Open Thread: North Korea's Dictator Kim Jong Il Dead
After 17 years reigning as the Supreme Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Il has reportedly died of heart failure, and his son, Kim Jong Un, has been announced as his successor. With instability in the region possibly posing a security threat to neighboring countries and abroad, governments around the world are keeping a careful eye on the region.
What do you think Kim Jong Il's death means for the future of North Korea? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Coinciding with the weeks leading up to the Iowa caucus, Kim Jong Il's death may also prompt debates among presidential candidates about how to handle the future of North Korea. According to the Hill:
Mitt Romney said Kim's death "represents an opportunity for America to work with our friends to turn North Korea off the treacherous course it is on and ensure security in the region." "America must show leadership at this time," he added.
GOP candidate Jon Huntsman said Kim's death "closes a tragic chapter for the people of North Korea and offers them the best opportunity to get on a path towards a more free and open society and political reform" in a statement released Monday.
Huntsman called on the U.S. to "pay extremely close attention to the disposition of North Korea's nuclear bombs, nuclear materials, and other elements of their WMD program."
Do you think any U.S. media organizations will lionize Kim Jong Il?
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Comments
The king is dead ... all hail
Submitted by Dan The Man 2 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:42am.
The king is dead ... all hail the king.
Lights please...
Submitted by vrwc13 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:43am.
Maybe the next leader will turn on the lights...
v
The burden of life is from ourselves, its lightness from the grace of Christ and the love of God. - William Bernard Ullanthorne
I wonder which is more upsetting to the liberal Media?
Submitted by c5then on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:47am.
The death of Christopher Hitchens or the death of Kim Jong Il?
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
Throwaway statement
Submitted by Galvanic on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:55am.
GOP candidate Jon Huntsman said Kim's death "closes a tragic chapter for the people of North Korea and offers them the best opportunity to get on a path towards a more free and open society and political reform" in a statement released Monday.
So, Gov. Huntsman, when was the last non-tragic chapter in North Korean history. They've had a brutal father and son dictatorship, and now it's in the hands of the grandson. That's the best opportunity for political reform?
Their best opportunity would be open revolution. Why doesn't our Nobel Peace Prize winning President initiate another "humanitarian" combat operation to support a rebellion?
So Kim Dung Hill is finally a good commie
Submitted by Dave. on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:20pm.
And just in time for Christmas, too. :-D
R.I.H. for an eternity, you P.O.S. commie S.O.B.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
LMAO:)
Submitted by TruthMonger on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:52pm.
LMAO:)
Congratulations Jimmy Carter!
Just shows
Submitted by HockeyKid on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:04pm.
how out-of-touch Huntsman is--and he's supposed to be the big, smart ambassador. There's no more opportunity with the passing of KJI than there was when his daddy, Great Leader Kim Il Sung, kicked over and handed him the reins. Same situation, different Kim. That's all. The fact Huntsman doesn't seem to understand the kind of insulated world the Kim successors (and the North Korean people, for that matter) are raised in speaks volumes on Huntsman's abilities in the diplomatic arena.
Romney expressed a much more realistic attitude: we should work with our friends (i.e., allies) to see how this potential chink in the North Korean political armor can be exploited to benefit the world and the North Korean people as well.
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
Over at the Jawa Report…
Submitted by needle on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:06pm.
…they comment that Michael Moore and Noam Chomsky are hardest hit.
- Looking forward to the self-annihilation of the Manipulated Stories Machine.
I wonder if the Dear Ruler is going to order flags to be flown..
Submitted by Dave. on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:11pm.
...at half mast.
Maybe Red Ed will cry on his show today.
I bet Diane Sawyer is in mourning.
Christiane Amanpour is probably on suicide watch.
Perhaps Brian Williams will instigate a moment of silence.
Bernie Sanders is probably in a bar somewhere drowning his sorrows.
I wonder if comrade Broom Hilda be representing us at the funeral?
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
... and Eric Holder is scrambling ...
Submitted by Newsbubba on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 1:21pm.
... to make sure no Fast and Furious guns were involved in the death of the Dung Heap.
I actually heard a news babe say this morning "Will there be a peaceful chnge of government in North korea, or will the military be involved?"
I mean, do these people drink that early in the day? WTF do they think will happen?!?
North Korea is the basement floor of the world's outhouse and they think anything good can come out of that?
