mistersandman: (SHAME)
[personal profile] mistersandman
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is probably more embarrassed than anyone to learn of North Korean leader Kim Jong Il’s unexpected visit to China Thursday.
On a visit to the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, Carter had an itinerary that included a meeting and dinner with the North’s No. 2 man Kim Yong Nam. Carter arrived at Sunan Airport in Pyongyang Wednesday afternoon.

Kim Kye Kwan, the North’s chief negotiator to the six-party nuclear talks, received Carter at the airport and accompanied Kim Yong Nam at the dinner held at Baekhwawon State Guest House.

The North’s official news media said Carter did not have the chance to meet Kim Jong Il. The North Korean leader went to China on an exclusive train that crossed the Chinese border on his previous China visits, and will probably return in about a week.

Because of this, it was deemed virtually impossible for Carter to meet Kim Jong Il.

The main purpose of the former U.S. president’s visit was to gain the release of the detained American Aijalon Mahli Gomes. Carter, however, also spoke of a “grand vision” of bringing Pyongyang back to the negotiating table and tackling the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and regional peace through a meeting with Kim Jong Il.

Given the situation, Carter might very well feel embarrassed and disappointed.

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Making fun of Jimmy Carter is about as funny as making fun of Dan Quayle nowadays, but I think it is in rather poor taste for Jimmy Carter to oversee a hostage's return to the United States from an antagonistic country, all things considered.

Whenever North Korea and China's relationship gets brought up, I feel bad for China.  North Korea is like the best friend China had in elementary school who grew up to be the creepiest kid in town and is sort of embarrassing now that China has friends that don't talk about their dead cat collection at parties.
mistersandman: (Default)
[personal profile] mistersandman

One of the most important events in the United States' history went unnoticed and uncelebrated last week. I of course speak of the CIA's coup that ousted Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh on August 19, 1953. Last year, Sam Sasan Shoamanesh of MIT wrote a fantastic in-depth look at the event and the implications it had on these two great countries. I recommend that everyone read it, but since it is rather long, I will post choice excerpts beneath the cut.  It's still going to be a really long post, just so you've been warned.

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I really hope you take the time to read the entire article.  And then, if you're feeling adventurous, you may want to take a look at Stephen Kinzer's All the Shah's Men, which documents the event from a more personal perspective.  Anyway, I hope you think of this story the next time you turn on the news and someone is talking about the evil, repressive nation of Iran.

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