Director of US National Intelligence James Clapper speaks at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. He revealed a secret trip to North Korea to bring back home two Americans who had been detained there. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
The Guardian: US intelligence chief reveals details of secret mission to North Korea
James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, said he was treated to a 12-course banquet when he visited the isolated country to bring back two jailed Americans, Matthew Miller and Kenneth Bae
US spy chief James Clapper said that when he made a secret visit to North Korea in November to bring home two jailed Americans he was first given a 12-course banquet and then later told by his hosts that his security could not be guaranteed.
Clapper gave details of his trip, made at the behest of President Barack Obama, for the first time during a forum on Monday at the Council on Foreign relations.
Update #1: U.S. spy chief says he got a mixed reception in North Korea -- Reuters
Update #2: US Spy Chief's 12-Course Meal In North Korea -- SKY News
WNU Editor: For those who do not know .... a Chinese/North Korean banquet or 12 course meal is a sight to behold. On my first visit to China in the mid-1980s my Chinese hosts exposed me to a massive Chinese banquet. Sighhhhh .... 30 years later I am still trying to recover from it. :)
On a side note ... at one of these massive banquets my Chinese hosts introduced me to the joys of drinking baijiu (translated it means "White Lightning" .... an appropriate name for this drink). It is a powerful Chinese alcoholic beverage, and unlike Western alcohol that hits you very quickly .... this drink takes its time to reach your brain (less than an hour vs. a few minutes for Western booze). Not knowing this .... I just piled away. My hosts were horrified and warned me to stop .... but I was not drunk .... or so I thought. After a while I had to go to the bathroom where I then collapsed. I regained consciousness when my hosts .... who were hoisting me into the back of a van so that they can bring me back to my hotel ... accidentally hit my head hard on the van door .... but it was not a problem .... I felt no pain :)
I woke up again when they were literally dragging me into the hotel lobby .... and again hitting my head on a step .... again no pain. A few hours later I woke up in my hotel room and I then realized that I had a big problem .... I was blind (everything that I saw was white). I knew that I was in trouble .... but I did not care .... I was still too drunk. But when I woke up again .... sheer panic everywhere. The Soviet and Chinese foreign ministries got involved. The Chinese provincial premier who was the host for the banquet was horribly mortified (he also got drunk that night .... but not as bad as me). As I said .... sheer panic. In the world of Soviet - Chinese diplomacy .... this was an utter disaster .... especially for the Chinese who always take it as a matter of pride and face to take care of a foreign visitor. Anyway .... 24 hours later my vision did return .... but it was a definite close call. White Lightning .... especially the moonshine version .... can literally kill you. After that experience .... for about 2 - 3 years .... just the smell of alcohol would put my body into convulsions. Over the years I have .... fortunately .... recovered .... but what an incredible experience.