Maybe Bambi thinks that this is the beginning of the Korean Spring. And how well is that Arab Spring working out for us, or anyone else except the Islamo-Fascists of the world?
party girl
Submitted by ruby2ssday on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 6:39pm.
What about Madeline Albright? And algore.
There had better be no US representative at the funeral. That would clinch it for the 2012 election!
Send Biden.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 6:51pm.
Maybe they'll keep his dumb ass.
"Stand up Kim. Oh, God love'ya, Kim. Everybody stand up for Kim!"
My guess is that Obama, upon hearing that KJI had died...
Submitted by PrairieSky on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 10:36pm.
probably curled up into a the fetal position and sucked his thumb, while an aide tried to get Bill Clinton on the phone, to tell him what to do-
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction...It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them (our children) to do the same." ~President Ronald Reagan
Prairie
Submitted by Radical1979 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 10:47pm.
I thought he would have said, this better not affect my vacation.
Rad...LOL! That's probably the second thing he did, after..
Submitted by PrairieSky on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 10:52pm.
he took his thumb out of his mouth, that is. Knowing how narcissistic and self-centered Obama is, I have no doubt that this has crossed his mind.
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction...It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them (our children) to do the same." ~President Ronald Reagan
Prairie
Submitted by Radical1979 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 10:54pm.
And the first thing he'll be doing after Michelle leaves is sending a White House staffer out to buy him a pack of cigarettes so he can stick those in his mouth like a teenager who's parents have left for the weekend...
Wouldn't surprise me a bit...The next president is going to...
Submitted by PrairieSky on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:22pm.
have to have areas of the WH fumigated to get rid of the cigarette smoke smell...The place probably reeks of smoke. I don't buy the reports that "O" has quit.
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction...It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them (our children) to do the same." ~President Ronald Reagan
Huntsman needs to go back and study Nork history
Submitted by Dave. on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:24pm.
It's going to be the same screw for the North Korean people, just a different phallus.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
watch the next few days
Submitted by ruby2ssday on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 6:36pm.
I've noticed throughout history that when a tyrant dies and is replaced by his son, it only gets worse. Then eventually a complete incompetent is next in line who is initially manipulated and then elliminated by an outside rival who is much more tyranical that all the previous line. It will be interesting to watch Un in the next few weeks. He will either go for a bloodbath and get rid of a lot of his father's supporters, or they will start manipulating him with the intent of spilling his blood. No matter which way it goes it spells more trouble for the N. Koreans. There may be a mass exodus in the coming few days.
Another possibility...
Submitted by Radical1979 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 7:04pm.
To try to secure power Un may become aggressive toward South Korea, in an attempt to distract the world from it's bloodbath, or to get support of the military by uniting them in a patriotic war.
Our own Dear Leader doesn't seem concerned for anyone not of muslim faith, so South Korea could face them alone.
One truism I learned
Submitted by Blonde on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:35pm.
....when we were traveling through Central America, which is, of course, light years away from the situation in NK, but which still applies:
Never trust a fat cop (in a poor country).
Look at Jong Jr. He's a porky little spoiled brat. That's all you need to know.
Huntsman sounds like an absolute naif. He needs to sit down and start spending his daddy's billions in his private life. Maybe go work in the Phillipines or something, doing good deeds.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
You betcha, and Huntsman can take Ron Paul with him...
Submitted by PrairieSky on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 10:31pm.
The junior Kim looks exactly as you say...A tubby, spoiled rotten little chip off the rotten old block...Makes me wonder who will really be pulling the strings, at least initially, because I doubt that "junior" has the first clue what to do.
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction...It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them (our children) to do the same." ~President Ronald Reagan
You mean Condoleeza Rice don't you? Paul voted NO aid!
Submitted by lrgon on Tue, 12/20/2011 - 2:14pm.
Your typical "conservative" congressmen voted to send North Korea bribes. Paul consistently votes "NO" to aid tyrants with US cash,oil or any sort of economic assistance.
" In return for eliminating all its nuclear materials...North [Korea] is to receive further economic aid (including nearly one million tons of additional fuel oil or its equivalent to power its electricity grid) as well as a long-sought diplomatic concession: direct negotiations with Washington that could eventually lead ... to normalization of ties between the U.S. and North Korea." http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1638118,00.html
Bill Powell of Time Magazine continues:
" the Bush Administration means what it says about establishing diplomatic ties, ... Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was prepared to attend six-party talks in Beijing this summer. That would be the first meeting between a U.S. Secretary of State and senior North Korean officials since Madeleine Albright met with Kim in Pyongyang in late 2000. "
Kim Jung Il?
