Kim Jong-un warns of change in direction on denuclearisation

[TU Curmudgeon]

From the BBC

Kim Jong-un warns of change in direction on denuclearisation
​

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said he is committed to denuclearisation, but warned he will change course if the US continues its sanctions.

He made the remarks during his closely-watched annual New Year's address.

Last year's speech set the country on an unprecedented path of international diplomacy with South Korea and the US.

...

Last year's rapprochement came after a turbulent 2017 marked by North Korea testing missiles that could reach the US mainland and an escalation in rhetoric between Pyongyang and Washington with both sides trading insults and threats of nuclear destruction.

COMMENT:-

I have a marvellous idea.

Why doesn't President Trump fly to the DPRK and meet with President Kim to negotiate the end of the threat that the DPRK will start a nuclear war with the United States of America (and, in fact, to negotiate the end of the 60+ year long war between the United States of America and the DPRK). What with ending the war in Syria, and ending the war in Iraq, and ending the war in Afghanistan, when Mr. Trump ends the war with the DPRK that would give him a "FOURfecta" because no American President has ever ended four wars in a single year.

What I want to know is who is responsible (Clinton or Obama) for keeping Mr. Trump from flying to Korea and settling the whole thing over cheeseburgers and diet Cokes.
​

 

[Mycroft]

From the BBC

Kim Jong-un warns of change in direction on denuclearisation
​

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has said he is committed to denuclearisation, but warned he will change course if the US continues its sanctions.

He made the remarks during his closely-watched annual New Year's address.

Last year's speech set the country on an unprecedented path of international diplomacy with South Korea and the US.

...

Last year's rapprochement came after a turbulent 2017 marked by North Korea testing missiles that could reach the US mainland and an escalation in rhetoric between Pyongyang and Washington with both sides trading insults and threats of nuclear destruction.

COMMENT:-

I have a marvellous idea.

Why doesn't President Trump fly to the DPRK and meet with President Kim to negotiate the end of the threat that the DPRK will start a nuclear war with the United States of America (and, in fact, to negotiate the end of the 60+ year long war between the United States of America and the DPRK). What with ending the war in Syria, and ending the war in Iraq, and ending the war in Afghanistan, when Mr. Trump ends the war with the DPRK that would give him a "FOURfecta" because no American President has ever ended four wars in a single year.

What I want to know is who is responsible (Clinton or Obama) for keeping Mr. Trump from flying to Korea and settling the whole thing over cheeseburgers and diet Cokes.
​

Rocket Man is just blowing smoke. He knows the only reason he is making any efforts to play nice with South Korea or to denuclearize is because of Trump's sanctions...and the way those sanctions affect Rocket Man's controller...China.

Rocket Man has absolutely no position of power from which to follow through with this threat to "change course". He will change course ONLY if China tells him to. This statement is nothing more that chaff thrown up at the behest of China right before the upcoming trade talks between China and the US.

Trump's negotiating team will ignore this. We should, too.

 

[Amelia]

Kim is backtracking?

 

[Mr Person]

Some NK, same old games.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

Rocket Man is just blowing smoke. He knows the only reason he is making any efforts to play nice with South Korea or to denuclearize is because of Trump's sanctions...and the way those sanctions affect Rocket Man's controller...China.

Rocket Man has absolutely no position of power from which to follow through with this threat to "change course". He will change course ONLY if China tells him to. This statement is nothing more that chaff thrown up at the behest of China right before the upcoming trade talks between China and the US.

Trump's negotiating team will ignore this. We should, too.

You may have a point.

I mean something like

"Gosh Mr. Trump, we'd really like to pay more attention to what President Kim is doing but we are spending all of our time dealing with the effects of the tariffs on our internal economy. If we didn't have to spend so much time dealing with the adverse effects of the tariffs, we could potentially get President Kim to adopt a more reasonable stance. However, unless something changes, we can't."
​

is totally inconceivable.

 

[Mycroft]

You may have a point.

I mean something like

"Gosh Mr. Trump, we'd really like to pay more attention to what President Kim is doing but we are spending all of our time dealing with the effects of the tariffs on our internal economy. If we didn't have to spend so much time dealing with the adverse effects of the tariffs, we could potentially get President Kim to adopt a more reasonable stance. However, unless something changes, we can't."
​

is totally inconceivable.

That IS inconceivable. It's not how China operates. China doesn't openly admit that they are using NK.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

That IS inconceivable. It's not how China operates. China doesn't openly admit that they are using NK.

Oh I'm sure that the Chinese would phrase it MUCH more diplomatically than I put it - but the potential is there.

"We are too busy dealing with the wolf at the door to have time for the little yapping dog next door."
​

could well be the thrust of the Chinese position when they say

"America is very important to us and it is very important to us to concentrate our efforts on advancing the friendship and cooperation between your great nation and ours. So important, in fact, that we are paying no attention whatsoever to what an insignificant little rump-state is doing when your great country asks us to discuss important matters that affect the well being of the whole world with them."
​

Now, try and see if you can tell me that Mr. Trump would NOT swallow the line that China thinks that America is more important to the whole world than the DPRK is WITHOUT one, or both, of us starting to giggle.

 

[Mycroft]

Oh I'm sure that the Chinese would phrase it MUCH more diplomatically than I put it - but the potential is there.

"We are too busy dealing with the wolf at the door to have time for the little yapping dog next door."
​

could well be the thrust of the Chinese position when they say

"America is very important to us and it is very important to us to concentrate our efforts on advancing the friendship and cooperation between your great nation and ours. So important, in fact, that we are paying no attention whatsoever to what an insignificant little rump-state is doing when your great country asks us to discuss important matters that affect the well being of the whole world with them."
​

Now, try and see if you can tell me that Mr. Trump would NOT swallow the line that China thinks that America is more important to the whole world than the DPRK is WITHOUT one, or both, of us starting to giggle.

LOL!!

Is that a direct quote from the Chinese? I don't think so. They just don't operate that way. Neither does Trump. China uses their "Panda" mask...saying nice things...and their "Dragon" mask...doing not so nice things. Trump is doing the same. He says nice things...and then does things they don't like. It's a game they are both playing.

And, believe me, Trump KNOWS that the US is more important to China than NK is. The Chinese know this as well. But that won't stop China from using NK as a tool, as this latest from Rocket Man shows.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

LOL!!

Is that a direct quote from the Chinese? I don't think so. They just don't operate that way. Neither does Trump. China uses their "Panda" mask...saying nice things...and their "Dragon" mask...doing not so nice things. Trump is doing the same. He says nice things...and then does things they don't like. It's a game they are both playing.

And, believe me, Trump KNOWS that the US is more important to China than NK is. The Chinese know this as well. But that won't stop China from using NK as a tool, as this latest from Rocket Man shows.

USING as a tool is not the same thing as ADMITTING to using as a tool.

The Chinese are quite capable of making sure that the US knows that they are USING the DPRK as a tool without once ADMITTING that they are using the DPRK as a tool.

Not only that, but I am quite sure that the Chinese are more than willing to further increase the amount of stuff that the US simply cannot convince Chinese purchasers to buy in the amounts already allowed in without tariffs in return for something of actual value.

Not only that, but I have absolutely no doubt that Mr. Trump will announce that the Chinese agreement to further increase the amount of stuff that the US simply cannot convince Chinese purchasers to buy in the amounts already allowed in without tariffs is a **G*R*E*A*T** **D*E*A*L** (without, of course, mentioning what the Chinese got in return).

You appear to be under the impression that "Team Trump" actually knows how the Chinese think.

I'm not.