi mindset.

I'm a liberal Kevin and I'm not whining

My comments are directed are Russ by the way. I echo Suzanne's coments.

We liberals "whine" about Gitmo because we are better than N. Korea, not equal. Holding people in perpetuity without trial is in some ways even worse than the N. Korean labor camps.

"So many people need to be nuked these days," might be the most ignorant comment in a long line of ignorant comments. Yes, by all means, let's start nuking innocent people in countries whose governments we don't agree with even though we are not at war. Would that you were born in a different country you warmongering truss.

What in God's name is wrong with you people?

Stupider is not a word.

Martini– As far as anyone knows, these women did not intend to cross the border. They were covering a story near the border and wound up on the wrong side. They are, in fact, very intelligent. Smart enough, I'm sure, to read all the facts before calling someone they don't even know stupid. Take a lesson.

And Russ- these two women did not sneak into your friend's funeral. They were doing nothing wrong. And they certainly did nothing to you. Not all reporters are heartless just because you had a bad experience. They don't deserve this.

Have some compassion, people.

A couple of thoughts come to mind:
1) If Cuban reporters were to sneak into this country and the authorities were to believe they were fomenting sedition, how would the US treat them? Oh yeah, we have Gitmo.
2) Suzanne: We have long known that nuclear power is a double edged sword. Notice that it hasn't been used since WWII. The reason is that using a nuke the first time would be like the crack in the dike. "Hey the US used them, why can't we?"
3) Kevin: While there are many places that are far worse than Gitmo, I would offer that the US is supposed to be better than those offending countries. By torturing, holding without trial, isolating prisoners we lose the moral high-ground that we have claimed for years. So is the US better? Are we morally more enlightened?
4) Now finally I do feel sorry for the families of Lee and Ling, and I pray they will be returned soon. But if they DID cross over into NK and were caught, what were they thinking would happen?

the way you guys talk is that you totally believe that they were there to do hostile acts against korea. they were there to do a report and were kidanpped but some of the craziest people in the world. the only crime they committed was being of another country and entering that communist crap whole. they need to be freed and we need to go in there and kill all the a-holes that want to defend that crazy racist govt. we need to take them all and throw them in the desert and have them dig trenches in the 120 degree heat in death valley ca. f em all!!! lets go get our people and kill kim jong il and he crazy koreans!!!

It is certain that they actually even crossed into North Korea – they were likely captured by overly aggressive border guards while they were in China so that they can be used as bargaining chips. This is awful and unjust. And Gitmo is not a country club. The stories of torture are horrendous. You people should be ashamed of yourselves and your comments – torturing anyone and imprisoning any innocent person is never okay.

If the island wasn't half-filled with law-abiding South Koreans, I'd sink that island.

We don't know the story of how they got arrested or how they ended up in the North Korean territory, do we? Let's not jump to conclusions about that and further, do we value the stories of the North Koreans that these two women were attempting to tell so little?

Wow, such judgment, fellow citizens. All without knowing the facts...that's right–since you have one bad experience with a journalist all journalists deserve to be punished for your pain caused by the one. Gitmo is a country club because you've clearly been there and experienced it. And these 2 journalists are so stupid because you believe that they did what North Korea says they did? Wow.

i agree with all of you. The U.S. always looks like a pushover because we're too nice. We close Gitmo. for what?! we need that and we need harsh interrogation tactics. In any other country if an American violates their law we get punished. We even get our heads cut off and it's video taped for the world to see. Over here we treat the captives like freakin babies because they got their picture taken. We can't be harsh because they have rights. B*lls**t

At least they weren't sent to Gitmo, right?

It had been reported that these two women were in China reporting on North Korean refugees close to the North Korea border but not in North Korea. It's possible they entered North Korea unintentionally; seems odd they would do so purposely if the story was in China. It is also probable, and I believe very likely, that the North Koreans kidnapped these journalists and brought them into North Korea. We know for a fact that North Korea has done this before. I would bet North Korea has operatives working in China, given their close relations. This leaves me with a question, why isn't China putting heavy pressure on North Korea to release these two western journalists? There are a lot of questions. But the in the end the release of these two women should be considered necessary by the governing bodies of the free world and mandated with real consequences. When we have people enter this country illegally some of them suceed in living productive lives here in the USA, others when caught and adjudicated by the Federal Government are deported. These two women are prefessional journalists who are respected, intelligent members of our society with strong familial bonds. They are not criminals and should be released immedidiately and returned to us. A sentence of 12 years of hard labor shows how truly ugly North Korea is. Hopefully North Korea will show us how forgiving it can be by releasing Ling & Lee now.

Sorry Suzanne Lee, but that is the problem Americans have, they think they control the world..LOL No you are not the most powerful country with the most powerful military, that is all American propaganda that is fed to you by your goverment. America got its ass kicked in Vietnam, and now again in Iraq, as far as these two journalists are concerned, they got what they deserve for spying, Like the old saying goes, "if you can't do the time then don't comit the crime"

I must say I'm a bit dissapointed with the lack of support for these two brave reporters. I'm shocked that so many Americans are quick to take NK's side on this issue. Fact is, we DO NOT know for sure that they ever crossed the boder, given NK's past history, I would not be suprised if THEY crossed the border to nab the two reporters. Many people seem to decry what these reporters were doing. If it wasn't for these two brave reporters willing to risk themselvs to report on this dark subject (human trafficing) so that WE in America can have a glimpse as to what is actually going on, we would know nothing more than what the DPRK state media fed us. I have nothing but admiration for people like them who work so hard and put it all on the line so that we can have access to information and the truth.

i don't see why this is such a big deal from what I've read they tryed to sneak into korea and were caught and now they are being punished for it so i don't see what the big deal is

So in essence..... these two Americans have been sentenced to death. *** Burnsy ***

These two young women are American citizens, and they are not agents of the United States government. We must insist on their immediate release. How could any US citizen think outherwise?

It's hard to believe there is any sane person who would advocate the mass nuclear slaughter of millions of people just because they are frustrated that America can't rule the world. Sounds like some insanity that Hitler would have spoken.

Russ, what does your situation have to do with what's happened to these two reporters?

I'm sorry, but one's career should not outweigh the safety and love for one's child. These journalists (who have children I believe) knew the places they travel are dangerous and could cost them their lives, but yet, still go where they go because they're "journalists" and they're "passionate" about their careers and "getting the truth out." I'm sorry but you should have more passion and eagerness for your child and making sure his/her mama comes home to you at night! NEVER intentionally put yourself in a situation where it could possibly mean your child not growing up with a mother.

reporters are too nosy for their own good – there are places and things that do not need to be investigated by the media – sorry for the women – but they asked for it

Who said they snuck into N. Korea. There is a possiibility that N Korea snatched them while on the Chinese side of the border. Yes, that's a dangerous area but if they were kidnapped we need to do something about it. Why isn't China helping us out with this?

To Suzanne Lee:

Are you out of your mind? Your comments are so ignorant that it left me speechless.

To a certain extent, I agree with Mr. DiWarren, but they are innocent people who were wrongly accused and imprisoned. Stupidity – yes, they were inbetween a rock and a hard place, but 12 years? With N.Korea's track record, who knows if they'll ever see freedom...

Well behaved women rarely change history. I'm sorry sneaking into a funeral and invading a families privacy is completely different than this. Sure enough, Nancy Grace can use her voice to judge everyone else's findings, but god forbid you go and due any real journalistic work. There are people who have spent their lives bring light to places like Tibet and Uganda. Now, people like Anderson Cooper report on the findings. We are in a global war, if you don't believe that I have some swamp land in Florida for you perfect for development! WAKE UP! We should save these girls!

It's very sad that people are so insensitive to these two journalist's plight. It' s gutsy courageous people like them that sometimes make the world a better place for the rest of us. It's the cruel and deplorable government of North Korea that is the evil monsters. I am sure that the journalists had the best intention to help and bring some light to the poor suffering people of North Korea. My prayers are for them to have strength and courage that they will be able to get out of the hell hole they are in. I also pray for the poor parents who are living a nightmare.

A little perspective from the US side of things: We (Americans) nearly wiped out the American Indians because they were "savages", we kept and brutalized slaves, in the Civil War prisoners were kept in extremely harsh prisons (probably much worse than NK), In WW1 and 2 if you were a soldier or sailor and you violated military law you were often sentenced to years at hard labour. And look at the brutality and racism blacks have endured in our own country. I could add a lot of things to that list. We have come a long way, our collective awareness and compassion has risen tremendously and we are now pretty much the best place to live in the world. Should we bomb NK into submission and instantly make them nice people? (Look at the mess we made in Iraq) I think they, and all the other insane countries have to go through some similar process that we did. It's called education and the transformation of false ideals. The best thing we can do is to see that the ordinary people of these countries learn the truth about themselves and their leaders. Look at China. It's getting better all the time, and one day they will wake up with pretty much with all the same freedoms we have. Education and awareness and compassion are the answer.

Having said all that, it would be fun to play the same game with the NKs that they play with the world. Next time one of their military ships slips into South Korea waters, capture it and offer to return their men in exchange for prisoners and other concessions. Give back their ship? Hell no. If we had some balls it would seem we should be able to play the game of one-upmanship better than them!

I completely agree we should do something to release them

But this should be learning lesson

WHy
WHY
WHY
they sneak into N. Korea

Fame,
money
news,
politics?

What country man do, when some one go in their property?
Journalist should aware of theses things.

Suzanne,best answer I have heard in a long time!Bomb first then ask questions

What kind of a Christian are you, Parker? Next time your family member
gets wrongly sentenced by a dictator state, shall we comfort you by telling your family that "they have to pay for their actions...The best thing to do is give your worries to the Lord and leave it in his hands and move on with your lives." That's right, just MOVE ON. So Christ-like!

God have mercy! Your self-centeredness is amazing.

Yes, Suzanne ... why don't we just nuke everyone we think deserving of being nuked ... starting with you. Um, uh, like, I don't get it: we're the most edumicated country in the world ... yet we still have idiots like Suzanne don't understand the consequences of starting WW3 ... ridiculous.

russ and Suzanne and Martini – wow – what a discredit you are to the human race. These journalists weren't 'sneaking in' like paparazzi to a celebrity event – they were trying to cover the crimes against humanity committed by NK. And to drop a nuclear bomb? It's not like you'd just drop one – and then somebody else would fire back and then it's holocaust time. Where do you get your thoughts? The $.99 store?

A good reminder that when you're in a foreign country you are at the mercy of their laws, not ours. Every action has a consequence and you really have to think before you act.

How many idiots are there in this country??!! Suzanne, you're forgetting that if we nuke North Korea, we will kill thousands and thousands of innocent men, women, children. give me a break! You act as if North Korea consists of one dictator and nobody else. You think the people there are happy about their situation? What if someone wanted to rob a store near your house and decided to blow up the entire neighborhood to do it and kill everyone in the process? Crazy!

And whining about Gitmo, you're right, Kevin, we shouldn't whine, because our prisons are JUST AS BAD as the ones in North Korea – OH WAIT! I FORGOT! We give our prisoners free health care while the rest of America's citizens can't afford a dentist!

I'm very glad certain people in this country are not running the government; otherwise we would have been destroyed a long time ago. If we nuked everyone we disagreed with there'd be nobody left. If, as we have at Gitmo, we treat anyone we arrest like animlas and torture them (some of whom may be innocent), then I would say N. Korea is only doing the same thing we do.

The world is ripe for WW3. There is no such thing as God, just greedy, selfish, and paranoid people.

You do the crime, you do the time. They were fully aware what they were getting into. No risk, no rewards.

Tough for the ladies, but they lack a bit of grey matter for crossing into North Korea in the first place. Pretty dumb!

RUSS:

You are a hateful and extremely mean person who does NOT fit into the scheme of "humanity" in general.

Too bad about the funeral, but what you are stating is NO COMPARISON TO 12 YEARS OF HARD LABOR IN A NORTH KOREAN LABOR CAMP.

Russ, YOU HAVE NO SHAME AND IT SHOULD BE YOU WHO HAS TO SPEND 12 YEARS IN A LABOR CAMP, NOT THESE TWO YOUNG WOMEN.
HOW DARE YOU?????

russ. – did the reporters who snuck into your best friend's wedding get 12 years of hard labor in a concentration camp? i doubt it...so how can you even compare those cases, unless you're saying that anyone who trespasses deserves 12 years of hard labor...but that would be ridiculous don't you think?

suzanne – you need to read up on history and politics in general...and i don't have time to explain all that to you...but let me ask you this..what would happen if the US started attacking other countries with nuclear weapons AT A TIME when other countries also have nuclear capabilities? most likely answer = a whole bunch of warring nations would use nuclear weapons against each other and basically destroy the earth for the rest of us (wait, did you think it was a video game where we pushed the red button first and our enemies can't do anything against us?) – still think you have a good idea?

I feel the sentence is too long but lets not forget they got a trial even if it was secretive. We keep people in gitmo for 7 or more years with no trial. If we are going to criticize North Korea lets look a little harder at our own practices.

If you have reached that level of selfishness, to the point of being uncaring of these women's plight, you're much stupider (and much lower) than these two reporters. These journalists were exposing the plight of trafficked North Korean women – risking their own lives to shed light on horrific suffering. It's people like Laura Ling and Euna Lee who make a real difference in the world, regardless of the cost, while slackers like you live for self-protection and comfort. Wake up and stop calling the courageous "stupid."

where is my comment, cnn?

Russ, I knew a guy that was in an accident and died... He was drunk and deserved it. By your logic I can assume that your friends deserved to die in that accident because I knew someone who did. Kevin, those liberals that are whining are upset because we are supposed to have higher standards than are held at slave labor camps. I can't believe how small a box you guys can't seem think out of is.

Guantanamo Bay is not a disgrace by any means. Maybe we should let terrorists roam around free to kill as they see fit. Thier is a lot of ignorance in this country about was goes on in the rest of the world. No terrorist ever cared about the people they killed in this worl. As far as the two journalist go. They knew risk of what they were doing. Does the fact they are journalist make them imune from the laws of any country?

We got to engage the North Koreans at the highest level, stop the politicking and engage at the President to President level.
We also need to respect the fact that NK is a soverign state communist or not.
Finally, stop the smoke and mirrors what were these two really doing there.

@ Suzanne Lee
_____________________________________________________
We use our Nuclear weapons and then China and Russia, who are allies of North Korea use their weapons and the world become a Nuclear dessert because we detonate enough nuclears on this planet for the radiation to kill the remaining people that are not killed in the blast. Nuclear weapons are a deterrent to a Nuclear war.

Don't you people who are saying they got what they were looking for realize that they weren't even in N. Korea at the time of said arrest?

The above (below? I don't know how it will be displayed) are ridiculous. Nuclear bombs won't solve the situation. Nuclear bombs are horrific – the fact that one might want to use them is psychotic. It's not our job to invade other countries or destroy a nation because we don't like them. If N. Korea gets the bomb then we will have to act for our protection. It is not, however, an easy situation. Luckily, it is unlikely N. Korea will be able to produce weapons as effective as our own.

Using the fact that some prisons are worse than others as an excuse for a prison which is outside of the law is moral relativism. I guess I should be able to kill a few people because others have killed hundreds?

This is about human rights. I sincerely hope the American journalists get released, and that N. Korea's dictatorship falls apart in the near future. But that impetus should could from within; our duty is to protect human rights as much as possible, and enforce an ethical boundary through ethical means.

It is so easy for all of us to sit here in our warm houses with our nice expensive laptops and tell stressed out, tired, US leaders what they should be doing. This world needs prayer, love, and peace. Give a lot of our leaders like our president, vice, and others the benefit of the doubt that they are doing the best that they can. If you think you could do better, then go to school and work your way up to become the president yourself, instead of pointing fingers with your high school/college basic civics and economics education. Just think about both sides.....that's all im sayin.

China provides 75% imports into N. Korea , If China really wanted to stop N. Korea's nuclear program don't you think they would/could whichever. Now China owns alot of our national debt somewhere around 1 trillion dollars of it. So as far as us having the most powerful military its only cause China has supported us with the funding to do so. Whether directly or indirectly... Now if it was a thrid world country the US would be all over this nuclear testing and such but its not , Say we do goto war with N. Korea and by "War" its actually going to be a war not something like we've seen over the last 30 years invading non military countries. Most of the death's in this war won't be because of "Our" own friendly fire killing friendly troops like the war in the present.

With the war brings more debt which in turn will weaken the US and make us vulnerable , which maybe some smaller nation are waiting for to wage war on us back. As stated above "China" doesn't really appear to want to stop N. Korea and could you imagine a war against China? China holds most of the worlds population , well anyway you see where its leading. The US is to spineless to actually engage war with N. Korea , that's why thier trying to starve N. Korea into submission.

I agree with some of you and then I don't. I don' understand us as americans, would defend our own border with the ferocity of a mother lion. Is it wrong that North Korea would want to protect their borders with the same ferocity?

I really feel for those 2 women, but as reporters they went out on a limb to get a story knowing what the consequences would be if that limb snapped. Every country in this world has the right to dictate their own rules and regulations. In the US, if a person obtains entry into the country illegally we deport them, but however if you decide to sneak into a communist country, that currently is under numerous sanctions and embargos by the US obviously they will not give you a slap on the wrist and let you go.

Yes the punishment does not fit the crime, by an american standard, but apparently if does fit the crime by a Korean standard. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

Regarding guilt in this matter (or any other pronouncement), I would not take the word of this particular government as gospel. And these journalists knew the score up there – they were reporting around it. Even if the chargers were true, their sanctions would still (and do) terribly outweigh the sin. For this and larger reasons, regime change is needed. The US can no longer effect or afford it. I wonder if Kim Jong-un offers any hope. Barring that, we need to leave it to our own leaders' better judgments.

I say stop North Korea now before it is too late. Get the NATO to go after them with so much force to finish this game for good. We did it with Iraq and we should do the same with Iran and North Korea.

I hope they get 12 more for bad behavior, if they last that long.

Our country will do nothing to help these women. We are too PC correct. We will not bomb them either as that would be against PC correctness. I supported Obama and still have confidence in him but our congress and especially Polosi call the shots and tie his hands. My heart goes out to these reporters but they did choose to put themselves in harm's way. Yes I wish Teddy Roosevelt was still alive and President with his "Speak softly but carry a big Stick". All of you should know by now America never receives support from our suppossed allies unless they are in trouble. Then it is "HELP US AMERICA!". We are on our own gang as usual. Personally I say "NUKE EM TILL THEY GLOW GREEN!". Then you can see them in the dark to finish the job.

Today is apparently the redneck-retard day on the CNN comment section.

Ashok: They surely will get the fame, and I suspect they will be released within 6 months, I hope it happens much sooner. Also have a feeling that IF they did stray into NK, it was not done intentionally. I doubt that they even did cross the border and a cameraman was with them, how did he get away so easily? More then likely they were snatched from China, just like the North Korean's use to do when they stole citizens from Japan years ago.

There should be a lack of sympahty on this blog for the simple fact that these two journalists were where they were not supposed to be when they were not supposed to be there. Now, that being said, we still live in a country that should not allow its citizens to be unfairly punished. 12 years hard labor in a korean prison camp might not be the appropriate course of action. The U.S would not hand down such a punishment and should not stand for N. Korea doing the same. The current course of action being taken by the U.S. should be a little more than a "please return these women to their home" it should be more along the lines of "do it and do it now".

I see the there are sissies here that support Gitmo being closed. I bet they also think that going to NY for a show and dinner was a great idea too.

Paul>>>>June 9th, 2009 1:30 pm ET

>>>Today is apparently the redneck-retard day on the CNN comment >>>section.

and dang, I thought this was the Fox Network site, my bad

What kind of answers are you expecting to read from a site that propogates lies and half-truths?

russ, you rule. i don't think i've ever seen anyone critique their former comment and say they were wrong on a comment board (all without being abusive back to people who denounced you). if only we were all so fair-minded...

what amazes me reading these comments is that we on one hand condemn north korea and say we should nuke them, but then we simultaneously BELIEVE them that the arrests and sentencing are legit!

why are we not remembering what the journalists were researching in china–do you really think that the n.korean government (notorious for suppressing any kind of news not government-produced) would not want to apprehend them for that? isn't this just typical dear leader action?

do we really think that they were arrested and sentenced by the government merely for trying to 'sneak into the country' when their story is on people who ESCAPED THE COUNTRY? logic, people, logic.

It's a sad story, but I do believe that North Korea has had this reputation of paranoia in the beginning with reporters and those who are not allowing themselves to be tread upon.

My prayers for the reporters and their families.

We should start the proceedure on North Korea as we did Iraq and then do the same with Iran. The axis of evil needs to be neutralized.

Russ that is an ignorant statement. Your friends funeral has nothing to do with this. Are you saying that the 2 reporters who snuck into your friends funeral deserve 12 years of hard labor in a North Korean prison? Do us all a favor and don't waste your time or ares by typing in ignorant babble into the comments section of serious issues.

Hey, you go to another country, you are there under their rules, you don't follow the rules then you get punished by their system.

I don't like to see anyone endure what awaits these two but they broke the rules of their host and they knew they were doing it. Knowing the consequences or not makes no difference, they knew it was wrong. I have NEVER seen or heard 'ignorance of the law or the associated penalties' used as an acceptable defense in any court.

I'd be singing a different tune if they were framed but such does not appear to be the case here.

I am an American and proud to be one. I'm also very much right wing.

I am sick and tired to people going to other countries and acting any way they want to, expecting the U.S. Government to get them out of it. Doing anything with the thought that they are something special. If someone comes here to the U.S. I expect them to abide by our laws and customs. If I were to travel abroad I would do my best to honor their laws and customs.

This more than anything earns us the "ugly american" lable.

I think Suzanne has a point...

Doesn't anyone know the difference between remorse and empathy??

we have more nukes than every other country combined. what gives us the right to have so many and then tell other countries they can't even explore the idea of developing them? kinde of hypocritical, don't ya think? that being said, n. korea is a joke. did you see kim jong il in team america? he's so ronery. it's kind of sirry, but not rearry.

CNN web people: i think it's time to allow the 4 comments shown on the front article page to update with most recent comments like most websites do.

otherwise we'll all just keep commenting on those first 4 comments...not very conducive to good dialog, no?

We should do to the same to Kim Jong that we did to Admiral Yamamoto.

I think we can all agree that Kim Jong Il is crazy. However many of you are failing to realize, the North Korean people are suffering immensely under this dictator's rule. Nuking North Korea is not the answer. For all you idiots out there, how would you feel if the rest of the world said nuke America to punish that idiot Bush. Secondly, why aren't Iraq war/Bush supporters screaming, "Free North Korea"? Because you can't think for yourselves? That's what I thought.

Whoever said " I would expect better reporting from CNN" please.. since when has CNN been thorough and fully open with their reporting?

that aside.. The journalists knew they were in the country illegally.. and they should be punished within the countries law. No external source should step in to over ride the law of the country. If you dont agree with a country's laws... dont goto that country.
end of story really.

The fact remains North Korea is brutal on the humanitarian front.. and a mouse screaming like an elephant when it comes to national policies..

North Korea will eventually act in a descructive manner .. because eventually they will litterally have nothing to lose.

the term "Something's gotta give" comes to mind.. and depends which side gives first.

@ Tom Wittmann
"Please do not call these women “American”. They are Korean with an US passport".
One of the journalists isn't even Korean by ethnicity. You're unbelievable. Maybe you should think before posting a comment.

