Is Rodman’s CNN “meltdown” surprising anyone? Meanwhile, the human rights community and even NBA Commissioner David Stern agree that Rodman’s efforts are not the ideal way to build bridges of understanding. (The L.A. Times called him “a buffoon.”)
But what else is on the table? There don’t seem to be many other diplomatic options at present:
“This might not be the ideal way to approach it, and Dennis Rodman would never be anybody’s first choice of diplomat,” said Charles Armstrong, a professor of Korean studies at Columbia University. “But if you pardon the expression, this is the only game in town.”
via Rodman Leading Team of Improbable Emissaries – NYTimes.com.
Globo Diplo 
Andrei Lankov weighs-in on Prof. Armstrong’s side w/a few very good points: http://www.nknews.org/2014/01/why-rodmans-trip-to-north-korea-should-be-welcomed/