Carter criticises US over North Korea aid

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Sydney Morning Herald

Former US president Jimmy Carter, after a 48-hour visit to North Korea, has sharply criticised the United States and South Korea for their refusal to send humanitarian aid to the impoverished North.

Mr Carter said their deliberate withholding of food aid amounted to ''a human rights violation''.

Mr Carter, 86, who was not travelling on behalf of the US government, had been invited to North Korea for discussions with senior political and military officials as a way to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, which he said were ''at rock bottom''.
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He travelled with two other former presidents, Mary Robinson of Ireland and Martti Ahtisaari of Finland, and former prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland of Norway. All four are members of the Elders, an independent group of world leaders established by Nelson Mandela.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/carter-criticises-us-over-north-korea-aid-20110429-1e0r7.html

[Throd]

1. North Korea's problems are entirely home made.

[sudopod]

3. Those North Koreans should have voted for...oh wait. nt

[ronnie624]

10. The division and imperial administration of Korea

was planned by the United States in 1944, with not a single Korean present or involved. The concentrated U.S. attacks against the country, left as much as 20% of the population dead, and practically every man made structure devastated.

Very traumatic for a small country like Korea.

[Scuba]

2. Yeah, but look how well the strategy has worked in Cuba. World's longest reigning dictator!

[boppers]

4. We sell Cuba food, and give them humanitarian aid.

North Korea doesn't even get that.

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. Cuba should give them aid

[Nolimit]

6. Carter is wrong on this one

For all the good Jimmy Carter does, he is dead wrong on this one. The US and South Korea are committing no "human rights violations" by not giving a country that would attack them and kidnap their citizens. In fact, giving aid to North Korea would be a human rights violation as it only helps prop up on of the worst regimes the world has ever seen.

[Octafish]

7. The USA USA needs enemies in the worst way.

Without enemies, can anyone imagine sending the Pentagon a cool trillion per? I mean, really.

[unkachuck]

8. good on you, President Carter....

....being a humanitarian first, ahead of politics, makes me proud of you....people shouldn't have to die for the sins of their government, especially their unelected government....

[iemitsu]

9. it is difficult to really know what is going on in north korea.

the us has painted them as dangerous nutcases but then we often lie about the leaders of communist or socialist countries.
carter may have some insight not allowed the rest of us.