@ Suzanne:
We can't just get fired up and lay waste to countries. The reason we and many other nations have nuclear capability is for defense reasons mostly, reasons that spanned back to the Cold War arms race. US/Russia knew that we cannot just bomb everyone, but we could definately match fire with fire as a means of a scare tactic. Now it's changed to defense or for some countries, a bargaining tool. If one country that abides by Geneva Convention standards goes haywire and drops a nuke, imagine the implications of a country that DOESN'T abide by it and they strike back, on American soil. As for the bargaining tool argument, look no further than North Korea...

@ the rest:
I don't know how you can rush to such a conclusion. To me it's more of a double edged sword. I don't really -know- if their intentions were to cross the China/NK border, but if they were, they should of known the consequences of capture. People tend to forget that the NK/ROKs are still at war. Was it a bit illogical and ignorant, even on accident? Yes. But at the same time, I would like to support the fact that if their cause was to bring light on something important, such as the treatment of their people, then I also have to be sympathetic. That's the dangers of journalism. Do any of you ever say the same thing when other journalists stick their neck out in combat areas in places such as Iraq or Afghanistan? The journalists are human, and as the addage goes, "humans make mistakes". Never the less, they deserve some sympathy and prayer.

Thanks Jeff.

North Korea needs a wake up call. If I were president I would give them 24 hrs to hand over the reporters or else. The "else" is I would destroy all of their nuke facilities with massive missle strikes from submarines. Nobody would care about North Korea's nuke capabilities being destroyed.

Paul in NYC would obviously have us go over to North Korea and have a love-in, I will chip for your ticket Paul!

North Korea is running a bunch of death camps. While we sit over here in our Ivory Towers (trying to meet in the middle, giving diplomacy a chance, apologizing to the world), people are dying daily at the hands of a monster. But we don't want confict or aggression. Good for US!

One day, all of us, Obambi included, will be held accountable for ignoring the suffering of so many for so long. We don't need to bomb them, but we do need to cut aid, isolate and force them (Dear leader and his whackos) to capitulate. But as long as our BMW is running, why get our hands dirty.....Justice will come....to Dear Leader AND the Neville Chamberlains of the West who guarantee his existence.

Do onto others as you would have them do onto you. I hope no one here ever finds themselves in over their heads....

I wouldn't assume they had actually crossed the border. North Korea has been known to blur the line or even drag people across the border in the past. Read about the 1976 tree trimming incident to get a taste of what dealing with North Korean can be like. I'm sure if they were anywhere near the border the North Koreans saw an excuse to detain them.

In the interest of not appearing to be 10 years old or a chararter in the Dilbertt comic strip: turn the all caps function off. It's embarrasing to you and to the state of internet literacy as a whole. Would you like me to scream every word if it were a face to face conversation? No. Stop it.

Journalists that put themselves in harms way for the sake of journalism really need to ask themselves, is it really worth it? If they have a spouse and/or children or child, shouldn't they be more cautious about what assignment they take on? These women have to accept the consequences, hopefully the US can assist them but at the end it will cost the tax payers more of their hard earned money to bail out these journalist in North Korea. How responsible is that?

This is not an issue of if they should or should not have been there. These are people who are trying to do their job who are being accused of spying on North Korea. Now they are going to be held in a prison that every country in the world (and even Amnesty International) says is inhumane. I say that this case should be put up in an international court to see if the sentance stands.

While I don't wish to see these two young ladies spend the next 12 years of their life in a North Korean prison, but they should have had some idea what would happen if they got caught, or perhaps they thought they would just get deported,, very sad situation for them and their familes.

In reference to the comments by Russ, sorry to hear about your friends accident, but do you realize how far "off base" you are with your comment. First of all, who has to "sneak" into a funeral in the United States ??

Suzanne Lee, do you have any idea what your saying, I for one am not ready to "nuke" North Korea or any other country. I agree we are one of the strongest countries in the word, and I guess it's easy to suggest we send troops into combat, as long as your not the one putting your life on the line. I suggest you enlist, women are serving in combat now and when you get home, you might have a slightly different opinion about the glory of war .From first hand experience, it's not a trip to the mall.

No sympathy whatsoever for these two jounalists. They illegally crossed one of the most heavily armed borders in the world and went into a country ruled by an extreme militaristic dictatorship at a time when political tensions are out of control. What do you expect? Do they understand the new level of complexity they have added to relations between the two countries?

I'm a US Citizen (born and bred) that grew up overseas and observed the laws in the countries where we lived. No jail time for me. Funny how that works no?

Being an American and a reporter (which is not a protected class) does not/should not preclude these two individuals from facing the consequences of their actions if they break the laws of a foreign country.

Another good example... I cannot believe we intervened when that douchebag Michael Fay was sentenced to caning in Singapore for vandalism. Did you know that there was a Hong Kong Chinese kid involved as well that got the full number of strikes but Micheal didn't because the US Government cried foul?

I can understand the government intervening if a foreign government is doing something unjust or illegal by international laws. This isn't the situation.

I'm sorry they will face the hardships of prison life, but I cannot believe that they were naive enough to believe they would not have to face the consequences of their actions if they were caught.

I hope all the libs out there realize they are idiots. Keep worrying about Gitmo. Wake up and realize how the world treats prisoners. Americans treat our captives like a country club.

Wow. Lots of folks calling for nuke strikes on N.K.

Bit extreme, don't you think? Nuke a nation that is holding two reporters - that snuck in?

And aside from a lot of blah blah blah from Dear Leader et al, what has N.K. really done to deserve a nuclear whack-job? OK, aside from them grabbing (and still holding) the US Navy ship Pueblo. Bet the USN is still fuming over that little job.

Seriously, the two reporters should be deported. And, c'mon: N.K. should NOT be nuked. That would not be too much different than nuking Hungary, say, or Poland 20 years ago.

I feel for them, because they are going to have 12 years of hell...but you cant expect to get the same freedoms (speech, press, etc.) that you get in the US just because you are from the US. They snuck into North Korea, and now they have to pay the price for being caught. There is no difference between them sneaking into North Korea compared to illegal aliens sneaking across the Rio Grande. They had no right to be where they were and we shouldnt waste tax dollars trying to free them.

You want to help a nation by dropping a nuclear bomb and ravaging it?

I'm glad you're not a politcian. How about you stick to making dumb comments...

Suzanne Lee June 9th, 2009 12:43 pm ET

Why do we waste money builing nuclear bombs if we aren’t going to use them? So many people need to be nuked these days. I’m so tired of all the sickness in this world, we’re the most powerful country with the most powerful military in the world and we’re scared to step on the toes of psychotic dictators…ridiculous.

I'm curious as to whether they underwent an"enhanced interrogation" process and how the average American feels about the possibility of such.

Quote from Tom Wittmann, above:

"Please do not call these women “American”. They are Korean with an US passport, continuimg to be active in Korean politics..."

Mr. White Wittmann, you are an ignorant racist. First of all, get your facts straight. Laura Ling is a Chinese-American who was born in California. Just because they are of Asian descent does not make them any less American than you. It is stupid, white Americans like yourself that degrade the United States' reputation. I'm surprised you haven't jumped off a bridge yet considering that Obama got elected as President.

How to change North Korea: Gather a team of the best hackers in the free world to attack government control computer systems, bomb the country with broadband, and drop iphones from the sky.

Give the people access to information from the outside world and stand back while we watch an almost-elegant overthrow of the tyrants in control.

Looks like alot of people think North Korea should be nuked and that would be it.

There would be one slight problem to that. China backs North Korea.

Are the Americans ready to take the Chinese on? How about the Russians? They too stick with the North Koreans.

Quote from Tom Wittmann, above:

“Please do not call these women “American”. They are Korean with an US passport, continuimg to be active in Korean politics…”

Mr. White Wittmann, you are an ignorant racist. First of all, get your facts straight. Laura Ling is a Chinese-American who was born in California. Just because they are of Asian descent does not make them any less American than you.

Hmmmm,..interesting. Two women (supposedly) sneak into a country known for their lack of civil rights and freedom, are arrested and we get all upset. While at the same time, people sneak into this country, known for freedom and civil rights,..and we want them arrested. Sorry people,..which way do you want it?

If they were kidnapped on Chinese soil, then they deserve to be set free. If they were captured on North Korean soil. Well, they deserve what they are getting right now; however, I do hope that they will be set free before they are sent to prison.

Oh yeah, good idea. Let's go in there and overthrow their oppressive regime. It worked so well in Iraq.

I wonder if those in here who say libs"Whine" about Gitmo would like to spend a night at Gitmo. I bet a night of waterboarding would turn their whining into crying like a bunch of ****. Its easy to judge libs because some might want to make sure our government is not above the law.
Many people want Gitmo closed but more want those responsible for 9-11 or just being a terrorist brought to justice. And when convicted, they should be hung, shot or any other form of the death penalty will do for many.
The idea of closing Gitmo is not about protecting terrorist but making sure they get a fair trial before they are sentenced to death.

Ben, the majority of hte world and amnesty international says its inhumane for the US to execute people. Yet we still do it. Cant expect the rest of the world to really care what amnesty thinks if we dont do it in this country. Cant have it both ways.

........ I'd love to read something that wasn't completely thoughtless. Anyone? Anyone at all...

Ok, guys, calm down. Don't be harsh with one another. At this point, we can't use force, it will backfire. There is a saying, "treat your enemies with kindness?" Be diplomatic. Pray for the two women.

Hey -

Time to reunite South and North Korea!

Get rid of this dictatorship – return these two hostages.

Freedom to the poeple of North Korea.

Do it now!

Kevin, I love your comment

I am sure the reporters thought that if the world really knew what was happening inside NK the world would help the people of NK like we came to the aide of the people of Iraq. And the world would thank of the same way. I guess they thought the risk was worth the rewards.
I mean afterall the world is so grateful for all the good the USA has done to help the poor and suffering the world over. I mean just look at the accolades we received for Vietnam.

C'mon people. These were journalists that took a chance and NKorea saw an opportunity to use these women against the outside world for leverage. Wrong place wrong time. If they are lucky the US will barter for them, NKorea will set them free and NKorea will get food, grain or a lesser stance on the ongoing nuke issue. It's not like this is the first time this has happened in the world. I am sure these women knew exactly what they were doing and the chances they would be caught. Do I feel sorry from them. No. I feel worse for their family and maybe they should have thought about the effects of them being caught would have been on people close to them.

Our prisons system should be like theirs when it comes to labor but with more food, medical care, writing and receiving mail, decent living areas with adequate sanitation, earned visitations, and nothing more period. As far as the two journalists goes they knew they were across the border illegally. There are plenty of maps now days that shows you the boundaries of state lines, and will show you the name of the first town in your path that you will come to when crossing the boundary. Nobody is above the law rather here in the USA or abroad. Life is all about choices and consequences and they chosed to cross over illegally.

I say we make a deal for the women and once they are back inside the country, we nuke north korea and just obliterate it.

it seems to me they put themselves in that situation every one that i know of are quite familiar about the almost medevial mentally in north korea .they should have used better judgement I'm sorry to say they have no else to blame but themslves .I do hope somthing can be done to get them release.

There are 2 sides to this story.
1) The journalists are stupid to go into a country like North Korea. The jounalists any more are pushy, they think they can control not only this country (USA) but North Korea also.
So they knew what they were getting themselves into. We probably should punish some of the whacky/pushy journalists here also in this country. There are a lot of them that are anti- American.

2) The second side of the story is why are we playing footsie with the North Korerans? We always are kissing their ass and it's not getting us any place. This was started by our great president Bill Clinton. The best thing to do is either starve them out or nuke them bofrore they nuke us. End of story.

I am with Russ on this one, no remorse at all. Journalists do something dangerous and stupid then get caught and cry about it. Frankly they are lucky to be alive they could have simply been shot on the spot.

Why cant us prisons be this way. These people did worng and bad things treat them like animals. We treat them better than some people that never caused trouble. They get 3 good meals a day , A bed to sleep in, and heat in winter and air in summer. We need to treat our prisoners like North Korea!!!

If these 2 women did not actually cross the border into North Korea then I feel badly for them and hope for their quick release. If they did cross the border then it's their own fault and I categorize them with all the other gonzo journalists who go to stupid lengths for a story, breaking laws in the process. Perhaps the US should be as diligent in protecting our borders (under fair laws and with no commie prison camps, obviously). For all those melodramatic types who are worrying about and "praying" for these women, believe me, with the book and movie deals coming their way when they get home, they don't need your prayers. Just saying it like it is.

Lets not forget that the two journalists are human beings, yes they took a risk , yes they should have known the consequences but should American turn its back on them. What if it was one of your own.

For all of you nitwits saying Gitmo was not as bad as the N Korea jails, turn off Fox News for a moment and think. WE are not N Korea. The US should set the example for humanitarianism. You are right that Gitmo was nothing compared to N Korea jails. But that is how it should be, right? They are ruled by a psychotic megalomaniac. We are not. Wow. ... As far as nuking the country. Why would we drop a bomb and kill millions of innocent people that have ZERO ability to change their government. It isn't as if Kim Jong was elected and is therefore a representative of the people there.

Hey Suzanne... you must be naive to think that we are the most powerful. This is what we are told. Have you been to any other countries to see how large and powerful their military forces are? We used to be the most powerful. But there have been other countries that now can overpower us. Besides the fact that we owe billions of dollars to other countries. Last time I checked, those who don't owe money to others are more powerful. And what a genius you are to say "let's use the nukes". Just because a country's government is bad, does not mean that the citizens are. Do you know what the other countries think of us? They see us as evil, so should we be nuked?

Suzanna Lee- its not that simple to just blow up everyone and everything. First, we have morals. There are alot of people who are in North Korea and have nothing to do with their dictator, so in turn we would kill hundreds of thousands of civilians. Second, if we would nuke them, their allies would get mad and in turn try and retaliate, as well as the rest of the world hating us (which they already do) because we americans (people llike you) think we can do anything.

There is a common assumption in many of these comments that the two reporters were captured on NK soil. I have not seen any credible evidence that this is true. Indeed, early reports stated that they were filming at the border (on the river). Given that NK has admitted to kidnapping dozens (if not hundreds) of Japanese and South Korean's (to train spies, run their -I kid you not- film industry, etc), it does not strain credibility to believe that these reporters were illegally taken from Chinese soil.

Neither I mean to be mean but those 2 reporters not only called upon this tragedy for themselves but provided North Korea with valuable pawns in their nuclear game, and the US with a serious strategic predicament. Al Gore, who is the ultimate enabler for them, must apologize for that to Americans. But instead he is planning a trip to N. Korea seizing the opportunity to stay in the limelight. I think his valuable time would be better spent by creating another Internet and global warming.

I read all these comments and here are my thoughts... isn't it great that we live in the USA and can all speak our minds. It doesn't matter whether others agree or not. Stand on a soap box or kick someone off. Freedom is a great thing.

Whether the women were wrong or not, the facts remain that they have both been given a long, harsh sentence. My thoughts and prayers are with them and their families.

If those women are real journalists, I would agree that they're kind of stupid. It is going to cost us an arm and the leg to get them out. But if they are not journalists, but spies... hmmm. They are heroes then...

Payback is not so easy. They have a standing army that can take the South Korean capital in hours. They can use artillery from the DMZ and level Seoul. We have nothing in the region that can stop them.

Our assets are tied up in Iraq.

We can knock out their nuke plant and their small supply of nukes with air power but air power can't stop a million man standing army already deployed and ready.

Again, we find ourselves chewing out fingernails and negotiating with no strength. And telling everyone in the world we are sorry we have not been the nice guy.

It won't get any better in the future with the current regime – but what the heck – your neighbor who drives a bus – won't get his $500,000 home mortgage forclosed.

STALIN WOULD HAVE BEEN PROUD. GULAG RELOADED..............

The USA not as strong now, as it was. No money, no power.
To do what Ben recommend, would be extremely dangerous.
What, if the USA would be the next one, who will be NUKED ?
This country is not the same anymore.

I pray for their safe return to the US. Now with that said, we should use the hard labor prisons here in the US for the hardest of criminals. Perhaps then there wouldn't be repeat crimes and misuse of tax dollars.

these were journalists who thought they were above the law. Not every nation views freedom of the press the way that the United States does, and to use the State Department to intervene on behalf of JOURNALISTS when there are soldiers, marines, airmen, and sailors that are in harms way not by their choice that do not get as much attention as these two JOURNALISTS! Maybe more of them should suffer the same fate– why does the government spend its clout on thigs that make the world a better place not the fate of these two who clearly did as they were told not to.

@Jeff

what do you mean "you people"

just kidding

Really I agree with you, this string of posts makes me wonder what high horse we Americans think we're on, I can only hope that these posts aren't representative of all Americans.

They weren't in North Korea, they were reporting a story about a northkorean defecting to China when they got pulled over the border into North Korea by soldiers.

Hi.North korean you should no the game of ,HAKUNA MATATA or OGOPA

China owns or holds the paper on the U.S. North Korea is its favorite cousin so to speak so there is no way the U.S. is going to take action without China's backing.

Note to Amercians:

If you plan to go to countries like North Korea, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia, Haiti, etc.....your life is in great danger, and you are really rollling the dice. What a concept.

They knew the consequences,,its sad but tuff luck. NK is still at war , in their minds, with the U.S. so these are prisoners of war...imagine a U.S. reporting in Munich during WW2, they would be captured...these reporters are idiots...and shouldn't have gone there..sorry but true...

One more thing. The two women have NOT been brave, they were
stupid. They knew, entering the country and spying was ILLEGAL.

Carry a big stick and give the bastards some military medicine they need. The North Korean government is too stupid and gets too much pansy treatment from lawyers running our country. We need to treat them like they expect to be treated and they will learn who is the big dog on the block. They are not protected from the other super powers like they used to be. Take 'em out. There is no other solution. This war has been going on for over 50 years, enough!

Nothing happens by accident. Those who can help are aware of the problem.

Mark Primavera...get a life.

C'mon you people...pointing fingers at each other will only make the problem worse. Give your support any way you can. Even if it's just closing your eyes for a moment and saying a little prayer. Human thought is very powerful, something we all have. If you have something extra to send to assist those who can help...do so.

I can not believe we are letting North Korea get away with all this. I am fed up of the North Korean's terrorizing the world with all their missle testing. WHY ARE WE LETTING THEM DO TESTING!!!!! The fact that north Korea have even thought about making these weapons the leader should automaticlly be dethroned. I dont care which country this would happen to. We can not let this happen in any country.

WHAT IS OUR SOCIETY TURNING INTO, that we need to make these terrible weapons, to use on each other. Can the countrys leave each other alone and work together.

I am sure the Girls knew the consequences of being in such a place. I have no simpathy for any news correspondance that puts themself in harms way on purpose. They all know going in what could happen. Its just a shame that all nations can't play nicely in the sand box. There always has to be a bully to ruin the fun. Shame Shame.

3 Words:
Tactical Nuclear Strike

The overwhelming evidence of American ignorance shown here is staggering. (I am an American citizen and I love my country, but I'm embarrassed by what I've read here.)
First, before you make comments, please read as many of the news reports you can so that your comments are based on the facts.
They did not sneak into a foreign country. These reporters may not even have crossed the border. There is evidence they were kidnapped and taken to NK which has happened before.
To paraphrase a former US president–all it takes for evil and injustice to prevail is for one good man or woman to do nothing. These reporters, and other like them, risk their lives to let the world know about the evils and atrocities that occur around the world. Humans are being sold and traded as property - yes, slavery still exists. If the rest of the world never learns about these horrible events, how can we ever hope to stop them.
I agree that NK is ruled by an evil man. But does that mean we should bomb and kill thousands of innocents? And what happens when countries who are friendly to NK decide to retaliate because we dropped a nuclear warhead?
Please, these two women and their families deserve our compassion and our concern. No matter what country we live in, what political party we belong to, what dogma we believe in, we are all members of the human race.

Git-R-Dun!!! go in and get our prisoners!!!!! Uncle Sam can wipe his butt with North Korea!!!

What did these ladies expect? Sneaking into a country they should not be in. If anything, these ladies should have known that this might happen. I'm sure they will be released once North Korea gets what they want. Then these ladies will have the story, fame, & money they want. Personally, I would not bend over backwards for these ladies. Let the North Koreans keep them for a couple of years to teach them a lesson. We should make a deal with the N. Koreans five years from now. At least make 'em spend a little time in jail.

They should be pardoned! The sentence is too harsh! Obama or someone should go in there and start "talking"!

Or...we should just go in there and get them out. There will never be peace on this planet, so maybe just start another war. Everyone hates us(American's)anyway. It's time this big dog started biting!

The lack of immature on this board is unbelievable. Some people are so selifsh and so arrogant. The lack of education is just pathetic, people are speaking from their mind without having any substantial evidence. What ever happened to people having compassion for one another? What if that was your mother,sister,girlfriend, aunt, cousin or next door neighbour? The tables would turn wouldn't they.

No one really knows what happened over there and may never know unless those women are realeased.

To russ- -I'm sorry but people die everyday, maybe you should take it as a compliment that those journalists chose to write about your friend?

Al Gore’s Current journalistic ladies,
Came too close to Kim Jong’s Hades
Old Kim Jong said that’s wrong!
But, what the heck, I’ll play along.

You’re too close to our starving land,
I’ll need you though for my nuclear stand,
You’ll shine bright in my darkest night,
Before I show the world my might.

I’ll show what my might, might be,
And I will make Obama say to me,
Please free Ms Lee and Ms Ling,
And I’ll agree to do your thing.

I think the Journalists were mislead and taken into North Korea by a 'rogue' Guide an then arrested so the North Korea Gov't would have something to hold against the US, saying these ladies 'trespassed' into their Country....It is a totally frightening system over their,and their 22million citizens don't have a clue its even going on...very scarey....hail to the almighty ruler or your Toast!

I can't believe the number of stupid people saying we should go to war over this. Two people went to another country and broke its laws! They are in prison, yes it is a sad situation but they literally walked into it! We can't Nuke a country just because they enforced their own laws! (even if we dont' agree with them). Whats next? "Lets Nuke Europe cuz my cousin got a speeding ticket!!!" ?????

Mark Primavera, the comment you made about Mexican and Guatemalan is so rude and inhumane. I am not a mexican or Guatemalan, but they sneak in this country to do jobs that you would not do. Jobs that need to be done so you can survive and live the American dream. No human should be called a garbage. You are moving so far from the topic at hand.

Let us pray for these ladies and their families. WE NEED TO CALL upon JESUS Who we have NEGLECTED OVER THE YEARS.

Nothing is impossible for Almighty God.

Why any person on the planet who is not from North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Egypt or Iran would step one big toe into any of these countries is beyond me. It's like climbing Mt. Everest, getting hurt and then expecting the rescue helicopter (paid for by taxpayers) to come and get your reckless behind for free. They should be forced to pay the price for the rescue or spend time in jail. You have not only put yourself at risk, but you have risked the lives of rescue workers and the economic stability of their families when they are gone.

Gee.... I'd bet my left arm that if these reporters were white, you people would be demanding that the U.S. do everything they can to get them back.... it doesn't matter to you all that these women are U.S. citizens, whether by birth or naturalization..

