Lessons in Diplomacy

I don’t normally talk politics, but this is just too surreal for me not to commentate.

But first, sit down, and humour me for a second. We’re going to play a little word association game.

Think about the following sets of words.

Dennis Rodman. Ambassador for Foreign Affairs.

Wouldn’t you agree that these words go together about as well as Fun and Run?

Or Safari and Suit?

Then it should come as no surprise to anyone, that Dennis Rodman has done as little for human rights issues in North Korea, as a bucket of sand. Indeed it can be argued he has done even less.

So why is there such a media stink about Dennis Rodman refusing to bring up human rights abuses, or the plight of US missionary Kenneth Bae who is currently detained in North Korea, during his recent visit?

North Korea, which bans religious proselytising (amongst, well, everything), claims that Bae was a Christian evangelist who brought “inflammatory” material into the country. As much as I knock North Korea, I kinda wish we had a ban on that too.

Actually, I’m embellishing a little. Rodman did tweet Kim Jong-un, asking him to release Bae. See, he did all he could. #thoughtthatcounts

Don’t get me wrong. North Korea is an awful, awful place. And something should be done to liberate its brain-washed, hostage-held masses.

But is Dennis Rodman the answer?

In fact, to what question is Dennis Rodman ever the correct answer?

Except perhaps “who won a triple Razzie for his role in the atrocious 1997 “action thriller” Double Team?”

But at least during his most recent visit, he did undermine the regime.

By forcing the Supreme Leader to sit through his Marilyn Monroe-esque rendition of Happy Birthday.

It all seems too ridiculous to be real.

Or maybe this is all one big level, and North Korea are playing us as fools, and are actually using Dennis Rodman as a propaganda stunt.

If so, well played, Kim Jong-Un. Well played.

Actually, all this Kim Jong-Un talk reminds me of a joke.

Apparently Kim Jong-Un upgraded himself from “Leader of North Korea” to “Supreme Leader of North Korea” simply by adding some olives and extra cheese…

Well this has been fun, but all this politics has made me hungry…

Gareth Edwards – The Blog

The official blog of Gareth Edwards

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