Submitted by WhoIsJohnGalt on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:35pm.
Kim Jung Dead.
...can't believe I was first with that one.
Hurray for Team America, World Police !!
Submitted by Galvanic on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:47pm.
The mission was apparently a success.
Has anyone accounted for the following celebrities since Saturday?
- Alec Baldwin
- Janeane Garofalo
- Samuel L. Jackson
- Susan Sarandan
- Tim Robbins
- Martin Sheen
- Michael Moore
- Matt Damon
What a loss it would be to The Global IQ
Submitted by FearMonger on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 1:19pm.
if that list of mental juggernauts were to cease their contributions.
It had to happen sooner or later
Submitted by jon_torlin on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 12:58pm.
As if anyone is surprised by this. Oh wait, the libs on here might be surprised, can't be true now, can it?
I guess the heat is getting to be a bit much, and sooner or later, a lot of us knew this would happen.
Holder plays Race Card
The only thing I take issue with is how he declares Obambi as "African-American." There's nothing American about him.
*sniff*sniff* Smells like desperation.
-Jon
My thought exactly!
Submitted by motherbelt on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 3:06pm.
I saw that earlier this AM, and my first thought as "Well, it was inevitable." In fact, the only strange thing is that it didn't happen sooner.
....due to the fact that we're both African-American
Well, Eric, I don't know about you, but Obama's only HALF African-American. Are you operating on the "one-drop" rule?
Yeah, right, that's my first thought: the corruption of any black man reflects badly on the president.
No, Eric, you reflect badly on him because you're corrupt. And he appointed you.
I wouldn't go that far
Submitted by jon_torlin on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 4:07pm.
I wouldn't call him something-American because there's nothing American about him. I will agree and say he's half-African. The other half is from his Communist mother.
But absolutely positively HELL NO is he an American.
-Jon
Holder is a disgusting, corrupt, incompetent disgrace...
Submitted by PrairieSky on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:33pm.
He, like his idiot and equally corrupt and incompetent boss, is in so far over his head, he can't see daylight. Unfortunately, Holder is likely not going anywhere until Obama leaves office. I am literally counting the days till the election in November-
322 days and counting till election day 2012.
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction...It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them (our children) to do the same." ~President Ronald Reagan
On the news
Submitted by Bob K on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 1:05pm.
they showed scenes of N. Koreans crying. My first thought was...... Are they crying because Kim Jong Il is dead? Or because his replacement is very young, healthy, and will have the job for a long time. My second thought was....How many are crying, but do not want to be the first to be seen stopping? Just like clapping for Stalin.
They cry because they know what's coming next.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 1:27pm.
When the regime is totally incompetent, which applies in North Korea everyday, the best way to get the people's mind off of their own pitiful condition is to start a war with South Korea!
Being as how we have our own RFBSOB in the White House, we will be shooting at someone, somewhere very soon next year to make people lose interest in our Dear Leader's total incompetence.
Works every time.
Crying?
Submitted by ruby2ssday on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 6:28pm.
I thought some of them looked like they were laughing.
Sad and pathetic situation when a brutal, dangerous despot..
Submitted by greggy on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 1:26pm.
dies - and his replacement is probably even worse.
Of course, they've conducted a short-range missile test already today, just to let us know new-crazy is just as dangerous if not moreso than old-crazy.
If anything, the transition could create a far more dangerous situation in the short term than existed already, as boy-tyrant seeks to prove his "strength" and "worth", and to send a message that he's not to be trifled with.
I'm sure our military over there and the S Koreans, as well as intel agencies, are on a heightened state of alert for any outbursts by the new tyrant. Could be a fragile situation in the weeks and months ahead.
And of course, this isn't.....
Submitted by GregE on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 1:31pm.
....staged at all. Surely these are free people just expressing themselves.
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/shocking-footage-of-north-koreans-in-all...
Has to be one of the dumbest and most cultish things I've ever seen.
And the far Left likes the collective god called Communism? Idiots.
Another notch
Submitted by Model850 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 2:54pm.