I am amazed at the lack of knowledge about North Korea's conventional military capabilities by the people suggesting military action by the US. Are you willing to sacrafice thousands of South Koreans and at a minimun hundreds of American airmen to demonstrate a commitment to these two ladies? Let alone a situation where gound troops are used. Then the figures will reach tens of thousands. First the US population does not have the stomach for such losses and the peacenics would be marching in the streets within days of such actions. The only real hope these lasies have is for the would community to come together a stand firm against support to the north. My opinion on that happening? Fat chance!!!!

Jersey Dave could be right...I read a story indicating North Korea border guards grabbed the journalists from China....the US won't really know until we can speak with the journalists.

Suzanne, the US hasn't built a nuclear bomb in 20 years and maintains an aging stockpile. Tell me, how many people in the world need to be nuked? Give me a number – how many civilians have to die to satiate your need for nuclear holocaust? A handful of awful dictators may deserve what's coming to them, but most civilians are just as innocent as you.

Too many reporters hide behing their credentials and think they are immune to hostile arrest and think if they are, the US will bail them out. These 2 knew exactly what the consequences were but risked it all on a story that would've been no surprise to anyone.

I view this event as multi-faceted.

On the one hand, the U.S. Government is investing quite a bit of press into assisting the two women. Ask yourself why this might be? The U.S. Government does NOT stand up for the average American tourist who gets into trouble, so why these two women?

On the other hand, the American media is notorious for violating law and then taking the position that they have a "duty" to investigate matters. They often get away with it on U.S. soil because of their political clout. Recently, in CA, a "reporter" attempted to sue the Highway Patrol because they wouldn't let him take photos of an accident scene as he jumped out of his car in traffic. The public wasn't allowed to be there, but the "reporter" claimed he had the right to interfere in the chaos. (The courts ruled against him, thankfully).

In Iraq, a group of American media types found themselves in a dangerous live fire area. They called the U.S. Military to come to their rescue. So, the American Military actually did rescue them, but only at the expense of making special tactical changes in their combat operations.

Then, notice also, how the media hypes the death of its own. They rarely mention the reporters of the world convicted of crimes, but they front page anything in which their own coworkers get into a tight spot.

The short of it? Perhaps the "reporters" will learn that once they leave U.S. soil, nobody cares about their "duty."

In fact, maybe it wouldn't hurt to have a few more media types sent to prison at hard labor. After all, they usually "report" the news after they saturate their material with their own political bias. Thats called brainwashing the American public.

Phil > what island? get a map.

Wow, most of you guys are really stupid. First off, the 2 women are human beings, going to those prisons are almost gauranteed a death sentence for them. North Korea will never want to release them after putting them in a North Korean Prison. Second, they deserve what they got? What's the difference of news reporters, and National Geographic going in to expose the truth of what is happening in N. Korea. Humanitarian needs are not being met to any extent. The common people in outlying villages are starving and dying. When there was Food being flown to N Korea, it was seized by the military. Cannibalism isn't unheard of. Homeless children are known to go missing and never be seen again. Too many, their only hope is either to flee to China or South Korea. If not that, reporters to expose the cruelties and hardships they live in, so they can recieve international recognition of their plight and hopefully be helped/rescued. Yes North Korea is still flexing their muscle... Did you guys forget? NK and the US/SK are technically still at war.
Before you type in your uneducated redneck responses, please think, and don't post.

Okay it took me a while to find the link. But let's look at a strong desire for journalist to make a name for themselves. We will never be sure if these two journalist actually crossed over into NK or not. But there is precedence:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/07/14/ntm.inside.north.korea.cnn?iref=videosearch

Last year a journalist from VBS.com was able to sneak some film out of North Korea. Think this aggravated NK? Sure it did. Did it make them less willing to be tolerant? Not sure, but would make sense. Now this is only one story, but there have been others.

Did such reporting by CNN and others make journalists envious of the story? Well, given the competitive nature of the business, I would say that it did.

Does all of this make the sentencing by NK right? Of course not. No person with a conscience would believe that! Yes, I truly believe that they are being held as bargaining chips. But was the arrest justified? Lord, I hope not, but there is precedence ...

If you believe these reporters should not have been there and deserve their fate- then watch one of their episodes on Current TV. Probably the only true reporting where viewers hear first hand accounts from the people on the streets who are suffering around the world and what their governments are doing to help or destroy them. Without these types of reporters the American public would be even more isolated and misinformed by the larger news networks who push biased reporting and sensationalized crap about reality TV. My prayers to their families, andhope they come home so they can help our country better understand the global world we live in today.

Mark Primavera, do you want the U.S to be like North Korea?

I think what needs to be addressed here is CURRENT TVs lack of transparency on the matter. http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/08/silence-on-north-korea-detainments-causes-concern-among-current-tv-staff/
http://www.experientia.com/blog/the-limits-of-user-generated-contents-as-demonstrated-by-a-north-korean-case/
http://www.experientia.com/blog/the-moral-bankruptcy-of-current-tv-a-personal-comment/
It will soon come out the truth about this all and how Current has lacked the GUTS to take full responsablity but has chosen the route of hiding behind there own iron curtain.

Ok first things first...

1) Gitmo and these NK labor camps are not on the same level whatsoever. Gitmo holds terrorists who have or have plotted to kill innocent people...i feel no sympathy towards them and honestly don't care what is done to those ruthless killers. NK labor camp prisoners are generally innocent people, who have spoken out against the regime, committed some minor crime, or in this case, two reporters who made a stupid decision to cross the border. By no means are these places similar simply based on the nature of the prisoners in each, so cut the crap with any Gitmo whining.

2) Some comments asked if they "accidentally" crossed into NK. it was no accident unfortunately. the borders surrounding NK with South Korea and China are loaded up with land mines and all sorts of military blockades, so while it is unfortunate, these two women knew what they were doing and the risks involved.

3) that being said it is absurd the charges brought against them and god willingly they will be rightfully released home sooner rather than later.

4) you cannot simply bomb North Korea because 90% of the people living there are innocent, oppressed people who have nothing to do with the lunacy governing that nation. ONLY IF, NK ever used a nuke in an offensive manner would there be that kind of retaliation on them

In closing, I am a extremely conservative person, but in these blog comments i saw the worst come out of both liberals and conservatives alike.

to the idiot with the first comment (Russ)...grow up honestly

to suzanne's comment: you are just plain stupid

to the liberals whining about Gitmo: obviously you don't know people who died on 9/11 in the world trade center, because if you did, you would appreciate everything that Gitmo serves and stands for, because it just one of many steps taken by our former president to protect all of you from another brutal attack where the most innocent people passed away.

thank you for you taking the time to read this if you did.

-Gavin

These two women played with fire and got burnt. I feel horrible for them but they should have been nowhere near the North Korean border. SHEER STUPIDITY. Laura Ling's sister Lisa Ling did a National Geographic special on the horrors of North Korea. And then went on TV to plead for her sister's release. Laura Ling is being punished for her sister's documentary as much as her own actions. It was a given North Korea would treat these so called journalists harshly.

They are pawns in a global battle, and we all are worse because of their irresponsible actions.

The report from Kumar is similar to what I had seen and been in a prison of a communist country. The US should stop provide humanitarian needs to that bs country. All they want to do is to rage wars against its own people and neighbor countries.

A nother note, if someone wants to lose weight, just spend four weeks in those prisons, you'll see amazing outcome.

Susanne,

We build nuclear bombs so we don’t have to use them. We build them to keep generations of American young men from being drafted and thrown wave after wave into battle as their grandfathers and great-grandfathers had to endure.
Remember America is the only country to detonate nuclear bombs on enemy targets during a war, and Stalinist tyrants around the world are quiet aware of this fact and hopefully that knowledge will keep us safe.

These are journalists...they aren't there to help the people in either China nor N. Korea. They are there to make their names and faces famous for a story. We are going to nuke a country with millions of suffering people because of them? Please! And anyone who thinks our nation will survive if we ever nuke any other country is crazy! There is a long list of nations that will be happy to unleash their nuclear weapons on us.

Suzanna Lee, I read your comment and feel I need to respond. I understand that maybe what you're saying is out of fear, because I too worry for the safety of all citizens of the world. But, killing hundreds of thousands of people to protect "our interests" is not the answer. I still feel terrible remorse that our country is the only country that has utilized a nuclear weapon against another nation and so many innocent people lost their lives because we could not be the better person. For this act alone, I do not blame the rest of the world for "hating us". That aside, there are many, MANY people that wish no harm to Americans, North Koreans or anyone else. But when we have times where a handful of desperate, or greedy people in power can commit such a horrible act with the switch of a button the whole world needs to be careful. In the end, I want so badly to believe that we're better than this as people, but even if 98% of the people in the world are good global citizens all it takes is a few people of power to threaten the welfare of all.

haha I would say that 60% of the people that commented on this never graduated from high school.

I like the part where the person being interviewed remarks that they don't have the "full story".

Why even start talking about it then?

The media is set up to trick people with lies and half truths.

Truman should have allowed MacAurthur to drive the communists out of Korea. We would not be in this mess now.

A brief comment.

The two women won't survive. Their captivity will be similar to the Nazi captivity of slaves during WW II. They will succumb to starvation of too little calories and too much energy expended.

But, again, WHY do the two women get special treatment from the US Government ? The response by the American Feds does not happen with the thousands of other Americans who find themselves "locked up abroad" each year.

I am sure that the USA will do everything possible to obtain their release. My thoughts and hopes to their families. Just thought of a possible solution to obtain their release. Exchange them for one stupid human being named Russ.

If the prisons in the U.S. were like that, maybe there wouldn't be so many criminals. The money we use to feed/board said criminals could go to causes such as the sick children at the Shriner's hospitals that may be closing.

June, The U.S. is strong. One Trident submarine can destroy the entire world (200 plus warheads).

Keep your eyes on the ball. It is the North Korean gov't, not the reporters, who are not thinking straight.

Whats the problem?

BO has portrayed the US as the torture capital of the world, didn't you know?

Russ, you are an idiot....These two reporters specifically address issues of inhumanity around the world and work for Al Gore's Network. They also swear they did not cross the border; the camera man who escaped says they were "seized". Know your facts people, know your facts, or be quiet. Explain to the four year old girl who cries out for her mommy, why she may NEVER come home, that IS tragic and these women put their lives on the line to deliver US the news of what's really happening around the world. However, it is obvious, many do not know, don't care and even when given the news, can't comprehend it properly......

I feel for them and their families but......what are they doing there anyway. I mean come on, play with fire you get burned. Maybe the US should take notice to what happens when you sneak over another countries border. We here send them to work at construction sites and landscapers and can't figure out to stop them from crossing. Try to guess how many people wil try to cross the NK border today knowing what will happen to them......Zero ! Many call it barbaric, and in a way it is. But guess what the crime rate is compared to our lovely jail system.

Call the boys in blue from Strategic Air Command and tell them where the vermin are holed in, they will take them out. Find the sicko father President and his sicko son and put them in a cage so physically close to each other that they will get any respite of peaceful sleep and turn against each other.

I agree with Michael. I've always thought of CNN as a non-biased network, but they can do better than this. This guy gives a very light version of what actually happens in these prisons. Why wouldn't CNN look at the U.S. Congressional Testimony by Ms. Soon Ok Lee, North Korean Escapee who oversaw the accounting for multiple factories. Her account depicts the brutal and grotesque reality of what happens in these "reformation" camps. From the systematic killing of babies and people drowning in "fecal pits", to the rancid living conditions and unbelievable torture methods, stories like hers is what Americans need to hear. I thought after the holocaust we vowed "never again". This country's population is dying because of its selfish government. Can we do nothing?

I know I'll sound like a moron for what my opinion is: I believe that we
( U.S.) has covert-op's going on not only in n.korea,but also in iran,
and a couple other thorn in the U.S. side.Get The female journalist's
out,and as surgical timing at its best,simultaneous "Big,I Mean Big
Preemptive Strike at the Thorn's" The Administration,previous administration,the one before that all dropped the flippin BALL..LETS GET THIS ONE RIGHT!!!!!!!!!

So why is the US looking so weak allowing these two journalists to be imprisoned in Nazi like camps? Come on USA. You have the power to go into North Korea and free all the prisoners. Please drop bunker buster bombs on Kim Jong-il's palaces and end this game.

I am sorry for the girls but let's face it, they looked for it. This was sheer stupidity – I can't believe Al Gore is behind this. We have enough problems in this country and enough to worry about right now, we didn't need this aggravation.

John, you are so right and in addition they allowed themselves to become pawns. I am sorry for their families. I have traveled the world. I do not ASSUME my government will rescue me at all times. I do not take any deliberate risks. I do not travel to areas the government suggests I do not travel to. I try to be aware of local law and customs and follow both. Perhaps the reporters boss should be held accountable if they were on assignment. I donot feel the entire country of the United States can go to war over the risks taken by two people or one company. As heartless as that may sound, that is the reality. To risk the world for the foolishness of two young woman who did not weigh the consequences of their actions would be folly.

while no one dares to threat China, US has been played by North Korea. Poor, scared US leaders, get rid off them...

What you tolerate defines you as much as what you fight and what you cooperate with. We use China for manufacturing labor and North Korea is the direct product of the Southeast Asian political machine. We are no more going to nuke North Korea than throw away our TVs. Not to say both don't deserve it. Now it would be impressive if the US just removed them from the country. Obviously, this would be a forceful military action. The US is not obligated to do this though because these two did decide to mess with North Korea in the first place. So it is not really reasonable to think the US is obligated to rescue the reporters, so, as I say, it would be an impressive gesture if we did do it. At any rate, I think this incident demonstrates the nature of N. Korea and anyone who wants to deal with them should be ready to kill.

People – we need not succumb to these atrocities such as are being perpretated upon Ms. Ling and Ms. Lee. When I was a boy, sitting on my great uncles lap listening to his tales of freeing American soldiers from the the dispicable hands of the Nazis all the while learning the Quran and at the same time surfing in Hawaii, while being persecuted for being a black man, a black muslim educated man, a humble servant to not just America but to the world community, a community seeking to bring this once great nation back up on its feet to stand beside each other in hopes of renewing again ,,,,, scuz me homie ,,,,,, yeah you in the back ,,, I think you dun jumbled up dem two speeches I had and put dem on de same tele-pr-momp-eter ,,,, now we's all dots to starts dis whole ting ober agin

People don't seem to realize that North Korea previously made a a regular habit to kidnap people from countries like Japan and SK for 15-20 years. The fact that they would grab someone just over the border in China can't be too shocking.

Also, China and N. Korea aren't BFFs. China is the closest thing to an ally that NK has, but they aren't really allies. China likes the counterbalance to democratic South korea, but really just doesn't want to have to deal with millions of refugees trying to get into northern China if the North Korean leadership is destabilized. The Chinese don't much like what's going on up there, either.

And if you people will read, Russ apologized in the sixth or seventh comment. As I see it, he realized that he had made a mistake in his first posting.

And to the people throwing around the nuke idea...do you think that South Korea, China, and/or Russia will happily accept the idea of radioactive fallout blowing into their countries along with the refugees?

Wow Phil, you think Korea is an island? Seriously? Are you SERIOUS? Your right to comment has now been revoked. Please dont post here again.

Really people? Are we going to say they don't deserve the US's help because of their job title or the timing of there visits overseas? How can anyone that actually blogged on here say we condemn reporters? We are in fact on a blog in response to a story orchestrated by the very profession some are wiping their hands of and saying, “Oh well, they deserve it”. If that’s the stance you take, then shame on you for viewing the news, shame on you for reading the magazines, and shame on you for reading these articles and replying. That is comparable to saying “Down with Drug Dealers, excuse me while I take a toke”. Give me a break! If this were your child, your grand child, your wife, your sister, then it wouldn’t matter WHO or WHAT they did, you would want the force of God and Armies to reign down on that nation and protect her/them. They are one of us, Americans! They killed no one; they didn’t put any lives in danger other than their own to get “the story” just like those that you log onto CNN everyday to read. They weren’t taking shots of celebrities or some other mind numbing, desensitized subject such as “Who made the most money this year”, or “Worlds Most Beautiful Anorexic Woman”. The US needs to use what’s at their disposal to protect these women, they’re American’s, and they deserve that protection. I’m certain there’s a way to do this while dealing with the Nukes at the same time. Our government is capable of things far reaching our comprehension.

I agree with Kumar about North Korea using these reporters as leverage in the nuclear talks. How far will those talks go?

The key negotiating tool is, what exactly do we have to offer the North Koreans if these two reporters are released. A prisoner exchange? Remove a few sanctions? Plead their case due to a humanitarian cause? Let us build and test nukes and then we'll release the reporters? The North Koreans will break any promise they make and they have proven that in the past.

I have a bad feeling that we will never see those two reporters ever again.

These reporters deserve what they get for snooping in dangerous territory. On the other hand I can just see the Navy Seals doing something to rescue them in short order. Just watch.

did anyone ever think that n korea is lying. the journalists may have not illegally crossed the border at all, or done anything wrong at all. or do we just trust that n korea is telling the truth. they are pretty honest after all, not!!!!

Thses 2 women had no business being in North Korea. The United States should not get involved. It would be very different if they were on ally territory and kidnapped. However, they took it upon themselves to place theirselves in a county that is not accepting of their circumstances. Journalist continue to push the line for a story. When they get caught in these countries they expect to be bailed out by the United States. Why should we put our skilled soldiers in danger of losing their own lives to save these girls that made the choice to be where they are? They knew what they were doing and now have to pay the price.

"Life is hard, it is even harder when you stupid."

Don't feel sorry for these nit-wits.

They wouldn't be there if they didn't do what they did. Period.

But they did and now they must face the consequences. Just like Foreigners must do in the US. Fair is Fair. Did they think this was a sorority prank and the worse that could happen was suspension. It's N. Korea you twit-heads, not University of Sunny Cal.

Before everyone condemns the women for what you feel were unwise decisions, please be aware that these women were working on a story on human trafficking in China, very close to the North Korean border. Its possible, as they have done before, that NK border guards overzealously ventured into China to kidnap the women. We don't know the entire story, and until we do, please reserve your judgments of their judgments.

What you heard from the KCNA is most likely completely false.

You know I'm so sick of hearing about North Korea and their mentally deranged leader. And Gavin your comments are so hateful. You sound that you supported Bush and Cheney. I say for the USA to Nuke that Commie and get it over with. That will also show the rest of the world if you can't make peace then all evil empires will be destroyed.

So sad. I don't think North Korea cares at all about reports of the prison conditions getting disclosed upon their release. I honestly don't think they intend for them to leave the prison alive. Those poor women. Their poor families. My heart aches for them.

Being russ is cold hearted and mean spirited, I assume he is a Republican. What is it about Republicans that they are so cowardly and mean?

How can you people say that this is a just and dignified sentencing? You say that they get what they deserve and should have known better, but we don't even know if they actually entered North Korea. NK is a ruthless nation and if any of you Americans think that two foreign reporters are justly sentenced to 12 years of torture for simply reporting in another country, then you aren't the lucid thinking Americans that you should be. good grief.

The comments here are really deep-type insights, as always. I don't see how I could improve on the wisdom, improve on the wisdom.

Nick Robertson 's report on prison conditions In North Korea is useless and based on hearsay from Kumar. Why CNN could not find Ex Inmates and report their experiences in the prison. Their interviews are lot more credible than Kumar's statements. I am sure CNN can do a better job than this report.

I am confident that our armed forces can and will destroy the current regeime in the DPRK. The reason why, I think, that the US will not go to war w/the DPRK is because Seoul in only 35 miles from the DMZ. Just across the DMZ are approximately 1 million trained psychos w/artillery equipped with biological and chemicle agents pointing south. Seoul would be destroyed, thus displacing c. 10 million resdients.
The best way, I think, is to show N. Korea total isolation and not worry about where they will find energy or food. Korea is very cold in the winter; trust me, I was stationed there for a year. Let the DPRK rely on Kim Il Sung's theroy of juchea (sp?) and let them figure it out. I think you very well may see a groundswell of reform and see the brainwashing reversed if they are completely hungry and freezing to death. It will not be an overnight thing, however. Also keep in mind, hungry soldiers do not fight that well either.
My $.02.

@Suzanne Lee

You fail to realize that the most fervent supporter of despotic regimes in the late 20th and 21st centuries is the United States. As long as they support US interests, then they are are allies. Pinochet, Noriega, and Hussein (before he was no longer useful), all garnered huge US support, and all were tried for war crimes. Even the Khmer Rouge, whom genocided at least a million people, was vindicated by the US government, because of its conflict with Vietnam.

The reason the US terms North Korea and Cuba as "tyrannies" is that they are not our economic allies. The crimes committed by these governments are no greater than those committed by our allies.

These tyrannies will continue to exist, and moreover, be strengthened until US citizens recognize their role in their creation.

People, people, people. I believe that our Lord taught us to have mercy and compassion for everyone. Even if someone has made a mistake in judgement, let's not turn cold hearts to their plight. We must be empathic, compassionate Americans or we are no better than these leaders without hearts and souls.

to Tom Wittmann: First of all, Lee is Korean and Ling is Chinese. Second of all, those are ethnicities, not nationalities. Third, the nationality of both women would be American.

I agree with SS... if these were white journalists, there'd be no hesitation to level with N. Korea.

I feel for the plight of these two women and I hope that for their sake a diplomatic release can be arranged. That said, I question the sensibility of them illegally entering a totalitarian, paranoid and antagonistic nation such as North Korea to conduct investigative journalism (effectively spying as far as this regime is concerned) and not expecting the worst if they got caught. Let's not forget, they knew (or at least should have known) what they were getting into. I also question the morals and judgment of their bosses, who either tacitly or actively endorsed such a plan to begin with. What earth shattering new information could these two possibly have uncovered to make such a risk worthwhile? Some may choose to call this courageous, but I think it was foolhardy.

I can't say that I'm surprised by the ignorance displayed in most of these posts. The government of the DPRK has proven time and time again that they are willing to cross legal borders to take prisoners for their own politcal gain. The journalists knew of the dangers they would face by shedding light on this important issue. We cannot take what the communist dictatorship releases as fact. Remember, this is the same government that claimed their ICBM test successfully put a satellite into orbit when every international space agency has proven that they did not. The poor people of North Korea are given only information that the oppressive government allows them to have. It is part of the North's information warfare strategy. FYI...it has been proven that North Korean information specialists leave pro-DPRK/anti-US remarks on sites like this. They are very crafty propoganda artists.

Anybody who suggests that these women need to be returned to/by the United States are the worst kind of bigots. Who are you to assume that you know better than the government of a soverign country? You assume that the way you were raised is the best way in the entire world. The fact is that these women are now subject to the laws of the lands they decide to visit. The fact that you do not agree or like these laws is your problem, not theirs. The intelligent decision is to stay far far away from places that have laws you do not agree with.

You are all nuttie if you think that WWIII will be started over a couple of women who got imprisioned in North Korea. We can not nuke them (by the way, you kill a lot of innocent children and women) becuase if we Nuke North Korea, China and Russia will respond – they will Nuke the U.S., South Korea or Japan. The Arab nations will have a field day with us taking an extreme action like Nuking another nation and all nations will denounce our actions – seriously, the only way we can Nuke North Korea is if they Nuke Japan or the South – and even then the missles might have to come from China or Russia.

Also, all you republicians stop making this into a Bush – Obama issue. Bush was an idiot – history will show that, so stop looking back and start looking forward – seriously.

The ideal situation would be an extradition agreement with the U.S. in which they could serve the remainder of their sentences in humane conditions....of course the chances of this are slim to none.....

