I don't think anyone wants to see efforts to calm things down on the Korean Peninsula fail over the dislike of Trump. That being said, here is what keeps going around in my head. North Korea is called "the Hermit Kingdom" for a reason. That regime does not want the people of North Korea to know what the rest of the world is like. Why? Because once they know, they will automatically ask themselves, "then why do WE live like this?" The answers will not be good for a regime trying to hold on to power. Right now Kim Jong Un is making noises like he wants to "normalize" his country and open it up to the rest of the world. I don't buy it because it would mean revolution and him and his family dead in short order.
It's nothing to do with Trump. North Korea is entirely dependant on the good will of China. They've had a 'quiet word'.
So partial credit for the change in North Korea should rightly go to Bush Sr. for encouraging China to trade with the West.
@Donna_I Possibly Nixon before that.
@MrBeelzeebubbles I had forgotten about that trip!
History does not repeat but rhymes: This will be the 4th time North Korea has made efforts to end the conflict. Every other time, It was as joyful and the same thing happened: The World lifts sanctions to ease the negotiations then talks collapse.
Kim has promised to destroy the nuclear test site this time to show good will. The test site is useless since it collapsed in Sept (registered as a 3.0 earthquake). Kim knows 45 does not listen to his secret service advisors so he will play him at the meeting. 45 already respects him as a dictator, respects sovereignty, will be charmed by his wit and then will send aid to North Korea. Negotiations will drag while North Korea finds funding because they have billions in natural resources and rare earth metals.
In the meantime a second mountain is already prepped to start test more nuclear weapons.
In the end, I hope I'm wrong.
Time will tell what he's up to-and Trumpty Dumpty oogling for the Nobel Peace Prize makes me ill.
After the armistice in the Korean war, both sides started economically even steven. But now South Korea's economy is 40 times greater than North Korea's economy. I read a report that some of North Korea's leaders want a deal with South Korea as a way to boost their economy. On the other hand South Korea is doing so well that they need more workers for their factories and are open to getting labor from North Korea because they speak the same language.
his father did similar things during Clintons term, they were smoke and mirrors.
I suspect the son is simply better with smoke and mirrors and fully aware Trump is easily befuddled by smoke and mirrors.
The onus of completing a successful peace treaty or cessation of hostility is completely on Kim Jong-Un and his lieutenants. No others. Has very little to do with trump. Xie jinping was the prime facilitator. Trump can screw it up but he brings no value to the equation.
I truly do not trust him and I wonder what this is really all about. It could definitely be about nothing more than N Korea supplying workers for S Korean businesses but I would think that the ultimate happening there would be N Koreans seeing how truly abject their lives are
Do you think their lives are anymore abject than the homeless in the USA?
@detroitpam probably not but I was only talking about the 2 Koreas as that is how I took the original post.
Maybe it's the development of Nuclear weapons that has forced the rest of us to deal with North Korea, and maybe a petulant, childish bully like Kim-Jong un somehow identifies more with Trump than previous leaders? I couldn't think why ?
Quite probably. But if Kim Jong-Un can be known as the one who changed that, the one who brought NK into the 21st century that buys a lot of forgiveness.
It's also insanely expensive to maintain that wall of insulation between NK and the rest of the world and I have serious doubts that they can afford it.
I can see the people forgiving it all if the spin is "I was raised in this and did not know but now I share this wisdom and wealth with you, my good supportive people, so we can thrive in the world!" plus people now have better access to food, information, transportation, housing, and all the rest that government would no longer be putting such a tight rein on.
It's really hard for a population to feel upset when they are suddenly much more comfortable. Revolution is for desperate and angry people.
Those are good thoughts. If Kim is going for it for real he needs to deal with his population and introduce them to the world. He needs some real PR people. Fast.
Not to be a wet blanket but North Korea has a reputation for making promises they have no intention of keeping. I'll believe it when I see it.
Best plan for Un is to open up the country & blame dad & grandpa.
I think you’re correct.. And I’ve just finished a great book - [en.wikipedia.org] The author, Tim Marshall, has an excellant, accurate, and still current discription of N. Korea..
I’m shocked at how fast this is moving, but feel the movement is motivated by Kim being convinced that trump is itching for a diversion … a reason to grab that football, and that a significant segment of the world leadership might not miss the constant threat or antics of this hermitized nation. It’s also hard to believe even N. Koreans are unaware of the riches so near..
At least things appear to be moving in a positive direction, maybe even trump won’t muck em up … and he’s still got Iran to target. The ties with S. Korea are promising..
The asshole Created the Fucking Crisis with North Korea so here's what I think about you thinking of giving him the nobel prize.
Hardly created the crisis, it's been a issue for 50 years.
@jperlow It was never to the level of "my nuclear button is larger than yours" "rocket midget" and "fire and fury". During those such 50 years you mentioned I did 20 in active military service an I only trained to fight the russians not once I trained once to fight north korea so pardon me if I call you out as a Liar with all the due respect you deserve. I am Nephew to 3 Korean War Veterans by the way.
Have you not heard about the mountain that they have been testing the nuclear bombs under? It's very unstable this is more of a oh shit we fucked up and gonna need somewhere to run soon move .
They have plenty of other mountains. To make a nuke test you only need to drill a couple of tunnels. They will detonate and collapse the tunnels of the failed mountain one in front of cameras. It will be a big show for the media and Trump. I'll bet they have already prepped another location.
Everyone (left of center) thinks of Trump as a DH but I am reminded of Mohamed Ali or Clay as he was back then. before his fight with Sonny Liston. The champ was known for his cold stare, a hard man. Ali came at him like a mad man at the weigh in. So much so that his team were worried because his pulse was 180. Asked why he did this Ali said "you don`t know what a mad guy will do." Years of measured responses and sanctions have done nothing to change the situation. Maybe the nutter approach has worked?
@beansontoast it brought him to the table
ahh, perfect world and the people of North Korea would have a peaceful revolution and determine their own fate. I don't know, but perhaps sanctions are biting, perhaps their test mountain is collapsing and they are unable to develop further. I am not a trusting person, I do not feel the turn around is genuine.
Damned treasonous GROPER is taking credit for this!
Its real simple - Trump has a great relationship with China, Japan and South Korea. Trump placed sanctions on NK and put pressure of China to do the same. Plus Kim saw the pouring into South Korea during the Olympics, he wants some of that. Also Trump scared Kim - Trump will nuke them off the planet if they were to strike 1st, they are no match for the USA.
@beansontoast are you trying to be cute?
England, for centuries, and the US for the last century has used their position to create a balance of power...remember that from history class? The last thing we want in this world is for North and South Korea to unite. Not only will it give North Korea more men in their army and more arms (all of which we have been supplying South Korea with for more than half a century), but we will kindly be ushered home since they're not fighting any longer. Our presence is the only thing to have kept the region relatively peaceful for that same half century.
It's hard to understand logic from a perspective, ers just aren't used to the game that is so much a part of logic so expecting to see everything resolved in a year or two is naive. The latest round of peace talks is just another move in a chess game that never ends and is not suppose to end. Trump upset that balance by stepping in and insisting that the game be played like checkers instead of chess, nuclear annihilation is not part of the term plan and that threat by Trump has shifted the way the game is being played but not to his advantage. Expect to see the two Koreas and China working together much more closely in the future and America being left out in the cold.
There is a reinforced division - about 30,000 troops that are all part of this.