Looks like Zero can carve another notch in his impressive foreign policy wins belt. Kim Jong Il gone under our own Ear Leader's watch. Yippee!
And for the overtly obtuse and intentionally ignorant, Yes. That was sarcasm.
Hi ho the merry oh
Submitted by ruby2ssday on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 3:13pm.
Ding Dong the Kim is dead
Which old Kim
Kim Jong Il
Ding Dong the wicked Kim is dead
Hey Rick?
Submitted by bkeyser on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 3:28pm.
Did you catch this?
It seems
Submitted by bkeyser on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 3:33pm.
no one took him seriousry.
There was a good hashtag on twitter earlier this morning: #KimJungIlPositives
Im so Ronery,,,
Submitted by NJRightWinger12 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 4:00pm.
Kim Jong Ill is now Kim Jong DEAD!
Obama has lost and friend and
Submitted by LAM SON 719 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 4:04pm.
Obama has lost and friend and mentor, he is assuaging his grief by groveling before the taliban now.
Dear Kim Jong Un, Moe Howard
Submitted by Beukeboom on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 4:10pm.
Dear Kim Jong Un,
Moe Howard called. He wants his hairstyle back.
Rush Has a Great Take
Submitted by KalihiwaiBeach on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 4:20pm.
on media praise for Kim Jong-dead - how he was "smart and ruthless" - "tactically brilliant" - etc. - however those running for the Republican nomination for president are dumb and stupid
brilliant....
http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2011/12/19/media_praise_for_kim_jong_dead
I am reminded of another
Submitted by Reaver on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 5:23pm.
I am reminded of another quote by Mark Twain - "I did not go to his funeral, but I wrote a nice letter saying I approved of it."
Whoo hoo, lights out for ban on incandescents!
Submitted by jon_torlin on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 6:06pm.
I know it's not much, but it is something. But darn it, that means I won't be able to do any black market deals with these extra bulbs I got.
Light bulb ban goes dark
Oh well! So if they can do this, let's do the same with ObeymeCare!
-Jon
OHHH, Drug bust with grenade and missile launcher
Submitted by upcountrywater on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 7:56pm.
Guess the serial numbers will be a higher state secret than all that stuff in the gift stealth drone.
The team uncovered connections to a Mexican drug cartel and out-of-area gun traders, leading to federal investigations in a half-dozen states and a murder case in El Salvador.
You Didn't Build That.
More evidence of Obama's narcissim
Submitted by Radical1979 on Mon, 12/19/2011 - 11:46pm.
Who else would have the nerve? http://cnsnews.com/news/article/us-capitol-christmas-tree-pays-homage-ob...
An "I <3 Obama" ornament, what is he, 13?
Oh, I dont know
Submitted by Boudin on Tue, 12/20/2011 - 12:20am.
Maybe Johnson, Lincoln or maybe FDR?
Is the Great Successor
Submitted by bkeyser on Tue, 12/20/2011 - 12:08am.
an Obama supporter? He did get a western education. I'll bet they've got a lot in common.
In some of the
Submitted by texasborngranny on Tue, 12/20/2011 - 10:06am.
news reports of Il's death, they say his successor is his youngest son.
I wonder how many older sons he bypassed in order to select the youngest? And why?
It wouldn't surprise me if
Submitted by Beukeboom on Tue, 12/20/2011 - 12:20pm.
It wouldn't surprise me if Daddy offed his other sons.
Youngest son
Submitted by Model850 on Tue, 12/20/2011 - 4:01pm.
Most plausible explanation I heard for choosing the youngest son was to try to ensure the longest reign before the need for another successor.
GOP are biggest appeasers to Kim Jong Ills of the planet
Submitted by lrgon on Tue, 12/20/2011 - 2:23pm.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1638118,00.html
"In return for shutting down Yongbyon [nuclear reactor] ...North [Korea] will receive 50,000 tons of fuel oil from the U.S...."
"... In return for eliminating all its nuclear materials ...North [Korea] is to receive further economic aid (including nearly one million tons of additional fuel oil or its equivalent to power its electricity grid) as well as a long-sought diplomatic concession: direct negotiations with Washington that could eventually lead, according to the agreement, to normalization of ties between the U.S. and North Korea."
"... the Bush Administration means what it says about establishing diplomatic ties, ... said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was prepared to attend six-party talks in Beijing this summer."