This is the bottom line. You don't go traversing into hostile territory or unknown territory and then expect preferential treatment.

They weren't invited to report on or in china nor on or in north korea by any of those 2 governments officially. So they have no business there.

They get what they get. Stupidity has a high price indeed. and if they felt they were on some higher mission from a higher path serving a higher cause, then 12 years of hard labor should be a small price to pay and pass by quickly.

If they were called Paparatzi instead of Journalists, would any of you feel different? If they truly invaded N. Korea to get a "big story" regardless of the consequences to themselves, their loved ones or their country which now has to deal with their safety, then they commited an act of personal espionage against N. Korea and are being dealt with according to that countries law. Why should they receive special treatment over N. Korean residents just because they broke into the country. Twelve years for espionage is pretty normal I think, even if the espionage was for personal reasons. I don't condone N. Korea's current behaviour with the Nukes and the missiles, but, that and the reporters being tried and sentenced are really are two separate issues and the fact that their prisons are harsh and probably inhumane is actually a third issue.

Also, Kumar was probably not the person to talk to here. His double talk – "This we did not compile over a year or two. We have been investigating it for the last couple of years" – indicates that he is pretty much uniformed about the matter.

It is amazing to me that so many people here would believe North Korea, a horrible communist country that threatens us every day, over our own respected journalists. Look it up, N. Korea has repeatedly kidnapped people from China and claimed they were illegally crossing the border. These are rural parts of China, not blocked off by military. It happens ALL the time.

This WTC survivor applauds the closing of Gitmo. If we can't afford to give our enemies the rights our founders enshrined in our Constitution, then those rights are no longer worth defending.

Seems to me that the real reason people oppose closing Gitmo is that they are afraid to have terrorists locked up in their own back yard. To those people, I say: grow a set. I thought Americans were made of stronger stuff than that. Guess I was wrong.

Is this sad? Yes. Horrible? Yes. Is North Korea held by a government that we find disgusting and inhuman? Yes. But they're a sovereign nation, recognized (if loathed) by the international community- and in fact, we've been technically in a state of war with them since the Korean War started. There was no "peace", only a truce.

So you have two foreign nationals who ID themselves as being from a nation you're at war with, who have crossed your border without permission and are questioning your citizenry. Think about what the good ol' USA would do then. Hint: Take a look at what we did in WWII.

North Korea enslaves and works to death approximately 2 million of it's own citizens every year. Being worked to death (starvation) is one of the "milder" punishments they mete out. These women won't live more than a few months if the sentences are actually imposed. The world has been "Talking" with N/K for 50 years. It was wasting it's time after the first 5. Incenerating the 98% who would die to get their families out? Just as insane as the megalomanic who runs the place. I think the best plan may be South Koreans, many who have family trapped there. And cut off the arms trade, which funds the N/K government. N/K is a huge exporter of weapons and hardware. If the world was serious about "Change" in N/K, a multinational arms trade embargo would be easy to enforce.

Finally, a country who knows how to secure their borders. I bet another American doesn't try to cross their border illegally any time soon. 12 years is a little harsh, however they could have also been shot while crossing. Maybe we could learn a lesson here...

Re russ: "looks good on them. sorry if i seem mean but 2 reporters managed to sneak into my best friends funeral to get pictures and a story because of a bad accident. i have no remorse."

Last year in my city a drunken cement truck driver killed a family of 5 when he ran into them. This particular driver should be drawn and quartered, but I don't think all cement truck drivers are bad. How can you wish this on these two women for the mere fact they're reporters?

Suzanne Lee i agree with you alot of people do deserve to get nuked and that means us so let North Korea drop a nuke whereever you live u idiot, no one deserves to get nuked, i dont care if North Korea, Iran, Libya or anyother country as nukes they have the right to protect their country and not dumb enough to launch a active one to another country cause the know whats going to happen

I agree with the Michael. POOR REPORTING!!!

Remove the dictator? More sanctions? Most powerful military in the world?

All great talk, but the only way to remove a dictator in the way many people are talking is war. Which i can guarantee with not be fought by anyone on this board who actually makes comments like that. People talk a big game but when it comes down to it.. you don't mind going to war again cause its not you or your family who will be killing people and getting killed.

There is a diplomatic solution to this.. just because one has the largest military doesn't give one the right to rain down destruction on anyone for travesties that can be talked through. You can still have a strong hand with a soft touch.

Unfortunately there is no easy solution to this.. more sanctions, especially weapons and weapon technology related blockades could be taken as an act of war, food and energy sanctions would effect hundreds of thousands of people, possible millions. Of course not all of them can be 'innocent', but the vast majority are.. its a toss up, 2 journalists lives for the untold suffering of thousands.. Either way you look at the situation, there are very few good outcomes for both sides. And even then those can only be reached by discussion ( which includes posturing, militarily and economically).

Whoever made the comments about using Nuclear weapons is ridiculous, you would start a nuclear holocaust that would kill millions for two American journalists who knew the risks? Since when did one American life equate to millions of any other country?

Russ, I'm sorry for your loss and experience but it's hardly appropriate to group all journalists into the same package. Suzanne, everyone has allies, if we bomb North Korea then we have issues with China and Russia. We can't use them, nor can anyone else. It makes the world far too unstable. Kevin, you can ask McCain about torture and how far it got the Vietnamese when they tortured him. I believe he gave them a football team's front line when they asked for names of people in his unit. Martini, we aren't completely sure what the circumstances are surrounding their capture. North Korea's government is incredibly volatile and unpredictable. They could have crossed the border and captured Ling and Lee. They are CRAZY!

Note to "Love The Great White North Eh?":

Does your supreme leader Her Majesty the Queen of England (And England Jr...Canada) know you are making posts on foreign news sources and violating her Royal Perogative on Canadian foregin affairs? She may revoke your right to buy maple syrup schnapps at the state liquor store if she finds out.

Why is not surprising that a guy who is subject to a foreign monarch's rule would have such a repressed view on international freedoms and would need to make this an America bashing issue instead of an issue of NK sovereignty vs. freedom of the press. Sad. Everyone tell "Love The Great White North Eh?" how sorry we are for him and tell him it's ok to be Canadian and still not turn every story about American's into an "ignorant Americans" post.

Probably fortunately for these two women, North Korea does everything it can to prevent contact between their citizens and foreigners to prevent their citizens from learning about life outside Korea. In fact, it's a crime for a North Korean, other than those who deal with foreigners as part of their job, to have any contact with them.

So these two women will probably spend their time either in isolation or together, but not with a work gang. Because North Korea will want to trade them for someone or something, they will probably get a reasonable amount of food – maybe even more than the typical North Korean, who is chronically underfed.

And to those idiots who suggest nuking NK, grow up! Regardless of our disagreements with their government, we have no issue with the NK people.

It won't be pleasant or easy, but they are probably better off than the Korean inmates.

Japan was threatening to act militarily if North Korea finishes with its nuclear program (including delivery system). Why not let Japan go with their F-16's when the time comes. Chinese government? Screw them too.

I'm feed up with this "dear leader".

Reading the comments here (and in other articles) is further proof that we as a country need to ensure more dollars are spent (not cut) from education.

Nuke 'em? Bomb them? Are you kidding?

Unfortunately people need to realize that life is not black and white. May seem to some of you that these situations have a simple answer but they don't. You criticize Obama but please note that Bush also could not pull the trigger on North Korea - they were the one country in the AXIS of EVIL that actually had nukes yet Bush spent all his time in the Middle East. Why? Because the North Korea situation is extremely tricky.

You have China (who holds the vast majority of US debt) right above them who would not be happy about an attack on their neighbor/ally. You have South Korea right below them which will undoubtedly be the victim of a conventional or nuclear attack by North Korea if the US attacked North Korea; note the vast majority of intellectual/influential people/companies in South Korea are in Seoul which is throwing distance from North Korea; one attack on Seoul neutralizes all of South Korea. You have Japan which would also take some damage from North Korea flailing if the US were to go in. I'm sorry, but it's not as simple as just bombing them.

And to Mr. Wittman:

Just because they look Asian you throw out a bunch of racist garbage. One of them isn't even Korean. And I believe both were born in the US. Do you even know what you're talking about?

Did they or did they not break N. Koreas laws. If they broke them, then they need to take responsibility for their actions and suffer the penalty. If not, we need to continue to push for their release. A lot of comments are typical liberal comments in "it is not my fault" or the lack of personal responsibility.

Sarge.

at what point were my comments hateful?

you are a true moron. i never once said anything remotely hateful or about "bombing" anyone.

i guess it is hateful to support what bush did by protecting this country by means such as GITMO?

you fail to realize that bush didn't go murder thousands of innocent people...these ruthless, hate filled people MURDERED thousands of innocent americans on 9/11...so you tell me what side you are on?

lets be passionate and "fair" to terrorists who killed innocent people from our nation, and instead trash and hate on our former leader who has prevented another terrorist attack upon our people.

i do not know what i was called "hateful" for by you, but if i am hateful then you are completely twisted and un-american.

that being said, the bottom line is hopefully these women are returned home safely and nothing more comes out of this mess

especially john roberts and his guests have the most credibility on TV today.

NOT.

This is a response to TOM WHITMAN
You are probably one of the more ignorant Americans out there. Did you really say that we shouldn’t consider the two journalists as American? What are you stupid? She’s just a Korean with a US passport?
Do you consider an African American as just an African with a US passport? What about our current President Obama? His father was African. Does that make him an African with a US passport?
I have great pride in being American especially considering the diversity in our society, but hearing ignorant comments like that makes me feel ashamed that we still have people like you in our society. I completely agree that you can have whatever belief that you want, but your comment only shows your ignorance. Whether you are white, black, brown, yellow, green, or blue, I believe that if one is born in the United States and truly believe in our system, they are just as American as you are. So please lets not say ignorant and quasi-racial comments such as “she’s just a Korean with a US passport”.

BY the looks of these girls i think their sentence will be 12 years of on their back labor not much more then that.

Larsen – you are wrong and way off base here! I would agree that we are all subject to the laws of the nations we visit, but these reporters were not in North Korea when they were kidnapped – get your facts straight before you start spewing anti-american trash!

LOL!! yeah i am sure you'd be saying that if you yourself was sent to Gitmo. LOL!!! ok so u want us to just nuke all of north korea and kill millions upon millions of innocent people that have nothing to do with crazy kim jong's decisions. Tell me, if we did that, would we the great U.S. be ANY better then North Korea? Think before you speak, because you sound like a horrible dictator yourself

especially when you dehumanize north koreans,

you sound very sincere and credible.

NOT.

i know you neo-cons at CNN are gonna screen this comment out.

Interesting comments, ranging from far left to far right! My own view is somewhere towards the right along the lines of "Why do we have this almighty military if we don't intend to use it?". As Americans, we have always been somewhat naive thinking that tactics that we would like people to use with us will work with others. Unfortunately, not the case at all! However, maybe Obama and his policy of talking with anyone and everyone about anything and everything will work with the NK's. I doubt it though, and I'm left with concern for the (2) reporters, their families, the direction of US foreign policy and the state of the world my kids are going to have to live in in a future I once thot was allot further off!

It seems like there's a lot of judgment toward these women for entering N. Korea at their own risk, but weren't they actually in China when they were captured? The last I heard there was speculation as to whether they were actually in N. Korea or just NEAR the N. Korean border & NK border guards actually captured them in China. Either way, a "they had it coming to them" attitude seems a little harsh considering the circumstances. If journalists didn't take these kinds of risks there would be a lot of stories and information we would never know about that affect thousands of people's lives and influence positive change.

Reporters are so irresponsible. They invariably put stories and their 15 minutes of fame above common sense...and then expect people to come to their rescue. I'm not condemning them...just saying that when you go to Vegas (or North Korea) you are fully aware that the odds and consequences are not in your favor. You "pay your money and take your chances." I have no more sympathy for reporters who do stupid things than I do for people who "play with fire"...eventually you're going to get burned.

All the civilized world has to do is create an uprising from within to get Kim overthrown. You do that by cutting off all of this god-forsaken food and fuel aid that we give to them (Um, maybe give that aid out to the people at home? That's an idea!). Let's face it-when we donate this stuff, it gets right into the hands of the military. It doesn't even go to the people it is intended for. For if that were the case, then that estimated 2 million people wouldn't havhe starved to death in the 1990's. CUT OFF the aid, the people AND the military will not see this idiot as "a living God" any longer, and then watch him get the Nicolae Ceaucescu treatment one day. Simle as that.

People...The question whether the NK guards came into China to get them or not isnt the question. Why were they over there to begin with...
I personally don't think I will ever travel to the border of China and NK. I would rather cut my wrists and clean them with salt water. I don't care about people getting kidnapped and dragged across ( the story they were after). For that matter I don't care what the hell all those animals do to each other over there,,,,that's half our problem. We need to just live and mind our own business,

all of our founding fathers would be rolling in their graves if they knew what the usa has done in the last 100 years or so. shame on the usa for letting the us citizens down.

Obama and Gore will find a way to blame Bush. America needs to stay out of this issue. If you do the crime, you do the time!!!!! Heh, heh.

It's very simple.

Play with fire – you're gonna get burned

These reporters wanted "the story of their lives" – they got caught.

They knew the consequences – they took the risk – they pay the fine.

Don't bother rescuing them – if they survive – they'll get a great book deal and in the end they'll get "the story of their lives".

I would say to the ruler of Noth Korea that God was not the one who inlicted you in your stroke, but he is the one who helped you out of it. Have mercy on those woman, as God had mercy on you.

To all of you advocates of rights for illegal immigrants here in the US and with the same breath bash this country's policies on that issue, take a look at this. 12 Years for stepping into a country illegally. Here they would have already had medical benefits, their kids enrolled in school and a group of overzealous yahoos defending them. Stop bashing our country, because I am certain that these girls would do anything in the world to be back here now, where they belong! Now it is time for us to act as the World Power we are and get OUR citizens back!

Tom Wittmann,

First of all, not both of them are Korean– only one of the two is.

Second of all, if they're not Americans, then who in the US is? In that sense, no one is "American". We're all just people from other countries that settled in the US. You can't just say someone's not American just because they're from Korea. If she's living in the U.S., working for America, calling herself American, she's also American just like any other Americans in America.

Gee I guess they thought that because the are American they would have some form of immunity if they got caught. Perhaps they thought they were smarter then the goverment of North Korea. One with children and the other with "sever medical issues" entering a crap hole land bordered by two communist countries with their Yanky Doodle Dandy passport and typical American attitude. If I was Kim I would just shoot 'em. If there that stupid a people, I would not want them tainting the other prisioners. They'll probably end up getting themselves killed for yaping and playing stupid headgames with their guards.

Most laws in any western land are made to protect the people from themselves. But if people want to get themselves into deep
Kim-Che, there is no stoping them and why waste the collective resources of others. Let nature takes it's course. Darwin awards for both!

the two "journalists" are guilty as charged and convicted.

they won't be waterboarded, but put to the reeducational process of productive labor,

which they know nothing about

since their training is in for-profit-at-any-cost corporate "journalism".

you people are scary in your ignorance and hate

their country, their rules. everyone on this whole comment board sits back and is smug but has no idea of what a lack of freedom is really like. sorry for these two ladies, but there are people working to get them back.

Wow, these are some of the most moronic comments I have ever read. Definitely underscores why someone with an IQ of 100 (the average by the way) is a blithering idiot.

Those women will more than likely come to some "unfortuanate ending" in prison. To me it sounds like they have some dirt of N Korea. If Obama wasn't a p*ssy he would demand their release but he isn't all he pretended to be. He is far worse than Bush and Clinton. He is soo busy kissing buttes and giving away trillions of dollars he isn't looking out for our citizens. Which is what they are, American citizens befire journalists. They are moms, daughters and sisters and we should be doing more than petting N Korea to get them back. But our wonderful new administration is soo busy they dont have the time to address something of real importance.

God be with these women cause obviously our government wont.

Tom Wittman: Please do not call these women “American”. They are Korean with an US passport, continuimg to be active in Korean politics and a Russ implies, the North can
make a case by somewhat justifying their actions.

Anne: They are not Korean. Laura Ling was born in California. Her family came originally from Taiwan. She's an American citizen by birth. What do you do....just make stuff up? You can't get an American passport unless you can prove you were born here or go through the naturalization process.

Looks like these two little cutie pies are going to get a 12 year taste of reality making small rocks out of the big ones. No more makeup and hair spray. They will keep them separate so they won't see each other for the duration of the sentence. Maybe they'll be shoveling coal in separate coal mines. Poor poor babies.

Paul – I disagree on the basis that North Korea is a Dictatorship and its actions are not representative of its people's desires. We are dealing with a nut job whoes nut job kids are going to be running the country soon. Strategically – we should do nothing but sit back and watch North Korea implode, and trust me, it will implode. Let's see what his new son really wants to do after Kim dies.

Listen folks.....we cannot be the World's police force. Other country's live by their own rules regardless of how wretched and wrong we perceive them to be. But at least we know they exist. These reporters took a foolish chance playingwith fire. Do they deserve what they got when caught? Of course not....at least by OUR standards. But over there they were playing by the insane rules of the North Koreans. Got to be smarter than that. Sorry, but two reporters in their prison should NOT hold our nation hostage in any other political decsion to be made.

A country that has a dictator like N.Korea and his eldest son doesn't want any part of being the next leader – not much more has to be said about the conditions and future of this, so called nation.

If only Chuck Norris were a little younger...

All you can do is hope for the Very best! Thought's a prayer's to all family's involved, "Put in a Good Word!"

It won't be long people. It won't be long. 2012 is just around the corner. God have mercy on all of us...

The two journalist got them selves in a bad situation.
,Why in the world did they evr get that close to The n korean boreder.I am sure South korea must have had a Marker or fence of some kind with a warning no closer to Border than this. They have a no Mans lands at 38th paralel with a safe zone inbetween .I suggest since they werer working for a AL Gore Company let Al junmp on a plane and go get them released. I understan he has accumalted over a hundred million dollars since he has been out of office. that be enought to bribe anybody .It seem I remember a fellow having some of his workers in prison in Iran and he actualy went and got them ,its time for Al gore to step up and let us see what he is made of. { Oh Ya the man was Ross Perot hell of a man

HA HA at people saying Gitmo is a country club. Yeah cause you've been there. Also to the lady and is suggesting to nuke North Korea, as long as you go fight in the war and your kids, then we'll see what your opinion on that is. Safe to say from the safety of your own home.

I'm shocked by the responses on this post. Whatever happened to caring about our fellow human beings? What kind of society have we become? These women do not deserve this, and if any one of us were in this situation we and our families would be quite scared.
I am praying these women come home safe, and I'm praying for our future as United State citizens because it looks bleak.

Some of these comments are so ignorant. Although these women took certain risk, it was with the intention to do some good in this world. These women are REAL reporters, attempting to unveil to the rest of the world what is going on in N. Korea. They are NOT these fake pundits we see on TV. These women do not deserve this. They were brave women to take this risk, and they did so because they believed that they could make a difference.

How it "looks good" on two innocent women to be sentenced to 12 years of hard labour for trying to share the plight of North Korean refugees in China is beyond me. Grow up!

I say we send special units in there and flex some american muscle. A very big and special unti that would not take any names, or take any prisoners.

What this is all really about is North Korea's struggle for national power and identity. North Korea knows that the U.S. has a 'weakness', that is we are humane and we value human lives and rights down to the last.

“North Korea's leaders are calculating that the durability of their grip on power hinges on being recognized as a "de facto nuclear power," said former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. (Washington Post)

...Unfortunately, these two women were detained and have not only been caught-up in the middle, but have increased the complexity of the nuclear escalation by the Communist State of North Korea.

However, few of us will ever know the truth behind what the 'journalists' were actually doing in North Korea.

We have a policy not to 'Bargain' with terrorists. Fundamentally, North Korea is a nation that supports the 'terrorist mentality' and in my opinion would gladly assist any terrorist cell with America in their sights.
Therefore, It is MY opinion, that we let these two journalist rot if need be, and make it clear to both the American public and American Ex-pats, that any American entering North Korea does so at his/her own risk. This leaves North Korea powerless. The notion that the U.S. should concede ANYTHING for these two lives is complete idiocy and irrational.

"Mark Primavera, the comment you made about Mexican and Guatemalan is so rude and inhumane. I am not a mexican or Guatemalan, but they sneak in this country to do jobs that you would not do. Jobs that need to be done so you can survive and live the American dream. No human should be called a garbage. You are moving so far from the topic at hand.

Let us pray for these ladies and their families. WE NEED TO CALL upon JESUS Who we have NEGLECTED OVER THE YEARS.

Nothing is impossible for Almighty God."

urgh, you had me right up until you had to bring jesus and god into the picture.....*shakes head*

To Bill – From Chicago:

if you do some actual reading it wasn't the republicans who turned this blog into a bush/obama, GITMO debate...it was the whining liberals (as in all cases) who started typing up stupid and false comparisons between GITMO and NK labor camps.

and i hope you think bush is a moron, because it is small minded, thick headed people like you who do not appreciate how he kept our nation safe after the most shocking and terrible attack on this nation since pearl harbor

We feed this pathetic nation. That's why they rattle their nuclear sabers every few years. It's to renegotiate their rice contract with us. Just hold back the chow supply line and see how quick they get released.

Holy smokes. A lot of you people have broken moral compasses. A free press is essential to the freedoms all individuals deserve. No state or leader has the moral authority to curtail those freedoms. The US Founders did not invent that idea, they confirmed it.

I'm sorry that so many of you have bad feelings about journalists and I realize, that like all human beings reporters sometimes intrude on moments where one of more of us wish they wouldn't, but try to imagine a world where we don't have any of them.

1) Not clear they were in NK territory
2) No appropriate representation or even American observers allowed at their trial
3) Clearly being used as pawns – might even go so far as to say "hostages"

The US should not allow this kind of abduction of its citizens by another state. Although nukes are clearly not warranted we should go in and get them if we can gather enough intelligence to be able to act. Unfortunately, I doubt Obama has the balls for this kind of decisive action.

I am astonished and appalled by sheer stupidity of many of the comments posted here. It is disgusting that so many "Americans" are willing to *nuke* an entire country because they (rightly or wrongly) are holding 2 Americans in prison. Seriously people, grow up..

I have to agree with some of these people. Don't you sort of have a death wish to go the places like Iran and NK? I mean, they are journalists, not military or doctors providing needed medical care. I do feel for them and pray they are returned but I think US citizens need to stay out of these countries. It is asking for trouble and putting the US in a dangerous situation. Why should we risk a war because some journalists got themselves in prison. And yes, where is their employer, Al Gore? Oh that's right, he has no nuts either.

I once enjoyed surfing really big scary waves and riding my mountain bike at 55 mph along crazy steep cliffs...all of that however was put into perspective and tamed down when I had a child. It's great to say "I did it!" but nothing should be more important than our families. I only hope that these girls felt they were on relatively safe ground, cause if they did indeed push the limits on the NK border; it's just not worth it for a story. That said, I hope for their safe return but this is so much bigger than either of them. I can only imagine what they will be going through and hope it's somehow cut short...not just for them, but for everyone in such a prison. The world is sick.

I wish the families well. But we have to hang tough. No concessions, no trades, period. The only way we will ever break the back of this despicable regime is by a combination of total isolation and active assistance to an insurgency. It's time to upset the apple cart in North Korea and make life unpleasant for these murderers.

