Some thoughts for you. The fact that the NKs agreed to release the two girls before Clinton left the US is a given. The whole thing was orchestrated by O and then handed to Bill, partially because of the size of the media frenzy that Gibbs could whip up and in a lesser way it was to make Bill still feel that he is not fully marginalized in this new administration. (the Clintons still pose a threat) Two questions that I would put to you. 1) what was the nature of the discussions between Bill and Kim Jong Il. What were the threats and what was the carrot. 2) what is happening in Washington whilst the media are looking in the wrong direction. jjf