Wait – change of plans
North Korea appears to have sprung the trap on Trump.
North Korea is casting doubt on next month’s summit between leader Kim Jong Un and President Trump over joint Air Force drills taking place in South Korea, which it says are ruining the diplomatic mood.
…
North Korea suggested that the drills were putting the proposed summit between Trump and Kim, scheduled for June 12, in jeopardy.
“The United States will also have to undertake careful deliberations about the fate of the planned North Korea-U.S. summit in light of this provocative military ruckus jointly conducted with the South Korean authorities,” said KCNA, the North’s Korean Central News Agency.
Aw. Donnie was all excited about his Nobel Peace Prize.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the United States has not received a notice of any change or cancellation. She said the government is continuing to plan for the summit and is confident that Kim understands the need for exercises.
Really? Do Trump’s people really think Kim is just fine with military exercises that are mostly a threat aimed at him?
A Pentagon spokesman, Army Col. Rob Manning, said Tuesday that the exercises are part of the U.S.-South Korean alliance’s “routine, annual training program to maintain a foundation of military readiness.”
…to attack North Korea should the need arise. They’re not aimed at repelling chicken thieves.
Manning said the purpose of the exercises is to enhance the alliance’s ability to defend South Korea.
From North Korea.
North Korea, as it has in the past, disagreed.
“This exercise targeting us, which is being carried out across South Korea, is a flagrant challenge to the Panmunjom Declaration and an intentional military provocation running counter to the positive political development on the Korean Peninsula,” KCNA said.
…
By mentioning the Panmunjom Declaration, North Korea was referring to the agreement signed last month by Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in following their historic summit.
They agreed to work to turn the armistice agreement that ended the Korean War in 1953 into a peace treaty that would officially bring the war to a close, and also to pursue the “complete denuclearization” of the Korean Peninsula.
Which would be great, but let’s not pretend Kim has suddenly turned into a cuddly bunny.
At the same time as threatening to scupper the summit with Trump, North Korea canceled talks with South Korean officials that had been scheduled for Wednesday, less than 24 hours after agreeing to them.
He’s messing with us.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but NK seems to toy with the idea of peace with every president; Donnie Two-Scoops must have thought he was the exception, grand dealmaker that he is.
Hah! Of course not, he would not even have been aware of NK’s history.
Donnie is stupid. Just hidebound stupid. I wouldn’t doubt that Kim is toying with him just for amusement.
@Holms:
Yes. As I understand it, NK approaches every administration with peace overtures. Nobody else has been stupid enough to agree.
I very much doubt that NK didn’t know, when the meeting date was set, about the military exercises. So yeah, I think they’re messing with you. Either to force the US and SK to drop the exercises or as an excuse escalate or maintain the status quo. “It’s not our fault that we’re stockpiling nuclear weapons, we totally said we’d get rid of them but the US wouldn’t talk to us.”
I have no idea how anyone, anywhere would consider it even remotely plausible that Kim Jong Un would think for a second of ever giving up his nuclear weapons. Yet, for some of the Trump Chumps, it’s as good as a done deal. These people are utterly delusional.
@4
jibHalyard
Agreed. Unlike Saddam Hussein, Kim actually possess weapons of mass destruction.
And of course, Kim knew the scheduling of the annual military exercises. Meaning he set this up in just this timing to embarrass Dear Leader Two-Scoops. Make overtures, get acceptance, wait for suitable ‘provocation’, drop summit plans, make Trump look foolish.”
Intelligence Squared US had a debate on May 2 on the resolution “Negotiation can lead to a denuclearized North Korea,” and I highly recommend giving it a listen. Other than the four women who spoke so well in favor and against the motion, Suki Kim is interviewed prior to the debate.
One interesting statement made by a speaker in favor of the motion: she said that two positive things about Trump being the top American representative are: 1) he’s eager to arrive at a deal, so as to have that feather in his cap, and 2) he doesn’t give a damn about human rights.