What happened to compassion? I cannot believe some of the comments that are presented. We need to support our fellow Americans and help them in any way we can!

Ok people this is the problem we the american people need to stand together and MAKE obama get these girls out we are the most powerful country in the WORLD get rid of the wanna b dictator north korea has been playing bad games for a long time thats it lets do it wipe these F--ers of the face of the map and while were doing that have isrial go take care of iran its a matter of time before it happens so lets get this damn ball rolln DRAFT i say bring it wheres my boots i would jump on that plane anyday AMERICAN GOVERMENT quit trying to be the better man it aint working lets go.........................

Re: In response to Suzanne Lee's comment.
I think the people of South Korea would appreciate our restraint in using a nuclear weapon. Also, China itself would resort to a "tit for tat" as they are both an ally of NK and their proximity to a nuclear blast would be devastating. Nuclear weapons won't solve anything.

If the reporters families actually cared about them they would have stopped them from going there. We aren't living in a safe world and I would warn anyone traveling outside of the U.S. to watch out! If it was my sister, wife, daughter, I would have never let her go.

All the brains in the world these two women probably have but no common sense.

We live in different times since 9/11. All those conventional code of ethics and dealing with captured civilians or journalists treating them with kid gloves is OVER. With Gitmo and the USA behaving in the same rogue manner why would we expect NK to behave other than an aggressive hostile nation would do? Those two women are collateral damage. In this new era.
The wisest thing to do is stay away from hostile countries and these so called new journalist who are new junkies hooked on getting that story need to wise up. You're a fool risking your life trying to get a story that most of the nation will forget in less than a week.
Those 2 women may get out from negotiations but you know NK is setting them up as an example to stay away...the mental torture alone is enough to keep them and their families in a state they'll never forget.

I feel sory for those two poor ladies, even more so for their families, but how irresponsible they were! They could contribute next to nothing toward our understanding and knowledge about NK with that mission they undertook. Instead they put US in an awkward position, for a grain of fame, or whatever they expected to gain from there. They went there voluntarily, and mind you, you here talk m ore about them than about soldiers that die almost every day in Iraq. But that seem to be a boring topic nowdays, isn't it?

well, if they were kidnapped in China...that sucks...and so does China... Its funny though..liberal media now wants hard action..hypocrites..

and @ SS, youre an idiot to think the race of these reporters plays a role in public perception..have fun living with a race card that doesn't work anymore...take a look sweat heart..America ain't white anymore you moron.

Paul:
Technically, we were never at war with North Korea. It was a Police Action. War was never declared.

Where's the satellite map of this prison layout? God help us on some of those comments.

It is time for journalists and humanitarian workers to become more responsible. I know it's your passion "to get the story" but is it worth chasing a story at the cost of 12 years in a N. Korean prison? More importantly the stress it puts on your families and now two countries. I'm not putting blame on these two beautiful people, far from that, I'm ask for sensibilty amongst people like this. I'm from a L.A. but I'm not going to Compton at 1am, it's common sense. Your humanitarian/journalistic efforts provide no service to anyone if your dead or imprisoned as a result, you in turn become the story.

These women have to face the consequences they put themselves in. I hope the US doesn't give up anything to make a deal for them. That would be a waste of upper hand for 2 people who were reckless. Stay out of a country if you're not invited and it's forbidden.

suzanne lee: you are a moron. you are so dumb that i actually took the time out of my day to write these two sentences.

Here is clear reality:

1. Stay out of North Korea because they are wackos. They will kill you for no reason.

2. These women will never see the light of day, they will die in a prison camp and this will be by design of the N. Koreans.

3. Hillary is right, we have to do somethign about Kim Jung Il BEFORE he lights off a nuke. If you think he won't do it, think again. So much for her "No War" promises.

4. N. Koreans are taught to hate America at birth. See the documentary "Inside North Korea". We have an entire generation of haters to deal wtih over there, not an easy task.

5. N. Koreans are destitute and starving while the great leader has taken the money and time to amass the world's largest collection of Daffy Duck memorabilia. Wack-Job.

6. N. Koreans imprision 3 generations of your family if you speak out against the regime or try to leave the country.

7. N. Koreans use their own prisoners for human medical experimentation, just like the Nazis.

Anyone who thinks we can "reason" with the N. Koreans is dead wrong. They respond to force and nothing else. If they had ANY oil at all, Kim Jung Il would already be dead.

Fun huh?

It's important to remember that these women may not have been in N. Korea when they were detained. There are reports that N. Korean guards went across the border into China to kidnap them. If this turns out to be the case, I would have no problem with our military going to get them!!

You all miss the greater issue here- If we choose to attack North Korea, we will have the wrath of China on our shoulders. These reporters made a choice, and a bad one at that. now they have to live with the consequences. We can't use the military to attack N Korea without China's consent. And China sells a lot of goods to N Korea and have always been in their pocket.

People who do not know Sh*t about politics should keep their mouths shut...yea that means you Suzzanne Lee.
What a dumby...yea lets nuke north korea, sounds like a GREAT idea. I'm sure that will go over really really well with the rest of the international community too. And I doubt there will be any type of retaliation either.
N. Korea has already warned that even sanctions will be viewed as an act of war...they are not a joke and we need to take the situation in asia seriously or we may all just end up being nuked ourselves.

I am a Phoenix

Maybe they could become the prison prostitutes and do favors in exchange for better treatment. They could provide oral and anal, and maybe ocassional hand-y work.

This is what they should do in order to survive.

Bummer for them.

There is no way their sentence is not politically related. The sad part about this is China appears to be nothing more than a third rate watch dog in this. China, being a nation we continually see as an ally and a trade partner needs to help apply a little pressure on N Korea for their continued crimes agains humanity. Especially since N Korea is right in their back yard. Should this escalate, I would hope the American government will not utilize another "police action" and work with China and S Korea to finally and permanently dismantle this idiotic little regime. Can you think of one single nation you would consider credible that would treat journalists in this manner or any nation that is worthy of our trust and trade? The N Korean government needs to be erased. Period. God bless the families of the two girls.

Heres a tip: Dont go to North Korea.

Do I have sympathy for idiots climbing over fences in a zoo to be with the lions ? No !!!!!!! 12 years should be about the right length of time to get with the program...........

It is a situation I think should be dealt with a heavier hand; unless of course the US is trying to soften it so the ladies are imprisoned in a soft target.

Reporters as a whole have a job to do demanded by every person who has responded to this article, I believe the risks they take to report all atrocities foreign and domestic are important to keep governments accountable.

My immature side wants the US to send a team in and rescue the women while simultaneously taking out all known and suspected nuke targets.

Hopefully a more peaceful solution comes to play to get our people back in country.

I am having a hard time feeling very sympathetic for these women. The media is constantly trying to push their limits with each story and it looks like it has finally caught up with them.

Russ, you make friends fast!!!

First of all,Thanks Russ for giving me a good laugh when you said you were an idiot who couldn't make comparisons!!
Second of all, these women were reporters taking a risk. Their families said they never intended to go across the border , and if they did so it was a mistake. Have some compassion people! Many great reporters risk their lives to tell the story.

As most of the border between NK and China is the Yalu River, they were either clearly in China or clearly in NK. Two people with them escaped – hence this could be be resolved openly.

To the lady who wants to Nuke NK, we would do that at risk of seeing 1/3 of the population of South Korea die in the next hour. The border of the countries is so close to the population centers of South Korea, they are vulnerable even to conventional artillery.

....did i just read that comment correctly?!? nuke NK?! seriously?! maybe you don't agree with the way President Obama is trying to handle the situation but to suggest that he should nuke NK. while he's at it why doesn't he nuke Iran as well? Where/when does it stop? on your front porch. haven't we learned anything from the past or have we forgotten?

It will be interesting to see how the diplomatic double standard plays out. Foreign nationals incarcerated under dubious conditions. Sounds all to familiar to me.

So, is your prevailing attitude towards many in Gitmo similar to these American journalists?

Don't get me wrong, I'd like to see them released, but don't be surprised if the US gets the same response as it has given in response to those who ended up in Gitmo.

America is bankrupt.......lets go over there and start another war??

we are already fighting 2.....why not a 3rd.....

some of you people need to get rid of the ego and stop flexin your arms....

america is not the police of the world, and can not afford to get into another war.....

you can over there and fight...or send your kids.

not me

Russ, you sound like a total idiot. Also you should look up the definition of "remorse," you're definitely using that word wrong. I think you meant to say sympathy. Either way, you sound like a total idiot.

The 2 women were/are stupid. They got what they deserved. The US should deal with illegal aliens the same way… 12 years of cutting grass or migrant labor for all illegal aliens caught… Now that will be a stimulus….

jay and neal are correct, THEY put themselves in that situation, NOT ANYONE ELSE, THEY did. SO pay the time if you do the crime, which was not not NOT to enter into their territory.

PEOPLE must FOCUS on NUCLEAR WEAPONS, whom do you think they will sell them to. UMM IRAN! how did IRAN get to where they are already.

I feel sorry for the 2 reporters. Does anyone know what really happened? They could have been kidnapped on the Chinese border and brought to the North Korean side to be arrested knowing that they could use them. I would put nothing past the North Korean idiots. If this was happening to anyone else, we would want to be helped. Everyone needs to think about that before casting harsh words against them. We need to pray for them.

Also, God, please bless and keep the girls!

It appears to me that the folks who are running the North Korean government have the mentality of a pre-teen bully. Their actions speak louder than any words they can muster. I'm afraid that once they have the technology to deliver nukes as weapons, they will use this irrational behavior that they so far have been displaying to act without much reason.

" I agree with SS… if these were white journalists, there’d be no hesitation to level with N. Korea." Ah good the race card. I wondered when it would be played. Of course we will thumb our nose at people other than white Americans. Well put moron.

Oh Suzanne how unbelievably naive you are. Despite our egos we are not the most powerful military in the world. China is and that's why we never were able to win the war in Korea or Vietnam. The only reason China hasn't already attacked the US is because we are their number one customer and crucial to their economy being the vast majority of products we buy here are made in China. Get a clue. These people turn on us we are dead. They have a 3 million man military and weapons that could wipe us of the face of the planet. We can't even beat a bunch of camel jockeys hiding under rocks.

"reporters are too nosy for their own good – there are places and things that do not need to be investigated by the media – sorry for the women – but they asked for it"

Oh, really robert? Do you work for the North Korean govt??? I have nothing but respect for these two journalists who went where very few are willing to go tell a story that frankly needs to be told. I, for one, would not take at face value North Korea's version that they had crossed the border. Remember, a few years ago North Korea admitted to kidnaping Japanese citizens to teach in their spy schools.

Think about it–we get to debate among each other about this story. All of these comments on this page, some thoughtful some not so much, all of these would be disallowed in NK.

Go over the border and you get 12 years?! Like wow! We'd have to build thousands of new prisons to hold all the illegals that are coming over our borders. Hmmm . . . small problem.

Understandably, most are concerned about the 2 women's welfare. What astonishes me is all of the calls to nuke the country. How can the pro-nukers express concern for 2 people that certainly bear some responsibility for their predicament, yet show no concern for the more than thousands of innocents that would be killed by a nuke. We can only hope that it doesn't go that far.

Dave- Kevin's comparison with Gitmo isn't 'black and white simplicity'; but rather a fairly valid point that highlights the inconsistency and hypocrisy of many liberal Americans. You protest Gitmo and the Bush administration as if this is the worst thing in the world; call for prosecutions and denounce US 'war crimes' whereas we have a regime in NK that imprisons hundreds of thousands in despicable condition, keeps the rest of its populace in a state of fear and near starvation, and constantly threatens its neighbors – and yet you have nothing constructive to offer about this except platitudes and calls for 'tough sanctions'. How about saving some of that tough talk for Kim? Oh, wait, that would require some backbone.

No one in the US really knows what happened, yet there are a number of you that seem so sure. This is strange to me! The trial was a secret and the outcome unknown outside of NK border. If this was on the up and up, there should have been no problem allowing a neutral, third party to view the court proceedings. Furthermore, even if what NK convicted them of is true, the punishment is highly inappropriate. Think about this – America values journalistic opinion and even encourages it (you are reading and commenting on CNN, afterall) by consuming the content. By eating up the reporting, the public is a partner is sending our journalists into danger. It is unreasonable to dismiss this with a "they did the crime, they should do the time" attitude.

North Korea has a population that is ruled by a dictator. He does not care about the people in his nation except for how they view him. Now What? We certainly cannot attack the country, because the people are not in control ... nor is the military. How does one deal with an insane dictator? Few dictators of his power have existed in recent times. Most have been defeated in war. What does Kim Jong Il have to loose? He's a potential dead man serving in the position of a dictator! ... Maybe we just wait it out and hope his succesor has sanity!

russ, this has nothing to do with you or what happened to you. this is a much bigger issue on a much grander scale, wouldn't you think?

Russ you are true troll... With that being said I understand that these two women were not in N. Korean territory,but were in fact abducted near the border. It far time that China step up to the plate and use their influence to help control N.Korea's antics. We as americans buy every thing from China. China needs to become a responsible and humanitarian citizen with all the wealth they have accumulated out of our pockets. I hope and pray that these journalist make it back to the United States they were very courages in trying to bring us stories of human suffering and now they are the ones who are suffering. The world needs more journalist like these two.

Al Gore would help, but that would mean flying over there, and that means emitting greenhouse gaz, and that's evil, so better let them rot.

sounds like the jails in Maricopa County, Arizona. Sheriff Araipo has tons of incarcerated Mexicans and other people of color who are forced to work in chain gangs in temperatures above 100 degrees, and eat expired meat.

We should focus on releasing the two journalists + reforming the system in the United States.

Good response Dave (and the rest of you liberal do-nothings). Why don't we just roll over, let Obama run his Apology Tour 2009, worry about same-sex marriage, and maybe let China & Russia (who are still NOT our 'friends', as you liberal idiots want us to think) have final say in any and all political moves we make in the future. Oh, lets not forget OPEC...they clearly need to make some foreign policy decisions for us also. Down with Kim Jong-il, before this insane 'little dick-tator" really does something harmful besides sabre rattle. The US has historically never negotiated with terrorists (yes, NK is a terrorist nation), and we should not start now. Where's Ronnie when you need him?

As far as the 2 young ladies are concerned, my condolences to their families. This will not have a happy ending for them. Far more than just 2 have died for the preservation of this great country's morals and edicts.

Journalists shouldn't be imprisoned for doing their job. Yes these girls did something incredibly stupid, but the fact is that they do not deserve 12 years in a North Korean prison for doing what they did.

It was brave prisoners and journalists that have let the world know about previous brutal regimes and other atrocities. North Korea is one of the most evil places on the earth and I do not believe that anyone is defending the imprisonment of these two girls.

This is a sad situation but you do not nuke thousands od innocent people and have thousands of US troops to die for two people who are still alive and were off on their own selfish mission.
This country refuses to raise VA Hospitals to the best standards in teh country. All of you are petty and won't fight your way out of a paper bag. I think all women and men shoudl be made to join the military so you can make an educated decision. For those know the situation, the true circumstances know that this enemy is no Sadam and this will not be an easy kill. And what makes you think China is going to let you nuke them. Nuclear clouds float and can kill millions in neighboring countries.
I see why Obama is president, we need somebody with a brain.

1. Tell China to get on board to assist in a release.
2. Give N. Korea a for-real deadline to release them
3. If #'s 2 & 3 fail, turn that dump into a giant Glow-Ball. Only when/if the nuts running that place think we are serious, will we get serious results.

Gavin – honestly bud, keep telling yourself that it was Bush that kept us safe – he is exactly why we are hated – his swagger alone is enough to make you change the station. They guy needed to be humble and instead he decided to pull out his six iron and "Smoke em out of their holes" Texas style....seriously there are other ways.

I am a big Obama supporter, but I do think he needs to be more demanding about the release of the two reporters – ofcourse, maybe he is....the media is not reporting it.

Guess what? Big mistake not to attack North Korea 15 years ago. Now they have a crude nuclear bomb and eventually they will have the means to deliver them. They will also sell the technology to our enemies. We should pull out of South Korea and let them deal with this huge, huge nightmare.

I say we exchange the reporters for Hillary and Nancy Pelosi that will teach North Korea what torcher really is!!!!

Let's toss in Al Gore too so he can bore them to death!!!

How could this sentence be handed down? Didn't the North Koreans listen to Obama's recent sermon? We're a softer gentler nation now! Golly gee whiz, can't we all just get along and play in the same sandbox? Wake up folks, while it might be comfortable to continue to sit on the sidelines doing nothing, this NK nutcase is building up a nuclear weapons arsenal that will threaten the lives of millions.

Soldiers were raping prisoners in Gitmo – nobody deserves to be treated like animals. We're Americans, we're better than that.

Well, lets think about the whole nuclear option here. Are we the only country with nukes?? NO!!! Ever heard of mutually assured destruction?? We use it... then they use it. Get it?? Can you imagine waking up and learning that Hawaii or Alaska was nuked by N. Korea. Their missiles can reach those places by the way.

These comments blow me away. Honestly, you should be required to pass a critical thinking test before posting. Reminds me of a saying "Better to be thought an idiot than to open up your mouth and prove it". Shame on CNN for posting such an incomplete story, not that 80% of the audience would be able to critically think about a complete one.

Fun Fact:
Humans are the only animal that will follow an unstable leader.

Two things to do:
All willing family members should announce they intend to step accross the line and turn themselves over to the North Korean Govt to share/divide the sentences up and pay off the 12 years buy whatever number that works out to be, but certainly it will be less than the current 1:12 aspect. As silly as this sounds, it creates a situtation where the North Koreans will have to account to the world about status of two families paying them off through Labor. The two woman alone won't make it, so the more the marrier. And it keeps the balance of the North Koreans judicial system focused on just working the penilaty off to satisfy their justice, if you can call it that. Or, don't do that and those two get separated and lost in a system of hellish existence until they succomb to that environment or something else happens to them.
Failing that, then POTUS and Korean President order combined forces to conduct continuous feints along the DMZ causing North Korean forces to over exert their resouces by having to continuously move laterally to adjust combat power to offset Combined Forces Korea manuver threats (not easy to cross those mountainous compartments in large numbers....We'd just Dance them to self destruction.....Keep them moving; Line up in the west, then back off, and line up in the east. That scheme will create internal stresses and deplete their limited resources as they try to weight their defenses...When they point their missles our way then we preempt and hit those locations and other control nodes. Bold action may not go well for the two woman, but they did take the risk and they were well aware of them and their sacrifices could net results that bring down that goolish regime.
Do something Bold President O.....a do not apologize for it... Sometimes you just have to hit the bad guy with his own stick...

At the end of the day the fate of these women depends on the Chinese. The Chinese are extremely frustrated with the North Koreans, and the assumption that the are "friends" is false. The North Koreans have for years been creating fake Chinese currency, and exporting other fake good across the globe. The reason why the Chinese do not take an active role in correcting the North's hostility is because if the country were to collapse even more refugees would enter into China, something that the Chinese are adamant that they do not want to handel. As for the labor camps, I would suggest any who are interested in the ways that the camps are run to read the Aquariums at Pyongyang. This memoir describes that camps and the long and rigrous process that these girls may endure. I do have one comment though about how I believe the outcome for these girls: a release. The girls were specificically abducted by the govenment as a way to recieve fuel or some other type of aid for the failed economy. They were probally tricked by some informant on the Chinese side about the "high-profile" nature of these girl's work and were then seized when they were close to the border. From what I understand the girls did not cross the border, and were probally abducted. The North has done this in the past -look at all the Japanses wives of Kim Jung Ill. The girls will not be hurt, only be forced to do mininal labor and attend some type of "self-correction" meeting. If they were true citizens of the North they would be forced into a camp like Youdok, and probally worked to death. This will not happen though. Again, the key is to engage the Chinese. They have the upper hand in the situation and we must harness their frustrations to get them to force the North to release them. While we can debate about "what" might happen, we must look at the sources and actions the North has done in the past to predict the future. Although the North may seem erratic, they have a definite cyclical way of responding to the world community.

They can keep these two journalists. In my opinion, we have too many journalists in this country and they can be easily replaced by younger more intelligent journalists who would know better not to enter a communist country illegaly. Also, its about time they put women to work doing "hard Labor" I'm so tired of hearing how women get off doing light labot because they are women. If they want equal rights, lets give it to them.

I'm confused. Is America the 'pot' or the 'kettle?'
There are many countries of the world who have criticized our use of capital punishment as cruel and barbaric, yet we keep on using it, much to the delight of many.
Now, North Korea has taken action against two journalists who allegedly entered that country illegally and we are outraged.

But whether we consider the sentencing fair or not, we cannot simply 'nuke them.' How could any reasonable person not regard that as punishment that doesn't fit the crime?

Like it or not, we are going to have to negotiate with the North Koreans
in a peaceable way. Getting into a nuclear pissing contest with them will not help these two women.

People here calling for the nuking of North Korea are just as stupid as the North Korean leadership. First, do you think it's possible to selectively nuke a country's leadership without killing innocent bystanders? Second, where do you think North Korea gets most of their food, fuel and trade from? It's China and Russia. Do you really think they'll stand by and watch while we nuke (or simply invade) a country that they support? Did you know that both of these countries have the ability to strike the US? What if North Korea decided to give their nukes to Al Queda or the Taliban?

The media not reporting something Obama is doing is like the sun not coming up.

He Suzanne Lee nuking people does not solve anything, you are a complete nut case.

I've just got to say something about some of the things I've seen in this comment section. First off, to people who agree with Suzanne Lee (though these are by no means the only comments i take issue with), this kind of attitude is what contributes to the rest of the world thinking of Americans as arrogant bullies. Nuking every country you have a problem with is not the right solution...... ever. You need to stop thinking about a fast easy way out and try to have some kind of broader idea of how the world works. People in this country are too used to short term satisfaction, and it's become so that the population in general won't look at long term solutions/consequences because they want that immediate gratification we're all so used to. So get some perspective before you make inflammatory comments next time.

I'm not so sure that they have entered the country illegally. It seems a little strange to me that anybody would try to do that. I thought this country had guards and a wall. I would like to know more about how they got in. I definitely do not want to take North Korea's word about what happened. They are definitely not a country I trust. Whatever happens, 12 years is a long time to be imprisoned in a country like that and I think the sentence is harsh. Hopefully, their lives will be spared.

Russ is cool, leave him alone!

they are two ladies who were asking for this. they ae getting what they deserve.

Weren't these people working for Al Bore?
Why can't AB just bail them out?

Russ and Ted Whittmen, I feel so sorry for you. I think you are very racist, and I hope God will forgive you and you will have a happy ending.

Mike – I dont agree, but the Giant Glow Ball Remark almost made me fall out of my chair with laughter!

Marine Corps View – I too served in the Corps, and I disagree with making everyone serve – I don't want to trust my life in the hands of someone who does not want to be in that fighting hole with me – Semper Fi!

I have the solution – lets send Blago and his good buddy Senator Burris over there and if they negotiate the release will clear them of all charges, and if the North Koreans take em hostage...so be it....i see that as a Win-Win!

N Korea has been a growing concern. They are further progressing their nuclear powers while our gov sits back and ponders upon the most humane solution. We need less talk and more walk before it becomes an even more serious concern.

The U.S. has to have direct talks with that ol bugger ruling NK and come up with a fair trade up scheme if the feds really want the release of those young ladies. You can't foolishly attack another country for 2 chicks man.

