[OPE] A British conservative criticizes Bill Clinton's trip to North Korea

A British conservative journalist seems to have lost the plot altogether:

To the court of King Kim
By Christopher Caldwell
Published: August 7 2009 19:56 | Last updated: August 7 2009 19:56

(...) Negotiating the release of hostages from a hostile foreign power is
the sort of mission for which government money - and no other - should be
used. What ought to worry the public is not waste but the prospect of
government business being done outside channels of government
accountability. It should not be easier for America's enemies to figure out
where US power lies than it is for US citizens. (...) After Mr Clinton's
visit, the North Korean government said that Mr Clinton had "apologised" and
asked for a "pardon" for the young women, that through him Mr Obama had
expressed his "profound thanks" (all of which the US negotiators denied).
Moreover Kim Kye-gwan, the country's chief nuclear negotiator, greeted Mr
Clinton at the airport. This allows Kim Jong-il to make the case to his
public that North Korea's nuclear programme is not isolating the country, it
is breaking the isolation. No one spoke to us before, Mr Kim seems to be
saying, but now that we have nukes, here comes a US president scurrying to
Pyongyang. Isn't he right?
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/891ce780-837a-11de-a24e-00144feabdc0.html

It's a human sign
When things go wrong
When the scent of her lingers
And temptations strong

Into the boundary
Of each married man
Sweet deceit comes calling
And negativity lands

Cold cold heart
Hard done by you
Some things look better baby
Just passing through

And its no sacrifice
Just a simple word
Its two hearts living
In two separate worlds
But its no sacrifice
No sacrifice
Its no sacrifice at all

Mutual misunderstanding
After the fact
Sensitivity builds a prison
In the final act

We lose direction
No stone unturned
No tears to damn you
When jealousy burns

- Elton John, "Sacrifice"

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Received on Sun Aug 9 09:35:15 2009