For whatever it’s worth the South Korean national security advisor Chung Eui-yong has said this a few weeks ago “I explained to President Trump that his leadership and maximum pressure policy, together with international solidarity, brought us to this juncture” Also, it’s been beyond strange to me how anyone can be downplaying these events or viewing any aspect of them as negative like in that strange and fanciful scenario laid out in the Jonah Goldberg tweet on page 1. The reactions to these events seem to be pretty clearly drawn along political lines for whatever reason.
What a load of crap. Clearly drawn lines? Seems like 90% cautious optimism from the Left on this board.
Uh Oh...gotta watch my posting. I've been identified as being on the left. (I am very proud of the fact that even my close friends and family don't know whether to categorize me as a conservative or liberal)
It's absolutely a ploy - but not necessarily a bad thing from our perspective. NK's plan has been consistent from day 1 - use nukes to extract concessions. He did it with Clinton, Bush, and Obama - running tests, then backing off when offered food and other economic aid. But the objective has always been the same - use his nuke program for maximum leverage in other areas. Now that he's completed his tests and everyone knows they have nukes, he's in a position of strength again, but his previous strategy of backing off tests is no longer viable anyway. So now the goal is to negotiate peace terms from a position of strength rather than weakness. At the end of the day, he'll get better terms now on a peace agreement than he would have a few years ago - but really, I'm not sure we care if it really takes the threat off the board. SK has been moving towards reunification for several years now (I believe the current President campaigned on closer ties in their last election) and the US should want that too, ideally. Unless they go for an Iran-like nuclear deal (unlikely), I doubt we will have a good verification system of his denuclearization, and realistically, I doubt he would actually do it for many, many years. But if SK and NK develop economic ties and trade, that dramatically reduces any likelihood that he'd actually use them for any reason, which takes 90% of the threat off the table. Kim Jong Un (and his dad before) have basically mostly wanted the respect of the world. Now that NK has nukes, he can get it in his eyes. I don't think the rest of the world minds too much.
Haha. @justtxyank is a leftist now too. Hahaha! Low point for you guys. Anyway, I'm very very happy at the news! My take: maximal pressure helped but mainly Kim wanted to finish becoming fully nuke- and ICBM-endowed before de-escalating tensions. He is now comfortable w an arsenal big enough to cause at least the region serious problems. If instead tweeting insults at Kim single-handedly brought us this far, okay and good job, 45.
here's what we know. Kim's little sis goes to the olympics to chat it up with S. Korea diplomats. Ironically, Pence doesn't like it and LEAVES in PROTEST, a sort of kneeling but Pence can do whatever he wants. I have no issues with kneeling. Nikki, the poor man's Robin scherbatski, tweets about it. Next thing you know little rocket boy is meeting with CHINA first without the knowledge of the u.s, administration calls out China. If trump takes credit for no airplane crashes or zombie attacks, I expect him to beat this one with a forbes magazine over and over. I do think Kim and other "democratically" "elected" presidentes of 3rd world countries now look over at the U.S and realize that for the first time in the History of history's history, the U.S president could be just as bonkers as they are. "Is Dennison really going to bomb me or does he want to steal my brilliant ideas." The doubt probably creeps in. So I'll give Dennison's instability some credit.
We need to be careful about what peace looks like and yes, we should care. South Korea could easily be gobbled up and become a Chinese client state.
Oh absolutely - a bad peace is worse than no peace. I'm just saying from NK's perspective, they needed nukes to be taken seriously. Now they have them and likely will be. But at the end of the day, a reasonable peace deal would be acceptable from the perspective of the rest of the world if it takes the NK issue off the table. What I'm saying is that this isn't an act of NK folding - this is the outcome NK has been aiming for this whole time. They wanted nukes so they could come to the table as equals that had to be dealt with, instead of a decrepit state that would have terms dictated to them.
Yes, totally agree with you that NK isn't folding. Most of my questions have been meant as rhetorical devices so more people see the exact point you are making.
Even libtards can't truly call him an idiot. Even by their own logic he should be deemed 'smart' since somehow he is smart enough to collude with Russia and leave zero evidence.
He get to stay in power. He wouldn't come to a peace treaty if there is a chance he is forced out. The nuke card give him that leverage. There is no reunification, just official end of war, open up the borders, economic access... joining the rest of the world as a nuclear state. NK has lot of reasons to want this but they wouldn't have come to the table without the leverage that they now have to maintain power. SK want peace of mind. US loses some military power in the region with less of a need for a US military presence. China and Russia gain. I'm fine with all of that.
Yeah because the tweets is all Trump did. Why not stop being ass hurt for just a minute and give the man credit for once then you can go back to your derangement.
Uhhh... ass hurt? LOL. I'm happy. Sorry a reasonable post about Kim and one quip about your hero triggered you, bro! Lighten up and have a good weekend.