These two idiots entered a country illegally. They got caught. The news is says that one has a 4 year old daughter that needs her Mom. She didn't need her Mom when she was in China and crossed the NK border ILLEGALLY ?? Gimma a Break.!!!!!!

"We should pull out of South Korea and let them deal with this huge, huge nightmare."

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Pulling out of south korea would be a big mistake for the US. Who do you think will be NK's first target once they reach full nuclear capability? You can also bet that osama has a few nukes on pre-order that he can't wait to get his hands on.

North Korea is where we will most likely fight our next war. An unrellenting government that chooses to repeatedly disregard other countries and act in a secretive and militant manner can only be planning to make a big move. We need to be decisive with this leader and nation.

I could only get through a few of these comments before calling it quits. To Russ, Chris and all the other ignorant, ill-informed "commentators"...SHUTUP! You obviously do not understand or have an idea of the inhumane treatment these prisoners suffer, nor do we truely know why/how these women came to be in the position they are in. It does not matter if they are not U.S. born. And to the comments criticizing Obama–honestly? People have to so much to say yet they do so little. What are YOU doing to improve America and our standing with the international community??
I never imagined CNN to be a forum for stupidity.

How about walling the NK from SK? We could call it the Kimchi SooK Walski. The two LL's are going into the zone breaking rocks, should do it to prevent other dumb broads from trespassaing.

Funny reading the comments, a lot of partial truths. I see you all believe in the news media. No we're not going to nuke em, nor do we want to, although I would like too, and a conventional war is not going work because of china. If we do a coventional war with North Korea they will have to start it. But this issue is WAY TOO insignificant. The two people knew exactly what they were doing and gambled. I have spent 22 of my 37 years with the government overseas. I made sure I did not go where I wasnt supposed to be in OTHER PEOPLES countries. You follow thier LAWs. You do not have rights over there. Because of these to idiots, the US may have to make concessions on some issue ( I hope not). I think they should stay 3-4 year and learn how to act in someone else country

These North Korean lunatics should have been dealt with and annihilated during Korean war. Now they have become a real Cancer to the Civilized World.

I say finish them!

owen

Don't be an idiot. Journalism, albeit certainly sometimes done poorly, is a valuable service to society. And to hold two people going into a life threatening labor camp that had nothing to do with your wedding is just ignorant and stupid.

These journalists were probably snatched across the border from China. It's been NK's MO for years to do that, infamously with Japanese nationals in the '70s and '80s, some of whom have only recently been released. There's no way their guide took them onto NK territory.

You people all need to get a life. Sit back and smoke a fatty and enjoy our great country. If you or I chose to sneak into N. Korea, why should it be the U.S. Governments responsibility to save our rears.

These 2 women are heroes in my book. NK starves it's people to the point of stunted growth and retardation. There are concentration camps in NK that can be seen with google earth. These women put thier necks on the line to expose what is happening to these people. More interest in NK means more digging, means more light shed on the human rights violations againts it's people.

Fact: NK is not broke! They get tons of money from China. NK also trades with most of the EU. Real sanctions will only work if the EU and China is on board. They will keep starving the people and building nukes until the money is cut off. If the money is cut off NK will fall and where do the people go? It would be a huge blow to SOuth Korea and China does not want them.

STOP IT – Take the Nuke option off the table already. Those of you advocating the use of tactical or anyother kind of Nuke weapon needs to seriously reflect on your view of humanity and where you fit in.

Again, anyone against sending Blago to North Korea to negotiate peace? He might walk out with a heafty check for his next election along with the keys to Kim Jung Ils scooter....

While I have no doubt that this is a political game and the reporters as so many others are being used as chess pieces, North Korean can not be handled with a big stick. This is about diplomacy, a nations rights to develop themselves and not have the UN step in to place rules on the learning process. By using force or strong words will only make things worse on the prisoners. Fellow American's the one issue that we need to be concerned with is our own stupidity. You can never win any conflict if you do not first respect your opponent. Think before you lift up your big sticks to speak loudly.

They knew the rules;now they have to face what ever the punishment maybe for the n.k government.Its not easy street u.s.a.its real punishment.i do feel sorry for them and their familys. it is a total liveing nightmare.I am so glad it was'nt me

I think what we need to do is give Kim Jung Il and XBOX 360 and the game Command and Conquer – he can conquer and destroy anything and everything he wants to without harming anyone – "run through the sprinklers"!

I wonder what would happen if we called their bluff and did nothing.

Bye bye rake in the chips.

Its pretty simple, really, all these people implyinjg that these ladies "had it coming" are nothing but cowards who hide behind the curtain of "international law" to justify doing nothing during their whole pathetic lives that would risk their comfortable suburbanite existences for anyone. Surely it is possible to see that , though these journalists may not have exercised the proper caution, their cause was noble and their commitment admirable.

As a journalist, I am disgusted at many of the comments listed here. People complain about 3rd rate journalists, but when heroic journalists like these two women risk their lives to report a story you call them careless, stupid and foolhardy. Good journalism is difficult. Maybe you should all be thankful that SOMEONE in the US will give their all to get to the truth and help provide their families with love and encouragement during this difficult time.

North Korea has been asking to be bombed for a long time now. What are we waiting for? It doesn't need to be a full-scale invasion, just a little shelling of government buildings and residences.

there is some great stuff here, that while the situation is not funny in the least, I did laugh out loud at some of these posts.
I tend to agree about reporters–STOP covering countries that are known to be dangerous, that have the world's worst prisons, and certainly if you are a woman stay clear. One of these women has a four year old girl–all I can think is "what was she thinking?" this is not the kind of job you want to be out doing when you have a family.
I cannot even imagine the awful conditions they have already faced for 3 months let alone now a labor camp. Just thinking about it is so upsetting. this is a tough spot, we have US people doing dumb things (like the woman journalist in Iran recently as well) and as a country we want to help them out–but they are making dumb choices. Then we have Gitmo, which is a world wide scandal, but yes, compared to these other countries makes it look like a country club.
Let's get the hell out or Iraq and deal with wacko Iran and NK.
There are millions of people suffering major atrocities all over the world, so the amount of attention this gets is somewhat unbelievable.

Suzanne Lee:

Nuking North Korea means death of millions of innocent civilians. Not caring about that would be yet another example of "sickness in this world" you spoke of.

"Let us pray for these ladies and their families. WE NEED TO CALL upon JESUS Who we have NEGLECTED OVER THE YEARS."

I love how people always go back to Christianity as the solution. Get over yourself. Not all of us belief in the foolishness of religion. Laying around waiting for a prayer to be answered is ridiculous. Actions are stronger than prayers. Quit wasting your time.

waaa, waaaa!!!

Russ- i am sorry that it that happened to you and your friend's family, but you must remember context. These people were trying to report on international human affairs about a country that commits heinous crimes against its citizens.

Mark Primavera?, wonder where your family is originated from with a last name like that, you're an unaimaginable moron!

Dear Lord,

Please help all the those who have responded with hateful, judgemental and ignorant/stupid comments because there sure are a lot of people who have absolutely no clue what happened and are basing all their answers on what they have heard from the media.

Before we judge these ladies, give them the benefit of the doubt that they did not make the decision to sneak into N. Korea on their own. And even if they did, they are American citizens who need to come home. Forgive them and move on.

Amen.

Damn Paul Levy, you took the words right out of my mouth. Suzanne: Can you name the last war that your country fought in (from start to finish) and actually won? Also "so many people need to be nuked these days.." Really? What part of the south and/or midwest are you from? To say that these women got what they deserved is foolish. There are some stories that need to be told regardless of the consequences and in my opinion the starvation and brainwashing of 23 million innocent people is one of them. Its just too bad that the audience is watching reality t.v.

I can't beleive how many people side with the North Koreans. When the story broke months ago, I thought dang, Americans are gonna be pissed and North Korea finally crossed the line. Seeing the reactions online, alot of Americans almost want to see these girls punished, completely disregarding that Korea wont listen to anyone and are testing nukes left and right. Let's not forget, we dont have any information on this situation besides what we are told. What is North Korea came into China and took them after hearing what the girls were reporting on? Does that change anything? As an American, Im getting sick of Americans and its so easy to see why other countries have the hatred for us.Our attitudes.

While it is certainly fine to have dissenting opinions, one would hope that it is unnecessary to make said point through the use of racial slurs. Spelling errors do nothing to bolster it either.

Heinrich, why are you referring to North Koreans as "gooks?"

I agree that they may indeed be considered hostages. One could reasonably apply this label if they were kidnapped from China (as opposed to being apprehended inside NK). At this point we do not know the answer to that question, and no amount of speculation on this board will provide one.

If the US indeed does come to consider them hostages, there can be no negotiation. That has been – and should always be – the US's policy on hostages. To deviate from it one iota would be to put any American traveling abroad at serious risk, as well

From NK's perspective, finding two reporters wandering around inside your country (again, if indeed they were in NK – we don't know) while SK and the US are conducting HUGE joint military maneuvers would be unsettling at best.

And as ALWAYS in such situations, there is absolutely much back-channel work going on. I would not be surprised to find out later that China, Bill Richardson, and Al Gore played a key role.

who cares about a couple race traitors like them? let them rot.

Most of these reader posts are based on the assumption that North Korea is telling the truth when it claims that these reporters crossed illegally into their territory. Based on the history of the rogue regime in North Korea, I think that this is a wrong assumption. North Korea has a history of snatching people illegally from other countries when it suits its needs. What is most likely to have happened is that aggressive North Korean border guards trespassed into China to snatch these reporters. They were acting upon orders of their superiors who found out that two American reporters were very close to the border and working on a story that makes the North Korean government look bad.

after reading some of the idiotic comments i want to puke. i think every red neck in this country crawled out of the sewer. what does gitmo and water boarding have to do with this situation???? because n. korea has probably the most horrific prisons on earth that means that it is alright for us to torture and violate human rights!!!! this a is democracy supposedly founded on moral principals. you morons that look at other governments and say it is ok to violate human rights because it is better than others like PRC and N. KOREA dont have a clue about democracy. your hatred and ignorance makes me sick. then again what do you expect from a bunch of beer guzzling red neck bush groupies. being a journalist is high risk in certain situations and these two have paid the price. they dont deserve the punishment of some kangaroo court in N.KOREA. i have a love-hate relationship with reporters. they have a lot of bad points but they have also done a lot of good things that have changed laws and saved lives. i think the best thing that could happen is they take all of you bush groupies out and water board you for about 15 times, then deny you any legal representation. all of you have a constitutional right to voice your opinion no matter how draconian it may be. that is far more than you idiots are willing to concede to all of us cry baby liberals. if i were to organize all of the remarks of you wonderful right wing zealots together it would sound a lot like many of the remarks made by adolf hitler. please dont go on and on about 911. i am sick and tired about the 911 thing. why dont you ask some iraqi vet that has had their face blown off and then screwed by the bush administration about what they think. ask the viet nam vets alive and dead what they think about agent orange,blue etc-monsanto corp. developed these chemicals and is still in bed with congress. most of you simpletons would know little or nothing about any of this because you have never been in a war situation. i am a viet nam vet 1968 USMC on 70% service related disability. i have seen death and horror beyond your imagination. i had to deal with little red neck scum many times and their outcome was not pleasant. how can any of you condemn the two reporters that were doing nothing more than reporting on N.KOREA. Russ, you by dear friend or full of hatred and bitterness. you might want to seek mental help. i fill sorry for you. i was once full of anger and hate. after spending 6 months in federal prison and 2 years of ptsd group sessions i am making a great deal of progress.

Suzanne Lee- Your comments are not only appalling but frankly dangerous. Where do we as American's get off thinking that we are the rulers of the world? Diplomacy works. The use of nuclear weapons is ludicrous! We are all citizens of the world and have a moral obligation to one another.

America needs to stop trying to run the world. You do a crime in another country, you have to do there time. Don't call home crying and try to have America clean up your mess. I feel bad for those two women, but they should of known better. Every country has it's own laws and we as Americans have to follow them, we may not agree, but We're in THERE "house". America needs to relize that its different out there and other countries do things there way! On that note, America needs to stop being the World's 9-1-1 and start taking care of its own people!

How did we as US citizens become so heartless? Nuke North Korea? Let the reporters suffer? Criticize our President for trying to create peace? I don't get the sense that Obama is apologizing, but if some country came to the US to check for weapons of mass destruction, but didn't find them and then killed 70,000 innocent men, woman and children, I think an apology would be justified – or maybe would could nuke them.

God help us all!

The reporters went looking for trouble and they found it. There should be no negotiations for their release.

I will not become a prisoner in North Korea! You know why? Because I am smart enough to read and know that if I entered their country without permission, I would be tried and sent to prison in North Korea. These 2 ladies rolled the dice and lost. Enough said!

Mr. Obama should apologize to North Korea for our bullying. Since he's already out apologing to everyone else, one more country won't make a big difference. Once we apologize, and grovel hands and knees asking for forgiveness, maybe the journalists will be released on "humanitarian" reasons. North Korea can then look like the good guys and we can take it up the tail pipe which is our new foreign policy these days. We don't want to ruffle any feathers ya know.

"Kevin
June 9th, 2009 12:45 pm ET
And liberals are whining like little cry babies about Gitmo. In the grand universe of world prisions, Gitmo is a country club."
-----------–
Liberals are "whining" about Gitmo because WE are not supposed to act like the North Koreans!

If all liberals are cry babies, then all conservatives are ignorant

For those who say that these reporters should have known what they were getting into when they strayed near NK border... Wait a second and think. Just how were you able to know about the atrocious conditions in NK? Reporters like them got near the harm's way, built rapport with locals and escaped prisoners and personally risked capture like this to get you the story. It is the height of ingratitude that you dismiss these reporters for getting what's coming to them,as you say.

Reading these comments Iam appalled at the lack of compassion for these two women.
As a professional journalist myself I feel for these women. They were in no way trying to invade into North Korea...and to subject these women to scrutiny is ridiculous.
They were doing a job, many of you on this forum have jobs. If this was your mother, sister, aunt cousin or friend you would be outraged. 12 years of hard labor is not a fit punishment

Regardless of these 2 journalists, the time to strike North Korea has come. Letting them build up their nuclear arsenal guarantees a massive nuclear exchange in the near future.

We have to strike right now or it will be too late. Having Obama in office during this is a tragedy of unimaginable size. We need a commander in chief to deal with this and instead we have a celebrity.

Don – I was expecting you to tell all the "Bush Loving Rednecks" that you were going to rip off thier head and S*it down their necks –

I am more of a liberal than a consertative, but there are things that the consertatives believe that I too believe it. I think that it is ignorant to make up ones mind on an issue based on party affiliation without listening to the facts.

Semper Fi bud and thanks for your service – but give your fellow "red neck" americans a break – they are still americans and love this country as much as you do.

Very sorry for the families of the two prisoners. It's a fine line to walk between the right and wrong of this issue.

1 North Korea has a border and NO one should cross it with approval.
2 The punishement does not fit the crime.
3 IF they were illegally in North Korea they should face jail time just as illegals in this country should face jail time.

We always seem to think everyone should be like us and their not. North Korea is not the USA and we should not expect them to treat people the way we do.

It's not that easy, Have you stop for a minute and think what would mean going into war with Nork Korea?

"Journalists" huh is that what we call spies now a days. I think our media is leaving out a big part of the story here. Why the heck would we have journalists sneak into a country?

These two journalists need to be released at once and returned to the USA. North Korea is just using them as a scape goat . I just hope they do the right thing otherwise I think the world needs to boycott this country and give them nothing. Meaning no aid at all to this country. As a whole world we need to take down the communist they are as bad as the Germans and HItler error. Shame on North Korea.

Re: Russ @ 12:42. You obviously have no concept of what journalism is about. They're people doing their jobs and there is absolutely no sane way anyone can compare "sneaking into" a funeral (if that actually happened) and being locked up at hard labor for 12 years for attempting to do a job that involves freedom of speech. If you don't support freedom of speech, I'm sure Kim Jong has a rental incentive to offer ya.

don corpier – switch to decaff

I'll take a page from the President's book, who are we to judge the actions of North Korea? We can't inflict our judgments on the rest of the world. Clearly Obama needs another stop on the apology tour.

Bukkakist: Race traitors? Wtf are you talking about?

Let's get Seal Team Six in there and bring them home!

Russ,

I don't understand why you would post such an insensitive and outright ridiculous comment. Are you that simple that because two reporters pissed you off that you think two other reporters completely unrelated to you and doing investigative work that is actually beneficial and important can be sentenced to 12 years of hard labor, and you "have no remorse about it". I really do hope you're a teenager or younger, because if you aren't I'm afraid its too late for you.

I really do hope that both Euna and Ms Ling will find their freedom soon, I'm sure that given all the publicity this case has been getting, the administration will do its utmost to win their release.

We should all support our fellow Americans and hope for the best. That is all we can and should do.

I believe they will not be released , they will serve their sentence in a North Korean prison. And that they will die there.

At least North Korea gave them a trial. Most in Gitmo never will have one.

i feel sorry for the journalists, their friends/families, and for all of the US citizens. I feel the north koreans keep testing nukes and stuff i think we should use the kidnapping of our journalists as an excuse to lauch a rocket or two their way to get their attention and for them to know the US is NOT going to take this laying down. We need to give them a time frame to release or suffer the conscequences.

And the rest of the world will not find out of their deathes until long after it has happened. If ever.

North Korea needs to wake up and change. They should put the communists in the labor camps and let the people live in peace. They put innocent people in prison for the most moronic reasons. So what the journalists crossed the boarder, 12 years for that come on they are journalists. I think the UN needs to address an emergency meeting and get these two women released. The world can do more and not turn there backs. I guess we are waiting for another world war II!
We need to stop North Korea on everything before they do something terrible. FREE Those journalists.

I would love to hear how many people making the attack N. Korea comments actually served in some type of military environment. Being a veteran myself I can see nothing good coming out of another war with N. Korea.
Nuking? People actually think this is an option? Do you tell your kids to punch another kid in the face for taking his ball at school? People shout and scream to get our troops out of Iraq, but yet have no problem saying nuke those suckers. Do we have any WWII buffs in here? Is the globe not heading down a familiar path? Last question for feedback. Someone made the comment of we are the most powerful country and we are scared of stepping on toes. With what money do you suggest we use when we fight another front?

When we used enhanced interigations on Terrorists, the world screamed. When journalists get sent to jail for 12 years for doing honest reporting the world says nothing. Why are not the Democrats screaming torture. Life in those prisons is torture. It is not like putting a person in a cold room or making him listen to loud noises or water boarding. They die in those prisons in NK. But all the major news folks do not call for the head of N Korea. Very biased news reporting.
Chuck

Way to go Al Gore.Sending two women to North Korea.

An Inconvenient Truth!!

Where are the liberals now, why are they not screaming from the roof tops on what is happening to these women. We have people cross our borders each and every day illegally, the liberals want to make sure they are cared for, treated well, they are provided education, food, health care, etc. Yet they are not up in arms about two American Citizens being treated this way.....Where are our priorties AMERICA, we care more about illegeal immigrants that cross our borders daily oh how they are treated...their RIGHTS, but we do not care about our own citizens, how they are treated, little to no health care, little to no food! HELLO CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST...CAN NOT HEAR YOU!!!

Martini DiWarren June 9th, 2009 12:45 pm ET
If they didn’t know what the consequences were, they’re much stupider than I originally thought they were.

stupider? Is that a new word smart one?

As much as I hate to say this, those journalists did not belong there. They clearly knew what they were doing was "illegal" and dangerous (for their own good) on North Korean grounds. They snuck in and now they got caught. There really is nothing more to it.

We are now spending a ton of resources which could go towards other things trying to save their stupid selves. We should let the current diplomats and UN work to make things better and ease tensions than having these so-called independent journalists try and take matters into their own hands.

They knew is was a hostile country... they should be more careful when they were going in the first place ! What would happen if two North Korean reporters were caught doing same in USA? Then our media would justify their sentencing as spies. Also, nuclear talk is ridiculous… who are we to talk about nuclear tests? It would be the same as if A-Rod was criticizing rookies who just tried steroids for the first time. It’s a joke! Aren’t we the only country in the world that used A-bombs to smash two cities and kill thousands civilians and mess up generations with radiation?

To the commenter that these two sneaked into the country, they did not according to the news – they were kidnapped on the Chinese border and brought into North Korea. And to the commenter saying that we should use nukes, this person obviously has no comprehension of the fact that you can't set off nukes and leave the devastation to where the bomb was dropped – fallout would go into the atmosphere and spread about the world as well as the fact that once nukes are dropped that land area is uninhabitable for a very long time. These bombs are not like the ones dropped in 1945, they are hundreds if not thousands of time stronger – I honestly cannot believe how stupid some people are, idiots who advocate genocide

you people that are saying obama is dumb for trying to make peace with countries ppl like Bush couldnt are STUPID. nuking em isnt gonna solve crap, besides have more countries want to attack us.

I guess North Korea should have country club prisons like here
in the states since we have a low rate of crime

I am of the belief that once you leave the USA borders, you are on your own... It is dangerous in these other countries. If you go there, you are taking a risk... That said, a better solution would be to just go get the girls. Let things die down a bit and then send in some delta force guys to get them out. That would really piss off NK when they realize that the girls are gone..

I'm betting they were on the Chinese side of the border when they were captured by North Korean Military.

I think Russ' point is that reporters will cross the line all to often for a story, which is why he has no empathy for them...

These reporters took a risk, they knew the conscequences, they got caught and are now facing them music. Similar to when I get caught DUI.

I think it's good that the U.S. is working for their release, but I don't think everyone should automatically feel remorse for the reporters, or even contempt for NK. After all this isn't the first time NK has punished foreign reporters for snooping around.

FYI, the U.S. does the same thing. They lock illegal immigrants up for years before eventually deporting them, if they're lucky.

I think it is time for North Korea to own up to the issues and release these two journalists.

I agree, I'm so sick and tired of Obama trying to make friends with every dictator. Being the President of the United States is more than making PR appearances. What has he really done, other than dump taxpayer money into a horrible stimulus package, put a 30-something, with no experience, in charge of the GM bailout, and make numerous appearances on Letterman and Leno and all the other night talk shows? Oh yea, he tried to make friends with dictators and terrorist leaders. He even made a college basketball NCAA bracket! I'm sorry, but stop basking in your own victory and do your job, or find someone who will.

Nuking another country is stupid, the only reason we made nukes was to deter the USSR, the cold war is over guys...just send in a couple thousand M1A2 tanks and park a couple carriers off their coast and we'll see what happens Whoever said that the US military is weak is stupid, just because we get tied up in fighting insurgency doesn't mean that we are weak, it means that we care. That dictatorship should've been taken down, and we should be there to make sure that another one doesn't come up to fill the void. We can blow up every village and town in the middle east using conventional weapons, but we don't. It's not our fault if the populace is too ignorant to fight for their own freedom.

I feel sorry for the reporters and the trouble that THEY got THEMSELVES into. However, I don't feel that the US should sacrifice national security to help out a couple of reporters who got themselves into trouble. Just like soldiers, they knew the risks when they signed up. They also knew the risks when entering a hostile country, with little to no human rights, and partook in actions that would obviously make that country angry with them. Sorry, you're on your own.

