Dennis Rodman and North Korea

[UglyCasanova]

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Obviously this is old news that Dennis Rodman is going back and forth to Pyongyang and is chums with Kim Jung Un. He and some fellow basketball players are over there right now, and apparently in a CNN interview things got a little heated.

What are your thoughts on this, other than Dennis is a wacko. General consensus is that it's a bad move and could be used by Kim for propaganda and to legitimize his rule and the NK state. The comments Rodman makes seem fairly out there (and probably paid for) such as "North Korea really isn't that bad".

That said, who knows maybe he really does like Kim. Maybe this can be a bizarre and unlikely source of American soft power. And maybe like Rodman says, in the end it may open the door just a little. People go to China and Russia all of the time and no one bats an eye.

 

[Greenman]

Dennis Rodman is of no importance what so ever. If he wants to hang out with a dictator that's his choice. Though I think he should consider what happened to his buddy's uncle before he gets to tight with the little wacko.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Dennis Rodman is of no importance what so ever. If he wants to hang out with a dictator that's his choice. Though I think he should consider what happened to his buddy's uncle before he gets to tight with the little wacko.

Over here, I agree. In Pyongyang I think the argument can be made that Rodman has more influence over the hermit kingdom's dictator than people we would think "do matter". I don't think that Rodman is over there talking politics by any means, but I'm not sure he has to in order for a little soft power and basketball diplomacy (even if unintentional) to have an effect. Maybe it soften Kim up a bit for talks, or maybe it solidifies his power. Who knows, but I do know that the current stalemate doesn't seem to be doing anything.

I really don't see any grand things out of it one way or the other, and it think everyone is in a tizzy over a pretty minor thing. I can certainly see the oppositional argument to him going and I do think that Kim is a ruthless power hungry kid trying to prove his manhood and that the people of NK are suffering.

 

[AViking]

I could see nk putting his head in a box the next time they want to stir the pot. There would be no consequences. They would say he slipped and fell.

What possible good can he do over there? How many trips has he made already?

 

[K1052]

I think Kim and Rodman deserve each other. A fat little murderous tyrant and a dumb inarticulate has been athlete is surely good for a barrel of propaganda laughs.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

No problems here except Rodman should be careful. I could easily see something going wrong and him ending up in a NK prison.
Getting NK to talk to anyone is good news

 

[Greenman]

Over here, I agree. In Pyongyang I think the argument can be made that Rodman has more influence over the hermit kingdom's dictator than people we would think "do matter". I don't think that Rodman is over there talking politics by any means, but I'm not sure he has to in order for a little soft power and basketball diplomacy (even if unintentional) to have an effect. Maybe it soften Kim up a bit for talks, or maybe it solidifies his power. Who knows, but I do know that the current stalemate doesn't seem to be doing anything.

I really don't see any grand things out of it one way or the other, and it think everyone is in a tizzy over a pretty minor thing. I can certainly see the oppositional argument to him going and I do think that Kim is a ruthless power hungry kid trying to prove his manhood and that the people of NK are suffering.

I honestly think that dear leader is going to keep pushing the western world until he gets a cruse missile up his ass. He one of the people the world will be better off without.

 

[Nebor]

I honestly think that dear leader is going to keep pushing the western world until he gets a cruse missile up his ass. He one of the people the world will be better off without.

We would deal such a massive, crushing blow to the North Korean military that it would replace Desert Storm as an example of American might against a large but unsophisticated military, because they're even larger and less sophisticated than the Iraqis were.

Unfortunately the consequences for South Korea and Japan would likely be dire.

 

[K1052]

I honestly think that dear leader is going to keep pushing the western world until he gets a cruse missile up his ass. He one of the people the world will be better off without.

The NK leadership has watched the news for the past few decades. They are well aware that a full scale conflict would be the end of their regime. Instead they are generally content to act provocatively and issue absurd flowery threats via fax in order to extort attention and concessions.

 

[Greenman]

The NK leadership has watched the news for the past few decades. They are well aware that a full scale conflict would be the end of their regime. Instead they are generally content to act provocatively and issue absurd flowery threats via fax in order to extort attention and concessions.

I'd like to believe that, but it's really hard to tell just how crazy the little derp is. He could very well start to believe the crap he spews.

 

[Zaap]

Whatever breaks down the barriers, I'm all for.

Is Rodman a useful idiot to the NK regime? I'm not so sure. What matters more to me, is that the people of NK start getting exposure to the western world, slowly but surely. The regime (like all hopeless statists) is too clueless to realize that process will work in favor of their eventual demise, not them really succeeding in further propagandizing anyone.

 

[compuwiz1]

What if KJU is just playing a few brothas and traps, then exterminates them? The snake always bites.....always.

 

[McLovin]

"A lot of people have expressed different views about me and your leader, your marshal, and I take that as a compliment," Rodman told the crowd. "Yes, he is a great leader, he provides for his people here in this country and thank God the people here love the marshal."

