Chris Hill Testimony at the House Int’l Relations Committee

I snuck out during my lunch hour and caught the last half of Hill’s appearance (with Amb. DiTrani at his side), and spoke to my extremely well-placed source. I also picked up copies of the statements by Reps. Hyde and Lantos. Hyde’s, in particular, is a blockbuster. I don’t have time to write it all up now, but will do so later. Here are your headlines:

1. Hyde thinks the Beijing statement is a blueprint for Agreed Framework II, and that we’ve given away the store.

2. He’s explicitly threatening not to fund it–no money for fuel oil or light-water reactors, meaning no deal.

3. Not part of the hearing, but via my well-placed source–and I know usinkorea, slim, Hmmm, and especially Brendan are reading this–get ready for congressional hearings on the dismal state of the U.S.-Korea alliance. Expect the treatment of U.S. soldiers downtown and differences over human rights in North Korea to take center stage when those hearings take place. Brendan’s complaint to the HRC may even come up.

4. I personally met and spoke to a Chosun Ilbo correspondent–she seemed very nice–and informed her that this story is false, and that I know so first-hand. Yes, I did write a letter to the editor, but no response yet. She has my card, so the path to pursue the truth is well marked. We shall see.

5. Saw Chris Nelson; passed on the opportunity to meet him and instead decided to extend my thanks to the person who invited me to the hearing.

Update: Thanks again to my source. Here’s the full statement of Rep. Henry Hyde, the Committee Chairman:

Reps. Leach and Lantos also made statements, both of which were much more diplomatic and facially optimistic. Lantos, after gushing about how he and Mrs. Lanto would welcome these baby-killers to their dinner table, says:

It boggles the mind to think that the North Korean government would actually cut off food to children in elementary schools simply because it does not like the optics of receiving humanitarian aid.

And it remains disturbing that there has been no improvement in the human rights situation in North Korea. I have made it abundantly clear to the North Koreans that the United States will not remain quiet about the lack of freedom and democracy in North Korea.

I don’t doubt for a second that Lantos has his heart in the right place, but that’s just confusing. Again, I respect Tom Lantos very much, but I’d share needles with a crack whore before I had these wretches at my dinner table. Diplomacy must be some burden. More disappointing was the fact that Leach’s statement did not even contain a token mention of human rights.

I should also mention that on the way to the hearing, I had the pleasure of running into Deborah Fikes of the Midland Ministerial Alliance again, and was even of some assistance in helping her and her entourage–yep, she has an entourage–in finding the hearing and “making an appearance.” Kim Jong Il should never have made an enemy of this woman. She will not quit.