I do feel sorry for these women BUT I must wonder why did they go close or cross into North Korea. This is not a country like France where they think its okay to go into the country and make a report. Americans need to be wise and stop trying to follow a story. Sometimes we believe we are above the law to get a story. If they were successful and their report came out how would it change the price of tea in the market tomorrow. Most countries know about North Korea and how their government is we dont need a story. Americans need to mind their business. Like I said I feel sorry for them and I dont think 12yrs is a fair punished. Should they receive a punishment Yes. We have to understand different countries have different laws and we cant think that because we have a "blue" passport we are above others. Some people say they are american citizens and they need to come home what about the people in Gitmo they are citizens of other countries and need to be in their home countries. WHY isnt that the case ?

I have heard that they were on the Chineese side of the boarder and not on the North Korean side. No way of knowing for sure, but let's say that they were on the Chineese side – then we are dealing with the illegal kidnapping of two American Citizens – it is no different than soldiers comming into the US and taking 2 of our citizens into custody.

Sad thing is that if we entered their country and took two of their own, we would be providing them with better care than their own country – food, medical, education, TV and way more freedom than they enjoy today. They might beg for it if they only knew what they were missing!

The situation with North Korea is very delicate because of it's proximity to South Korea and Japan, both of which are our allies and important trading partners. North Korea's actions are insane, which means that we must be very careful about how we deal with them to avoid setting off a war in a region critical to the US.

Caveman mentality is not going work in this day and age.

I believe they were abducted in Chinese territory by N Korean agents

they'll never put them in the real NKOR gulags, they don't even speak korean. They will be in solitary confinement in Kim IL Jong's basement for other types of punishment

Suzanne Lee, that is the most idiotic comment I have ever read in my life.

Well at least if we decide to go to war with North Korea, it's for a legitimate reason (We know they have nukes and American prisoners) unlike Iraq. Has anyone figured out why we're wasting resources in Iraq yet?

Don Corpier , did you have half your brian blown off in Nam? I was a LRRP, 3yrs there.... and you don't understand the issue...NK believes we are at war with them. These prisoners, in the eyes of the NK leadership, are POWs. While its a sad case, they understood the consequences...just like I did everytime I went were I wasn't supposed to ...

By attacking " rednecks" you are no better. Seek higher ground in an arguement and you may win. But hey, youre a Marine, what can I expect.

Hi tim, we have better Nukes now.
(not as much fallout....More "tactical".

Don't get me wrong, not endorcing Nuclear confrintation,
But I was bought up believing America doesn't run from aggression.
Besides, i don't think America will need to use a nuke to set N Korea on a path of peace, this can be done with conventional bombs.

I cannot believe some of the comments I just read, it's truly sickening. It's people like you that cause me to feel ashamed of my countrymen.

I spent last summer traveling through Europe. Half my time was spent dispelling American stereotypes, not because they are untrue but because they are not representative of me and those I associate with.

America was supposedly founded on the belief that all men were created equal, and all have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Or did some of you miss that day of elementary school? IMMIGRANTS MADE THIS COUNTRY – sooner or later this country's racist/bigots/rednecks/etc. will have to face that fact...although I did hope Obama's election would provide some support to this. You can't blame him for America's terrible people coming out of the woodwork, only for trying to dispel them.

I'm proud of my country for attempting diplomacy in such an instance. It shows we are self aware, level headed, and truly take care of our own – an excellent message to send to the world right now. I can understand the precedent some are worried about North Korean negotiations setting, but I believe it is time to tell the world we are willing to talk, while unwilling to be pushed.

As for those of you that still hate everyone who's not a white christian, I'll save you the trouble of developing a sound and original argument to my comments. I'm Jewish, a democratic and an east coast city dweller. What an evil misguided person I must be

I can't believe all the closed-minded, hateful, violent remarks regarding wishes to drop a nuclear weapon on another country–or even start a war with another country when our resources are spread so thin as it is.

I don't think that killing millions in fiery genocide is going to solve the world's problems, guys. Take a glance at history–it's never worked before.

I agree with:
Bill – From Chicago ..... solution – lets send Blago and his good buddy Senator Burris over there and if they negotiate the release will clear them of all charges, and if the North Koreans take em hostage…so be it….i see that as a Win-Win!
BUT only if they also take what was said by rjn ..... we exchange the reporters for Hillary and Nancy Pelosi that will teach North Korea what torcher really is!!!!Let’s toss in Al Gore too so he can bore them to death!!!
As sad as it is the two women cannot risk a world to rescue them. As unfair as it may be – as illegal we may judge the acts of NK to be there is much more at risk than the life of two women who miscalculated.

oh and BTW, they weren't found in somewhere in the bushes, lost, asking for directions back to China...they were at a North Korean Village, with cameras and voice recorders. one of the villagers probably ratted them out in exchange for some pork chops!

Sorry, but I have no sympathy for these women. They knew the risks and accepted them. This reminds me of the Singapore incident when the guy was caned for the grafity. If you don't place yourself in a situation you won't have to deal with it.

Suzanne Lee, you Madame scare me! Use nukes because we are the big kid on the block. I'm no dove and fully support force where and when needed but the might makes right ideal has never worked for me. Casual statements about who we should nukecome to easily- I really wish people understood what the statement means and what unleashing nukes could do on a large scale. Sure we could nuke the heck out of North Korea, but do you think China whose Army out numbers us 10-1 and who also has nukes will be happy about it. And surely women locked up will be freed by your ploy–freed by nuclear fire.

My first question is why on earth did these journalists go there? They knew the consequences of getting caught. It’s their own fault and stupidity. Because of the idiocy of these two journalists, the government will have to worry besides all other important challenges that we currently face. Although I do sympathize with these journalists, this stupidity and ignorance provides a lesson that if you sit on a burning stove, your ass is going to burn. Don’t blame the stove, you idiots.

Am I the only one who doesn't care about this whole situation. In my opinion these two ladies broke the law and will now pay that price. (It's a sad story for sure but it's one that plays out everyday and we don't care about those people.)

Unless of course you want the united state to meddle in the affairs of another country and be the worlds policeman. It was my understanding that we don't do that anymore.... I could be wrong of course

They knew this is a hostile country, they should be more careful when they were going in the first place ! What would happen if two North Korean reporters were caught doing same in USA? Then our media would justify their sentencing as spies.... no problem. Also, this nuclear talk is ridiculous… who are we to talk about nuclear tests? It would be the same as if A-Rod was criticizing rookies who just tried steroids. It’s a JOKE! Aren’t we the only country in the world that used A-bombs to smash two cities and kill thousands civilians and mess up generations with radiation?

Bill From Chicago:

look my friend, these people, the terrorists, have had an inherent hate for our country and our values for decades now.

the hatred was there long before bush buddy, so don't blame him for it.

think about what you just said for a minute...that george w. bush is the reason we are hated by islamic terrorists and he is the reason why 9/11 occurred. i'm also guessing it was GWB's fault for the WTC bombing in the 90's too...

honestly, regardless who you support or how you think GWB was as a president, to say that he is the reason why we are hated by Islamic fundamentalists and terrorists is not only absurd, but ENTIRELY FALSE.

I too think it VERY sad for the comments on this blog. First of all...no one knows at this time exactly where these women were. So I find it very unfair to judge. Second, I'm not a journalist and probably neither are most ppl on this blog. So I don't think we understand the compassion one has for getting stories and letting the world in on what really goes on in other parts of the country. We have helped many causes in this world by journalists doing what these women were doing. I'm sure the families of these women were scared but proud of what they were trying to accomplish as I hope we would all be with our family and friends. Shame on all of you for being so negative, mean, and so uncaring. I think it really tells as to the ppl you all really are. And THAT is pretty scary!

I'm impressed by the number of comments this latest Korean incident has generated. There is so little written on the psychological and cultural make up of the North Koreans, but I came across a most recently published book on the Korean War entitled I HEAR NO BUGLES. It was written by an American infantry sergeant who commanded an all Asian assault platoon during the first year of that war. The author's lucid descriptions on the sheer savagery of the NK gives us all a clearer insight on the insane brutality that these two hapless reporters will be facing. Their story-and I HEAR NO BUGLES, would make a great movie, but like most uncomfortable truths they would have a limited audience.

After reading the aboveand in particular A. Louise, perhaps NK will read these and release them. Knowing some of the above vote is by far a harsher penalty....

Oh yea, and about economic sanctions...don't any of you remember why Japan really attacked Pearl Harbor? It's because of OUR economic sanctions which cut off their oil supplies, which led to them initiating a war of aggression to capture countries that can provide them with oil. What do you think will happen if we instill economic sanctions that will cripple NK economy/military? They'll throw a temper-tantrum, cry it out and then say they're sorry? Quit acting like you know everything, because obviously you don't.

Let's get something straight – these two American Journalists could never get a fair trial in North Korea – also, the alleged crime does not fit the punishment. It is like saying FOX news is fair and balanced and actually believing it – come on people. Really, fair trial, Really?

They should be let go yesterday....

Too political for me..

I think its all just a propaganda hoax for Kim Jong Il to use as a bargaining tool. Im sure they will be released the same way the girl in Iran was.. I wish them luck!

Wow... the comments on these boards really bring out the bias, vitriol and short-sighted un-intelligence from people.

1 – Western journalists have no protection going into hostile environments... particularly when they are in a country illegally. I have compasion for these 2 young ladies, but they knew the circumstance when they went in there.

2 – I'm already OVER the idiot right wingers trying to blame Obama for everything. You had the previous 8 years to screw everything up and did a wonderful job at that. Now SHUT UP.

3 – If you are a proponent of using nuclear weaponry against entire cultures without fear of reprisals from the international community, you are an idiot. Not to mention the toll on our environment. Go see the movie Wall-E. Yes, it's meant for children, but there is an underlying message that even narrow-minded adults should be able to understand. Our world is fragile as is the human race. Respect it.

I feel badly for these journalists, but our country can not continue to try to fill the role of world police. It is that, ultimately, that will bring the empire that is the USA to an end eventually. And that's sad because our freedoms and civil liberties will crumble as part of the process.

Good point Don...all those beer dinking idiots....Bush caused all these problems....he sent those poor reporters over there....he developed the swine flu.....he started the viet nam war....he cancelled Married with Children....hate, hate hate!
Don....you said Russ is full of hatred...better take another look in the mirror, sounds like you have a problem with beer drinking, Texas hedges?!?!?!

I think that the political games being played by North Korea is rediculous on all counts. They are "pushing their limits" to see how far the U.S. will allow them to go ...We tell them not to test missiles and the do, We ask for the freedom of these 2 journalists, they give them 12 years hard labor – I for one believe in America – If they are going to continue to be defiant to the the international team...then why don't we just level the place? Yes, innocent people's lives will be lost, but that is all apart of life when it goes to war. I don't feel that giving these 2 gals 12 years is justice for war, but the intentional defiance they have continued to show is. Take care of business and stop messin around...Keep waiting and it'll be US that they surprise , instead of the other way around.

I don't care wich side of the border these two American Citizens were on. 12 Years ??????????
North Korea couldn't be sending us and the rest of the world a clearer message. It is obvious that if tentions werent what they are right now that these two girls would have received a much lighter sentence (probably deportation) .

Norht Korea intends to use them as a bargaining chip in a bid to reduce sanctions.

If I remember correctly, the border where these reporters were arrested is very debatable. I think NK is going to use this capture to its maximum benefit which means getting some type of concession from the US.

What really needs to happen is for China to step in and set them straight. The US can't do it without NK losing face.

For all those wishing we'd nuke them are idiots. Do you really think it would end there?

NK's economy is in the crapper. They don't even have enough food to feed their population without outside help. If we continue to further embargo NK, they might not have a choice but to go on the offensive.

And starting a bombing campaign won't help either. They have hundreds (if not thousands) of artillery pointed at South Korea. They'd probably level Seoul before the whole conflct even got off the ground. If you think the economy is bad now, think about what would happen if a conflict started.

And did you forget that we're already fighting two fronts? If we open a third, where do you think we're gonig to get all these troops from? Will you be volunteering? Let's see how much you want the US to start a conflict once they draft your ass and throw you on the front lines.

Let's hope the Dictator's son is not as crazy as his father.

The comments on this story are the price we pay to live in a free country, the time I and all other veterans spent in the Army is the price we paid to defend freedom of speech. It is too bad that these reporters got caught while doing their chosen bit to enlighten the world about the North Koreans. I hope that our government can resolve this issue sooner rather than later. In the meantime while I don't agree with "Russ" and others, it is their right to voice their views. It is the hardest thing in the world to defend someone's right to free speech when you don't agree with it. But that is exactly what free speech is about.

Don't you worry, our crack leaders are on the case. Both Clinton and Obama have stated they won't stand for this. Of course they sed the same thing about N Korea regarding missle and nuke tests with absolutly ZERO action.

I am in good hands with my Washinton leaders.

I AM being sarcastic.

KOREA! – this country is the one that doesn't have any oil, but is certainly more deserving of military intervention that those oil-rich clowns in the Middle East.

Russ, Suzanne, Martin, and Tom Wittman are all racist. Would they say those comments if the reporters were white female. Annette, you redeem Latina's from some negative comments among Latinos. They are still alive so there should be no condolences.

As I read this, it is very easy to tell which ones are written by the Democrats. Why are all of you so angry? I was surprised at the rude, denigrating, hateful remarks posted here. Most posts couldn't seem to complete their comments without name calling. Where are the Democrats I used to be so proud of?

As a registered Democrat, who voted for Obama, I can't remember the last time I was this disappointed in someone I voted for. Bush certainly didn't win any awards for his foreign policies and has strained world relations. However, now that Obama has returned from his "Apology to the World" tour, I think we can safely say he hasn't done anything to mend those fences; nor has he done anything to help the economy. Anyone who thinks 8 years of President Bush harmed the economy, might want to take a close look at what 4 1/2 months of Obama has done.

I guess my only choice now is to denounce both parties and become an independent.

Gavin,

Though I do appreciate your very intellegent and well stated response to my remarks about Bush being the reson for all the hatred....you made me realize that I was wrong – what I should have said was that he in no way did anything to help build respect for our values across the globe – he was like the fuel on the fire.....but enough about him!

This is about the two journalists – do we at least agree that they should be freed?

Nuking North Korea as was suggested by some of these less than educated commenters is ridiculous. Most of the people in North Korea are innocents who fear for their life. If anyone were to speak out against government policy, they would find themselves in a Hard Labor Camp, as well.

Who is to know if these 2 women were even in NK, Kim Il boneheads record of kidnapping and abductions speaks for itself. I feel for their families and Euna's little daughter. Military action is the easiest thing to think of but it will condemn south korea, they are in a bad place. I want more help from the Chinese and Russians: after all they helped create this bastard. 5 years after WWII, helping the chinese get rid of the japs and creating the 2nd front russia so desperately needed to defeat hitler on the motherland, this is how they repaid us. The Korean conflict, been paying for it since 1950. What a joke, that is the UN for you, where are they now? Lets see if the new administration has the guts to play hardball and get his hands dirty.

First off, Lisa Ling is an American Born Chinese, not Korean. To the ignorant person who posted that she is Korean.

>>The lack of empathy on this blog is unfortunate…

On a human level, of course I feel sorry for anyone locked up in NK and their families.

But on a purely logical level, what they did was not only a danger to themselves, but also partly selfish. The US had been trying to advance diplomacy in bringing down the NK regime and it was working. Now thanks to these two, the US (and the world) is set back many steps. Basically, these two handed KJI an ace card when he was runnin gout of cards.

This was not an unfortunate accident. If I chose to go near NK to do an expose and I was kidnapped, or to Iraq and landed on a mine; I really wouldn't expect anyone to feel sorry for me.

Why isn't Al doing anything? Because he's got no moral fortitude, that's why. Some years ago, I remember employees of Ross Perot were similarly captured. Now, Mr. Perot knew how to obtain the freedom of HIS employees. Unfortunately, Mr. Gore is still trying to figure out what to do with his "lock box". We'll soon see if the CinC has the fortitude to do what's necessary.

"Ok ok ..Kim Jong Il here's your million barrels of oil, thousand tons of rice, 2 bottles of Chivas, and Bring It On 2 dvd. Now send em back."
"And you two ladies, when you're hocking your backgrounds on the $22,000 per event speaker circuit, post-pulitzer, remember to give back to the country that covered your loss when you played a game you thought existed called heads-I-win-tails-you-mean-I-can-actually-lose?."

Most of you guys are all ignorant and have no idea about North Korea's foreign policy (Juch) or human rights (ie: suggesting we annihilate thousands of people over the actions of a regime they have no say in).

Almost all of you people are under the impression that these 2 young woman should serve the 12 years in prison...It is almost a definite possiblity that they will DIE before the 12 years is up!! I'm sorry but their crime does not equal death while imprisoned. Add to the fact that (as already stated above numerous times) that not ALL the facts are known. The truth is we can all speculate and theorize until the the cows come home but until we get all of the facts (which may never happen) then we have no right to judge anyone.

i hope the States do something about these two women...maybe it was all a mistake, if they didn't know the territory very well and they were into thier work and got caught on the wrong side big deal...let them come home where they belong..They have served the U.S. now let the U.S. serve them..Get these women home!!!!

And I beg to differ, "pt." No matter how tough or resilient you think you are, 12 years of hard labor straying to close to a border would rub you the wrong way. Easy to talk when you've never risked your life for anything.

Nuking North Korea isn't an option. I served 40 months on the Island of Okinawa and have many friends there. My wife's family is there as well. When we consider attacking North Korea, we must think of our allies who live in the neighborhood. Okinawa is minutes away from that Idiot in North Korea as the missle flies. I wish North Korea was an isolated small island somewhere so we could just sink it and be done with it. Kim Jong sicko will get his in the end.

China could end this in 5 minutes. NK gets everything from the Chinese. The good news though is that China holds our debt and does not want to see us attacked.

Don't worry I'm sure that our president will use every diplomatic option available and talk, threaten and negotiate for twelve years when he will finally win their release. This will be proof that diplomacy works! Oh, I forgot, he will also be sure to apologize for all of the evil things the US has done to North Korea.

Bill,

100% agreed with you that they should be freed.

Unfortunately though, we are dealing with a maniac on the level of Castro, Stalin, Hitler, etc...so I have a feeling its not going to be a simple and happy ending solution

Assuming these two journalists did cross the border illegally I believe that they took a risk and we aware of what could happen. I do think that a federal investigation should be done. If it is determined that the journalists were not inside the Korean border illegally something should be done. With all of the nuclear tensions with Korea I have one word and its not sanctions.....Korea right now is laughing at our sanctions......I think we should do a total blockade. Dont let anything in or out.

People, we still have no idea whether these journalists were even IN North Korea when they apprehended. DPRK soldiers have in the past crossed into China to arrest photographers on the Chinese side of the border.

Plus, these reporters weren't even investigation the DPRK regime- their story was on human, specifically women, trafficking. These women aren't ambulance chasers or political provocateurs, as some commenters seem to think.

All of you who think that they shouldn't have been over there at all ... do you not care about the truth? Do you not care about what is happening in other countries? Who do you expect to learn the truth from if not from journalists?

Maybe if the news you read is about Brittney Spears' latest thong or whatever Paris Hilton is doing today YOU don't care about the truth. I for one am glad that someone is willing to dedicate themselves to something bigger and more important.

I love how people criticize Obama for not condoning torture by saying that North Korea is really bad too. As if "Because North Korean prisons do bad things so America can and should too". How moronic an argument is that? As intellectuals, you lose by default.

To WOW,

Give me a break, "10-1"- the army of china has nukes.

No. 1) Do not be frieghtened of the chinese, I think in the case of North Korea threatening nuclear attack, we can count on the Chinese and the Russians for help in dealing with these guys.

No 2) Just so you know, the chinese have a limited asenal and couldn't hit nevada on clear day.

No3) Lets say the army did out number us 10-1, they still have to cross the pacific ocean. Mighty hard to do when it is glowing in the dark.

We can all criticize, complain, and offer up all kinds of solutions. But, if we were the family of these 2 journalists, or we were the ones in charge, I'm certain that it wouldn't be half as easy to solve as we'd like to think. I would never want my children in harm's way because of a nuclear holocaust that we started. Let's face it, there is nothing that's easy about solving this situation with the North Korean government. They are the devil's problem. I'd like to stay to hell away from them and keep with our allies that feel the same as we do. Strength in numbers! In the meantime, I hope the 2 women are freed. That's the humane thing to consider in all of this.

I like the fact that no one notices over the years that when nukes are tested that there are earthquakes that happen 2 days to 1 week after, hmmm push rock and it has to go somewhere........

North Korea's taking of journalist as hostages, regardless of nation of origin, is ominous. However , the level of thoughfulness reflected by some of the above comments is even more of a concern. The suggested use of nuclear weapons is insane. Blaming the hostages is simply perverse reasoning. The less the U.S. says and does as a nation, the more responsibility will, by necessity, be assumed by Japan, South Korea, China, and perhaps Russia. They have much more to lose/gain by the actions of North Korea.

Please this fully:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KNN/is_35/ai_n8563325/?tag=content;col1

"Revisiting the Korean: tree-trimming incident"

RUSS: You don't seem mean, just idiotic.

In reply to Suzanne Lee, if we go around and just start nuking every country we want when will we be next. Do you even know how many countries have nukes? By the time we launched our first bomb we would be next. And that's not even the biggest issue that we all should have a problem with, what about the everlasting effects on the people of the nation we nuke and the innocents that would suffer and die for the sins of their government. You make Americans sound ignorant and conceded. You really should reconsider your words before you speak.

We better do something (america) about this before its too late!
No good can come out of this

homy don't play dat'

Thank you to all my fellow level headed Americans who responded to the hateful, shortsighted, and ignorant comments made by others, who I won't name.
Our respect for the rights of all is what sets civilized people from sociopathic barbarians like Kim Jong-Il.
Maybe the attention focused on Gitmo and Korean prisons will encourage us to look at our domestic prison system and it's rampant violence, gang warfare, rape and other attrocities.

These two women deserve what they got. What makes them think that just because they think they are journalists that they can break laws for the sake of a story. I will pray that god keeps them from harm, but they desrve what they got. As far as North Korea is concerned, just let them know that any act of aggression on their part and their country would be wiped from the face of the earth. In reality we dont have a politician alive who has the balls to do what it takes to win a war or stomp out terroism. Of course the USA as a whole is not saint either, just look at our moral decay, low ethics, and corrupt big business.

Air Strike! Nuff said.

To Mark Primavera:

People like you make me sick! You call other people "garbage"??? If I am not mistaken, European immigrants poured into America because noone wanted them in Europe or because they wanted a better life for their families. So you deny those people the same possibilities your ancestors demanded for their families (unfortunately, including you)? Also, those people work for a living (a bare living) by cutting grass but they do not take away the land of the people who lived here first (go to a reservation and learn, stupid).

To the issue: Yes, I believe the two ladies are stupid since it is known that NK is not a friendly country and one has access to some information about the living standards there; therefore, they played knowingly with fire and got burned. I believe the US will have to pay a hefty price for their release which the government sholuld demand back from the two journalists in one form or the other (there was no need to expose yourself to this risk).

Again, Mark Primavera, you make me sick!!!

Al Gore should go over there and bring these women back home. I'm sure he can pay off Jong Il with the millions he made on his global warming tour. C'mon Al – flex those muscles!!

