Good article Susan, as usual.
Like you, I am happy to see the two ladies free from North Korea; I wouldn't wish imprisonment there on almost anyone.
Nevertheless, I feel a bit of resentment for those, like these ladies and the three U.C. grads. who wandered into Iran, for putting our country over a diplomatic barrel. Were I their parents I would be furious at them for their foolishness at taking such risks and costing our country so much.
I live in a mountainous area where we have to go rescue climbers several times a year. These climbers put themselves and those who have to go rescue them in jeopardy. The ladies who went to North Korea and the three U.C. grads who wandered into Iran have cost us even more as a country.

Now that they are back and we are all happy about that, WHERE ARE THEIR PUBLIC APOLOGIES?

There won't be any but there should be and you know it. Why didn't you bring that up? They owe us an apology for their recklessness. You could tell the Ling chick is not gonna ever give one though. Both of them are indeed lucky. And maybe one day they will both realize how much.

I must tell you that I've never agreed with anything that you've written. I must admit that i like the caption "Happy Endings" so much more than "Being used better than being bombed" as the article caption in the Miami Herald. Nonetheless, I agree with almost everything you wrote in reference to the families and must say that I've never seen former-President Bill Clinton look so unhappy. I think the photo and videos of the event make clear our disatisfaction with Kim Jong Il government and his ilk.
Never liked Clinton much either, but somehow I have found a new sense of respect for the man.

Within four minutes of the announcement that these ladies would be freed, John Bolton was on FOX News channel criticizing Bill Clinton and the mission. Using the right-wing standards of dealing with other countries, the hostages in IRAN from a few decades back would still be there. One thing that is great about this is that not one human being was killed to bring about this return. Bill Clinton is the only person with stature enough to have gone over and brought them back. Certainly the prep work by our State department has to be given credit, but Mr. Clinton pulled this off and I love the way he did it. He deserves all the credit that can be heaped on him

One additional comment I would like to make and that is that these situations happen around the world all the time and we as Americans, will always do what we can to help people out of these kind of situations. We are always a better nation for having made the effort. America did not lose face in this situation, we gained stature around the worls as a result of this effort. We didn't kow-tow to anyone. I think North Korea wanted a way out of this matter as well. The right-wing commentators are wrong, this cost us nothing and might have gained us a lot as we try to drag North Korea back into the international community of decent, human rights oriented nations. Peace building does not happen overnight and it certainly does not happen when we isolate nations. That policy of the Bush administration was wrong on so many levels. Cuba is the next nation that we should restore a good working relationship with as we move on from the past. The sonner we open up Cuba to trade and travel, the better for everyone. Good ole Capitalism can come back to Cuba within five years, ,,,,,,if we let it happen.

The lines on negotiating with terrorist nations need to be in Grey when human life is concerned if a country has any moral basis. There are a lot of players in this, and a lot of blame to distribute. There are winners and there are losers. Once again the biggest loser is Hillary Clinton. Obama has once again marginalized her and her authority, and did it with a slap in the face by using her husband this time. Why she ever took the Secretary of State position is still a mystery to me.

however, is it not so that journalists entered Korea illegally without proper documents. This was never mentiioned after the first week. Is this true or false?

I bet if it was Susan's child she would be singing a different tune.

The question that has never been answered is ; Why were they there in the first place ?
Did they file any stories ? Did anybody read those ( if filed ) stories ?
I have not seen any news coming out of North Korea except from official govt sources.
So WHY were they there ?