Clandestine Diplomacy, or: Bill Clinton Delivers!

If you're going to send a Clinton to rescue two young females, which one do you send? And if you want to learn more about North Korea's inner workings at the same time, which one do you send then? Probably not the one who was called a "funny lady" who "looks like a primary schoolgirl."

The Obama administration made a wise choice in deploying former President Bill Clinton to North Korea to bring back Laura Ling and Euna Lee, two journalists working for San Francisco-based Current TV (run by Al Gore). As Clinton touched down in Pyongyang yesterday, the New York Times reported:

The administration has tried to keep its diplomatic campaign [with respect to North Korea's nuclear weapons program] separate from this case, which American officials have portrayed as a humanitarian issue, appealing to North Korea to return the women to their families.

“Their detainment is not something that we’ve linked to other issues, and we hope the North Koreans don’t do that, either,” the White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, said to reporters in June.

Yet we all know that Kim's health has deteriorated in recent months, and I cannot help but wonder how much of Clinton's mission was to feel out Kim's control on the country.

The Times followed up today with this news:

Administration officials said Mr. Clinton went to North Korea as a private citizen, did not carry a message from Mr. Obama for Mr. Kim and had the authority to negotiate only for the women’s release.

... Still, North Korea, clearly seeing a propaganda opportunity at home and a rare chance for a measure of favorable publicity abroad, welcomed Mr. Clinton with the fanfare of a state visit ... Among those greeting Mr. Clinton at the airport was Kim Kye-gwan, North Korea’s chief nuclear negotiator.

... Given Mr. Clinton’s stature and his long interest in the North Korean nuclear issue, experts said it was likely that his discussions in North Korea ranged well beyond obtaining the release of Ms. Ling and Ms. Lee.

“It would be someplace between surprising and shocking if there wasn’t some substantive discussion between the former president, who is deeply knowledgeable about the nuclear issue, and Kim Jong-il,” said Robert L. Gallucci, who negotiated with North Korea in the Clinton administration.

Mr Clinton's role in the Obama administration is one of particular interest, as his wife (who was defeated by Obama in securing the Democratic nomination) is now that same President's Secretary of State. I hope that his visit to North Korea was one of great success -- beyond securing the release and recovery of Ling and Lee within 20 hours, which in itself is a huge accomplishment.

On a side note: before Bill Clinton was deployed to the DPRK, the White House compiled a list of possible envoys to meet with Kim Jong Il and bring the two journalists back home. One of the options being considered was Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, who is a fellow Fletcher School alum!