Come on people, this is a classic political strategy between the U.S. and a dictator. Neither journalist will ever place one foot in their secretive prisons. They will be treated well until, through some political or economic incentive, our government manages to get them out. We just have to give them time and have to play their game. I'm sure they'll be out in less than 5 months.

Wow. This is crazy.

Opening Argument seems to be that they were actually in DPRK. I will humbly change my views if that is different. While we should encourage other states to respect the freedoms we hold dear (freedom of the press included), those young ladies may have to suffer the consequences for thier actions: "You pays your money, you takes your chances," as the saying goes. That is why SECSTATE is talking to the Koreans, to encourage respect for a free press, but the reporters may have a long 12 years ahead of them.

Why is GITMO mentioned here? Yes, it is significantly more humane than any DPRK prison. No we are not torturing people there (BTW, waterboarding is not torture. It isn't pleasant, but not torture. If it's so bad, where's the outrage been for the past 20 odd years we've been using it on our own troops for training?) The folks held at GITMO were found pointing a gun at us in foreign countries. As far as I know, Non US citizens waging war against the good ol' US of A while overseas isn't something you can be tried for in US courts. So we treat them like we would a POW, even though they are not uniformed troops of a foreign country, so they are not POW's. Hence the "Enemy Combatants" label.

Truthfully, I don't even know why I'm wasting my time writing on a message board. All of the comments are so filled with uninformed rhetoric where there is no actual dialog. Just schpewing comments into cyberspace. I guess I should find something more productive to do at work than try to read news articles...

Russ, you need to separate the two events.

The two reporters who have been sentenced to hard labor in NK, deserve our sympathy and our help.

The other reporters you mentioned did a reprehensible thing to your friend but their actions do not make all reporters comparably guilty.

The guy being interviewed says we supposedly don'tknow that much about what goes on inside the NK prisions.

Not true. Former prisoners and even former guarcds have testified before the US Congress and have told their stories extensively elsewhere.

Paste these links into your browser:

http://www.dailynk.com/english/sub_list.php?cataId=nk02800

http://www.dailynk.com/english/sub_list.php?cataId=nk02600

I just need to clarify that this is NORTH KOREA, and not SOUTH. Second, I feel bad for the journalists and their families for going through this. However, why go there if they know how risky it is to cross the boarder? Don't they realize that NORTH KOREA is messed up and desperate for attention?

Tom: "I am of the belief that once you leave the USA borders, you are on your own". Congratulations! You have officially destined yourself (albeit with a little help from American propaganda) to be ignorant for the rest of your life! I'll wager that you come from many generations of passport-less rednecks. And "send in some Delta force"? Are you 12 years old? Please send me your "infiltration" plan. I'll make sure it gets to the proper authorities and possibly director Michael Bay.
Wesley: I believe you are missing the point. Perhaps several points. The first is that in North Korea the majority of inmates are imprisoned for "atrocious crimes" such as stealing food to feed their starving families or being caught in possession of a cellular phone. And in regards to you "country club" comment, the U.S. has some harsh prisons and it has some "mellow" prisons but you should understand that it has little to no affect on the surrounding crime rate. Take a look at foreign prison systems vs crime rates. With the exception of authoritarian regimes, most countries with lower crime rates also have relatively hospitable prisons.

i feel great shame in america that the only way people would care about this if it were to white journalists. just when i think ignorance might be waning, something like this happens and i get to read classic idiotic remarks.

What's amazing to me here is that there are alot of people that are trying to impose the American freedoms on the whole world. Everyone in the world does not have the freedom of speech! Although I'm glad I have it, I don't think everyone should. I actually sometimes wish we didn't. I'm sick of hearing the crap coming out of the mouths of stupid people. Most of them are "journalists" who think that it's their God given duty to tell everyone about everything. They believe they should be able to go anywhere & do anything in order to get this info. 12 years isn't enough...

This website censored/omitted my first post.

It was a post in favor of giving the North Korean Governement what they want, War.

I am tired of waking up everymorning and listening to their rhetoric.
Lets hit them before they hit us.

Let's get our girls back.

So many opinions out there on those who made harsh and ignorant comments. But thats what makes thw world go round. Its a balance in life. U.S. cannot go to war with N.K., people you forget that China and them are buddies. And regardless of the fact, they will back them up. We have much history with china as well, and losing them would mean that we lose trade among other things as well with them. There are a lot of countries that do not like us. Imagine a WWIII. I believe we would lose. What we have Japan, a small country, South Korea... who else... Some countries would not want to join the war. A lot is at stake, I feel for these women and my heart goes out to them always. And those who still think we are not the most powerful country in the world... guess again. We may be in recession, but we are very powerful. And regardless of the situation... the U.S. is a great place to live. And those of you who down on your own country who fought for your freedom.... leave why stay in a place you don't like!!

Dan McLean:

America is doing "bad" things to TERRORISTS...men who have murdered or hope to murder innocent people out of shear hatred...

most of the people in these north korean labor prisons are innocent people who maybe spoke out against the regime, took part in a minor crime, or like these two women who illegally crossed the border...

the crimes of the people in these labor prisons is no way close to the TERRORISTS at GITMO.

i love it how some people still, even after reading numerous posts on this blog, cannot get that simple fact through their heads

We should send a representative to march right over the border into North Korea alone and demand the immediate release of those women!

Rush Limbaugh would be perfect.

The North Korea should should them on camera and make an example out of them. They have no business going into a country without permission.

i dont think the north koreans will seperate the issue and as long as the us try to keep it seperate there will be no release. I hate to say it but I would not be supprised if the girls do not make it our alive. It is sad to say and dont really want to think about it but with the way North Korea has been acting lately I think the will try and make US jump thru a lot of hoops and in the end do nothing to release the girls alive

The sentence for illegal entry into the USA can be up to 10 years in a federal prison. Not hard labor...and not in a North Korean prison. Does the crime fit the punishment. No. Is there a precedent here in the US...yes..to an extent. Are they being used as pawns in a larger political situation? of course...but to what extent.
Who has the answers? No one. Who knows what "Dear" leader is thinking if he is at all at this point? No one but him..and possibly his appointeted/annointed posible successor...another more virulent version of Kim...his son. Who by the way also was in another country under an assumed name to obtain the education necessary to become the next in a succesion of dictoators in this country who has technically been at war with S.Korea since the 50's. It's 2009. They have been at war since about '53...approx 56 years. When will that end. When was the last war in this world other than the 100 year war that has been allowed to go on for this long by a world community that supposedly prizes peace and prosperity?
Please support these two reporters and all like them that were performing in the service of the 4th estate to effect a change that is beneficial to the world..not just one or two people.

You know, maybe we are too paranoid about what China and Russia will do should we take military action against the North Koreans.

They have done nothing to intervene thus far – even when NK detonates Nukes underground, they do nothing – maybe it is time to do a little testing of our own here. I say their Yellow – let's find out!

Nuke option off the table, but maybe a little Army Ranger / Marine Recon or Navy Seal mission is in order – I would love to read the paper and see those headlines – stick it right up North Korea, Russia and China's backsides.........hummmmmmm So much for my liberal agenda, time for action baby!

do you think ANYONE deserve what goes on in these prisons? (except the people who perform these atrocities..)
http://www.hrnk.org/hiddengulag/part3.html

They got what they deserved. Pompous Americans always thinking they can go into another country and do as they please. It's not like they were heading to downtown Dallas to do a story, they knew what they were getting into when they flew into a communist nation and then breached the borders of a very reclusive communist regime. North Korea did not go into China and kidnap these two ladies; they obviously crossed the border being overzealous.

Reading over these comments, there seems to be a large amount of ignorance, sadly. "Bombing" or "nuking" N.Korea is definately not the answer. There are hundreds of thousands of people being held there against their will, in camps that can be compared to Jewish concentration camps. Also, killing N.Korea's citizens is not the answer- they are all basically brain washed into worshipping Kim Jong Il's regime. It's sad, and I've seen it first hand. I've visited the DPRK once.
Royce

I am a long time immigrant who is always amazed at the paranoia expressed when things like this happen. Suddenly its dangerous everywhere other than the US. Its ironical that when I first came here I was warned by my countrymen about crime/gun related activities to watch out for in the US since their own experiences werent happy ones. Sure enough I was mugged in NYC in the early 90's. So in many countries there are 'safe' and 'unsafe' zones and unlike many eastern countries guns are freely owned and easily obtained under the constitution in this country and not always to defend.
Korea however is a rogue nation and cant be compared to most other countries.
Regarding the journalists – yes they should have known better than to wander so far but its done. Now a solution has to be worked out and taking a cowboy atitude when the ruler of the country is a madman with one finger on a nuke or biological weapons that can blow up the world in seconds or destroy livelihoods (many countries depend on farming and livestock for survival), bringing devastation and major health issues (remember chernobyl?) for generations in many countries for years to come is not the answer.
And where exactly would you aim the bombs you want to drop? What about north Koreans who are suffering already? Should we just ignore their misery? Have we not already made the world a more dangerous place with our foreign policy and actions?
my thoughts and prayers are with the families of these 2 journalists at this very difficult time.

I don't agree with all the people who said to nuke NK, they can also nuke us and that would just be udder destruction.

Could we send the Gitmo Terrorists to the Work Camps in North Korea – we would pay them for the use of their services and their facilities – we would kill two birds with a single stone here.....

We would solve our Gitmo delimma and at the same time, forge a friendship with Kim Jung IL – the great leader.

Sure, nuke North Korea and wipe out South Korea in the process from the fallout and really piss off the Chinese with their nuclear arsenal. Real, real smart.

Sorry – correction – meant to say North korea is a rogue nation.

I agree completely with Michael. CNN has certain amount of leverage and influence over politics by sharing accurate information about this event. CNN has been known to focus heavily on humanitarian issues. Have they become so corporate or ignorant to the hideous and devilish conditions of North Korea? A large majority of their own population is living poverty. average height of North Koreans v. South Koreans (same culture of people) is nearly half a foot due to malnutrition. Thousands of children have cataracts and remain untreated due to an elitist-only medical community – and even that's third world! If Kim Jong Il is willing to brainwash and treat his own people in a notorious and sadistic manner, imagine what happens when he calls up Ju-che philosophy on American reporters. the internet and other investigations are replete with labor or concentration camp. I'm sorry, this interview failed to accomplish its intended goal because of journalistic ignorance. This situation in North Korea is not one you can treat like a serial thriller and keep viewers in suspense. these are Americans and the one news source that has championed this type of event has accomplished nil in term of educationing the masses on North Korean horror.

Mr. Man: Before making asinine comments online, you might want to open up that dust covered grammar text and look into what constitutes a complete sentence. That way you don't reveal what an illiterate moron you are before we ultimately make that conclusion early on as we read your drivel. Better yet, instead of embarrassing yourself online, you need to give the US military your address and an exact time when you anticipate being home so they can drop a tiny tactical warhead right down on your pointed little noggin. We citizens of the United States don't really need any more unappreciative and uninformed enemies than we already have. What a waste of fresh air you are.

Mark...those unfortunate people who are so miserable that they find it necessary to swim across a river or sneak under a fence to get into the U.S. are not garbage. You just happen to have been lucky enough to have been born here. How about a little compassion.

Your comments are becoming boring.

I want Russ back!

Bombing NK is not the answer. Why don't we go in like we did in Iraq and over throw this tool like they did in Team America, F#^*# YEA!!!

No but really, these journalists knew that they were treading in dangerous waters, and elected to push thru with their journalistic opportunities. How they were picked up or where, is now a moot point. They are being held, so sad. There are bigger issues at hand here, and unfortunately, women are pawns everyday all over the world. Stay in your own country and don't tresspass into your neighbors. I have rosey colored glasses and Ricky Martin is HAWT.

This is my favorite response to these types of situations: "well, they shouldn't have been there in the first place. Americans need to learn to stay in Ah-mer-i-ca. Everyone knows this is the best country in the world, why would you ever want to leave?!?!"

I am absolutely positive these responses come from people without passports. Probably never even been outside of their own county. Boy, if no American journalists ever went abroad to do investigative reporting we would have to depend on (gasp) foreigners for all our world news! How much more isolated can we get?

>Micah McCartney
>Easy to talk when you’ve never risked your life for anything.

First, thank you for the personal attack against an opinion. Secondly, excellent reading comprehension skills you have there.

You know nothing about what I have done for a living. I'm an RN and have volunteered my services in Africa, SE Asia, not to mention other dangerous areas. Put myself in many dangerous situations.

When did I say anything me being resilient? I simply said if I took a known risk, and got into a bad situation like they did, it is no accident. I'm also not denying these women were courageous. In fact, I fully admit they are very brave.

Doesn't change the fact that it was extremely bad judgment on their part to be even near the NK border doing an expose. It's not like Ling hasn't done exposes on China as well. The end result is now everything the world had been doing to bring down the NK regime is set back.

This highlights American ignorance. North Korea is a sovereign country, no matter wether it is right or wrong they can do anything they want in their own country to whomever they want to. American rules do not apply in other countries. International rules only apply if you agree to follow them. These reporters should have know about this before putting themselves into their current situation. Did they think North Korea would not jump at the opportunity to sieze and use them? I hope they come out ok, but its like taking a walk into the wrong neighborhood, you shouldn't be touched but how stupid are you for going in there.

Also another fact about American ignorace. As a former member of the Armed Services that was trained in rescue operations. The government has absolutely no obligation to rescue any American citizen from any country unless the government actually put them in that situation (ie military, contractor, embassy staff etc). If you put yourself into the situation you have get yourself out of the situation. We should cut off any and all trade and aid until they are released, but not start a war over it either.

In Cheney's world we should have invaded North Korea and many other soverign nations a long time ago, but we have not. Why is that?

I will tell you why: No oil!

And why is oil so important to Cheney and pals? Because the idea was to be kings of the world following a catastrophic pole shift they were warned about. But they were tricked into invading Iraq early.

Why are people comparing Gitmo to this situation? It does not matter how nice the prisoners have it at Gitmo, they are being held by America without representation! The 2 journalists in North Korea did not use good judgment by entering the country, however how would we know what is happening in North Korea if journalists did not risk their lives to tell the story? We need to hope that something can be worked out so they are released and deported back to the United States. My thoughts are with them and their families. It is also time for America to stand up once and for all to North Korea as the sanctions we have imposed on this country do not hurt the government but the people of this country. It is also time for American troops to finally leave South Korea so we can close this chapter in history and save tax dollars.

I have read all the posts and have attempted to satisfy everyone with this reccomendation: let's roundup all politicians, illegal aliens and emepty GITMO and out prisons send all of them to NK in exchange for the two journalists. In addition send all KFC, and McD so we can get rid of fat from our diets and improve our health. The NKs can use some fat in their diets. Any other suggestions. I perfer this to sending nukes.

serves them right

What everyone is forgetting is that they broke the law! We have no problem imprisoning people here in the United States for what our law defines as a crime, which can be vastly different from what another country does.

In North Korea if 2 idiots "snuck" (debatable) into the country and get caught, it is a crime. They knew it was a crime when they went in. But because they are US citizens, all you idiot liberal human rights activists think we need to make this a national issue? They broke the law, no difference than the US detaining people here.

Personally, I feel N. Korea should be eliminated from the face of the earth for threatening the US again today, by saying they would launch nukes if threatened, and for continuing their testing of long range missiles.

Bottom line: You break the law, you pay the consequences, this should not be a white house problem. If we want to go flexing our muscles over something, how about the long range nukes they are testing, that according to Secretary Gates; "we have a high chance of being able to knock out of the sky". A “high chance” is not good enough for me... Let's pick fights over weapons that can end the world.. Not two journalists.

@Me

Do you even know what "international law" is? There's a thing called "international human rights law" and North Korea breaks it every second of every day of every year.

@Everyone disrespecting journalists, especially Chris

Do you understand the irony of your telling people not to risk their lives to bring you the news when you're on a website whose reporters do that very thing? And has done so for the past 30 years? So Edward R. Murrow in London during the Blitz or Dan Rather in Afghanistan or Anderson Cooper in Iraq shouldn't have risked their lives to exercise their rights under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution? And for what reason should they have just stayed home? It's bizarre how many people who proclaim their pride in the United States, a pride I too share, at the same time brazenly neglect to respect its most sacred founding principles.

I feel that we must approach this situation in a strictly diplomatic manner (no nukes) since these reporters must have known about the possible consequences from their actions. This may unfortunately include letting the prisoners serve their 10 year sentence.

We must regain trust and respect from the international community as a world leader that follows proper protocol even if it involves dealing with a nation with a mentally challenged leader.

Does a journalist/reporter's pass/ID give you the right to enter any country illegally?

The punishment of 12 yrs' hard labor is harsh but consider it lenient since the two were accused of spying & harming the PRK. They could face the death penalty too.

On the political front, the only language KJI understands is military force. Remember that when the US went into Iraq, KJI diappeared for a few weeks because he was concerned that PRK was in line for an invasion & one of those playing cards had his picture on it.

KJI received all the aids from South Korea & Japan, then continued (secretly) with his neuclear ambitions. When will the free world, particularly US learn?

How many people on this site who said "just nuke them" can find North Korea on a map?
I'd like all of you who said that to find some historical footage of the bombing of Hiroshima during World War II. Look at what that did to the people, innocent pawns like most of us here.

It's the powers-that-be (such as Kim Jong II) that create these issues – bring back political assassinations!!

(Now, if you just said "Yeah, right!" and didn't notice the tongue planted firmly in my cheek, then we're in deeper trouble in this country than I thought!)

You know, sooner or later China is going to get tired of this puppet regime flaunting weaponry to the world. If I was in the "inside" of North Korean politics, I'd be more worried that China would crush the country like a bothersome roach than I would about the Western governments.

I believe America should do whatever it takes to free those journalists ASAP! I only hope they regret risking their lives and the sorrow they are causing their families for their stupidity. North Korea is no place for North Koreans let alone Americans.

Hate to break it to you Suzanne Lee, but we are NOT the most powerful country! You can thank the president that just moved out for that!

Regardless of their guilt or innocence, they both knew the risks they were taking. I seriously question how a young woman could make a priority of spending time around the North Korean/China border more important than caring for her children at home. She set her priority and is now suffering the consequences...good luck to both of them.

its hard for me not to believe that these two journalists were not kidnapped by the north koreans when they strayed too close to the border...the north korean government has been know to conduct incursions into south korea and kidnap their citizens..tiny submarines have been captured by the south koreans and south korean citizens have given accounts about being kidnapped...not sure why this seems so far fetched for such a secretive governement

It's hard to lose to reporters.......in fact it's usually bloody well impossible – but once in a while you get lucky. Think of the books they can write if they get out alive. Sorry but you can't build national policy around 2 idiots sneaking around for a story.

Mystery solved. For a first-hand account of North Korea's prison camps, read "Aquariums of Pyongyang: Ten Years in the North Korean Gulag." Written by a defector from North Korea, Mr. Chol-Hwan Kang. He also speaks about those who wish to silence or kill people like him. He now lives in South Korea and continues to be brave in his opposition to North Korea.

I do feel sorry for the families of these two Americans, but they shouldn't have been trying to get into a country illegally. There's a right and wrong way of doing things and these girls chose the wrong way. Now they are being punished.

Kimmy boy in N.Korea is as bad as Hithler so...what is your country waiting to nuke the little bastard ??

Have a good day

Bob

Well thought comments are already posted here. Many people are waiting for help this very minute for good reasons. i personally would'nt waste anytime for those who cross the country illegally in to the land of Dictatorship. I think US should take aid of China and Japan if they are interested in this matter. Ofcourse i know little of international political issues. Ofcourse i personally cant comment on nuclear issues, its like i ask my kid not to buy adult magazines if bought some of them already. You know iam taking about nukes. Well Power rules and can dictate the terms. So why not now instead of making this a world drama.

Hopefully this series of posts is not representative of our society at large . . . scary!

Finely, a country that knows how to handle Illegal Aliens!
We can learn a lesson from this America!

Both of those girls should of thought twice before doing what they did. Now they have to pay the price...Life sucks..lession learned..

Well it is a tragedy for sure, but the curcumstances of their capture/abduction is not clear. Ans as far as N Korea using them as leverage will probably happen because we all know that the liberals will want the US to capitualate to the N Koreans. As far as the military option, not an option because it will destabilize a economic power (S Korea) and the instability would spread world wide economicaly(China- US) and in the end what G-20 nation would want to have the current economic situation made worse . In the case of military vs military the 1.4 million man North Korean army vs the 700,000 South Korean army plus the 28,000 US army garrision. It would be long and bloody and the US is in no position to support a 2 1/2 front war. Nor has the support of the citizens at home because the Dems and Liberals run the show now....

You cannot expect to travel to other countries and be protected by US law. Anyone remember Michael Fay, the American teen who was caught vandalizing cars in Singapore?? He cried for the US to bail him out but it failed. He was sentenced to four months in jail, a $2,200 fine - and six strokes of the cane. I agree with this. It's their country with their laws.
Also, a while back, Israel and Hezbollah fighting broke out in Lebanon. Hundreds of VACATIONING Americans were rescued from Beruit. Why would you vacation in Beruit?!?!?!? The State Dept. Issued warnings about travel to Lebanon six months before fighting broke out. You get what you deserve when you travel to hostile areas. These two ladies lived in China and broke North Korean law when they crossed the border illegally.

Umm, i don't think the US should do anything to "save" these two people. I think they need to serve their sentence according to North Korean Law. I mean come on, why should we ask for early release for any prisoners, there is enough law breakers in this world as it is.

Russ, are you kidding me? You had a bad experience with two reporters, and because of that, these two completely unrelated women deserve 12 years in a North Korean prison? Because they're also journalists?

I know if I were in those girls place, I would be praying hard for someone to come and get me. They must have been motivated to go somewhere so dangerous. Who pays them, and how much for a story like that, and of course the recognition that would go with a story like that from that country. That would motivate some people to go beyond safety first. I hope they get to come home, and I think their laws there are exactly what they are-communist ! But we cannot just go to war over this, we have to think of the many others that would suffer. Trust me NK will come up with something they want real bad to exchange these women for. When they come home, they should be set free, since they will have already endured inhuman treatment. We need pray for our leaders to make the right decision, and let this be a lesson to us all that inhumane treatment of others, is really terrible when it hits you at home. And Heinrich, I wonder just what you are. You will stand before the God that made us all and answer for that mean spirited remark. I will pray for you and all like you. God Bless America.

As a journalist, I feel for these women. Also, I admire them for getting involved and taking the risk to bring attention to their story. Remember, you can't get a good story without some risk. And also this: no one ever deserves to be imprisoned in a labor camp for crossing a border. The only border crossed in this case is a humanitarian one.
Hopefully they will be released soon, and because of their hardship more attention than they ever dreamed will be given to North Korea's humanitarian issues.

People have to realize that yes maybe the US could destroy North Korea with air strikes and yes they could put a blockade on the country and try to cut off all power and food and such – but what about the repercusions that would come from doing this – do you not believe that they would fire off their missles and start a nuclear war? Or send out small commando groups to strike at the US? And what about the people of North Korea who have no say in their goverment – should they be punished and destroyed just because a few crazy men are controlling their country. It is to bad that these girls got caught up in this political mess – but like a lot of you have expressed they must have know the consequenses of their actions and we have no right to judge the law of the land – if people from other counties tried to come over and say that the laws that we have created were wrong I am sure you all would be the first ones to object. I am not saying I know what is the right course of action – but any course should be well thought out and we should understand the repercusions of any action that may be taken to save these to girls!

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