I find this appalling, honestly.

Plus, I find that the fact that he told openly stated something about God in a place filled with 14,000 people who are banned from practicing religion of any kind, amusing and ironic.

Given the fact that Bae is in jail for what's being reported as spreading religion, I'm surprised the DPRK didn't arrest Rodman on the spot.

 

[brandonb]

Rodman is doing what nobody else is willing to do. I give him credit for that.

 

[McLovin]

Rodman is doing what nobody else is willing to do. I give him credit for that.

Like what Fonda did with the North Vietnamese?

 

[Zaap]

Like what Fonda did with the North Vietnamese?

We were actively at war with North Vietnam. We're not with NK.

 

[brandonb]

Like what Fonda did with the North Vietnamese?

Don't care what Fonda did with the North Vietnamese, and have no comment on that. (It was before my time.)

But typical US policy (and society) is black and white, and honestly we should be thinking in shades of gray. He is trying to find something both countries enjoy to build a foundation on. He's doing a better job than any of our elected politicians. It's called diplomacy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_diplomacy

This is what Rodman is doing, and IMHO, is in our best interest.

 

[McLovin]

I understand that we aren't at war with NK, but having a US Citizen claiming that KJU, who is by all accounts a ruthless dick-tater, is a compassionate leader who cares about his people is just as bad as Fonda claiming people like my Dad (who is an asshole but not a dick-tater) are ruthless baby killers, is ignorant and offensive.

In my heart of hearts, I would love to take Rodman at face value and believe that he is over there trying to be selfless and bring some happiness to a country filled with people who need it. But lets be honest, Rodman is essentially just looking for a payday here and nothing more.

KJU is a huge Jordan-era Bulls fan and isn't it ironic that the ONLY Bulls player from that era that is over there right now is the one who caused the most drama?

 

[Oldgamer]

Dennis Rodman is a cross dressing nut case. Why on earth does the media give him any air time? He is going to get himself killed over there.

 

[bignateyk]

Dennis Rodman is a cross dressing nut case. Why on earth does the media give him any air time? He is going to get himself killed over there.

We could only hope...

 

[Zaap]

I understand that we aren't at war with NK, but having a US Citizen claiming that KJU, who is by all accounts a ruthless dick-tater, is a compassionate leader who cares about his people is just as bad as Fonda claiming people like my Dad (who is an asshole but not a dick-tater) are ruthless baby killers, is ignorant and offensive.

In my heart of hearts, I would love to take Rodman at face value and believe that he is over there trying to be selfless and bring some happiness to a country filled with people who need it. But lets be honest, Rodman is essentially just looking for a payday here and nothing more.

Probably true.

Personally I don't care about Rodman himself. I'm hoping for breaking down the walls to the common people of NK. I don't buy they're all brainwashed idiots truly worshiping dear leader. They do what they have to to get by in that shitty society.

I know people from former USSR that lived under but never bought into all the state bullshit there either. They put on a show when they had to. And every glimpse they got of the better world outside brought them closer to the walls coming down.

 

[McLovin]

Probably true.

Personally I don't care about Rodman himself. I'm hoping for breaking down the walls to the common people of NK. I don't buy they're all brainwashed idiots truly worshiping dear leader. They do what they have to to get by in that shitty society.

I know people from former USSR that lived under but never bought into all the state bullshit there either. They put on a show when they had to. And every glimpse they got of the better world outside brought them closer to the walls coming down.

I agree emphatically, but if the state forces down the throats of its people that Americans are dumb and ruthless bastards, then you have Dennis Rodman show up and be our "citizen diplomat", to me that totally sends the wrong message.

 

[Texashiker]

What are your thoughts on this, other than Dennis is a wacko. General consensus is that it's a bad move and could be used by Kim for propaganda and to legitimize his rule and the NK state. The comments Rodman makes seem fairly out there (and probably paid for) such as "North Korea really isn't that bad".

I think it is a nice effort to establish communications with a rogue nation.

No sarcasm here either.

Obama is not going to offer an olive branch, so someone else has to do it.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I agree emphatically, but if the state forces down the throats of its people that Americans are dumb and ruthless bastards, then you have Dennis Rodman show up and be our "citizen diplomat", to me that totally sends the wrong message.

I totally agree. It's a really bizarre confluence - you have the one nation on Earth where citizens' access to information is limited, pretty much exclusively, to pro-government propaganda, and Dennis Rodman of all people injects himself as the face of the hated United States.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I think it is a nice effort to establish communications with a rogue nation.

No sarcasm here either.

Obama is not going to offer an olive branch, so someone else has to do it.

It's strange, if unsurprising, that you would resort to such silliness in order to turn this into an anti-Obama discussion. President Obama has, on various occasions, sent food relief shipments to NK, as well as sending official liaisons to Pyongyang. Are you seriously claiming that having Dennis Rodman of all people act as a liaison on behalf of the United States represents a positive step in international relations? You continue to make head-scratching post after head-scratching post . . .