27-Apr-18 World View -- North Korea's negotiating position collapses, along with Mount Mantap

[John]

> I don't follow you, John. Do you think SK will fall into the trap,
> or will the US refuse to play along and save the dim witted South
> Koreans?

What I mean is that, in my opinion, the June 12 meeting between Kim
Jong-un and Donald Trump will end in mutual recriminations.

[thomasglee]

Another interesting take. Now that some time has passed since the euphoric meeting in Panmunjom, more sober minds are beginning to assess and identify what's really going on.

Excerpts:

The Japanese media also misled the public in its reporting of the declaration language: "South and North Korea confirmed the common goal of realizing, through complete denuclearization, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula." They left the false impression that it meant Kim Jong-un had promised to dismantle his nuclear missiles.

For North Korea, however, the denuclearization statement means the goal articulated in 1991 by Kim Jong-un's grandfather Kim Il-sung, the late North Korean leader. Kim Il-sung defined denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula as including the withdrawal of American troops from the peninsula and the dissolution of the United States-South Korea alliance. This is the reason the young Kim told Chinese President Xi Jinping recently that the goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula represented Kim Il-sung's teaching.

After mentioning a "nuclear-free Korean Peninsula," the declaration goes on to say, "South and North Korea shared the view that the measures being initiated by North Korea are very meaningful and crucial for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

In this case, "The measures being initiated by North Korea" refers to a decision at a general meeting of the Central Committee of the Korean Workers' Party on April 20 to suspend nuclear and missile tests and dismantle a particular nuclear test site. However, at the time, Pyongyang emphasized that the reason for the decision was the completion of a "state nuclear force."

Panmumjom Declaration Represents Deception and Betrayal

[Guest]

> I don't follow you, John. Do you think SK will fall into the trap,
> or will the US refuse to play along and save the dim witted South
> Koreans?

What I mean is that, in my opinion, the June 12 meeting between Kim
Jong-un and Donald Trump will end in mutual recriminations.

That's because Donald Trump is a good president.

Fuck you, liberals.

[MAGA]

> I don't follow you, John. Do you think SK will fall into the trap,
> or will the US refuse to play along and save the dim witted South
> Koreans?

What I mean is that, in my opinion, the June 12 meeting between Kim
Jong-un and Donald Trump will end in mutual recriminations.

That's because Donald Trump is a good president.

Fuck you, liberals.

Yes! Yes! Yes! ! Go Trump! MAGA!

I hope this is what happens. I have always believed that President Trump to be a shrewd operator. America can't afford to be duped, even if the South Koreans are. I almost think the South Koreans are making themselves believe this is all true. As if, by sheer will power alone, they can make the North Koreans and the Chinese will keep their promises. Not going to happen.

“I just want to pass on the word that Otto Warmbier has just passed away. He spent a year and a half in North Korea. A lot of bad things happened," Trump said. "But at least we got him home to be with his parents where they were so happy to see him even though he was in very tough condition. But he just passed away a little while ago."

"It is a brutal regime and we’ll be able to handle it,” he continued.

We will handle it. I have complete confidence in President Trump.

Go Trump!

[Guest]

Let these ingrate South Koreans learn the hard way. Pull out all American troops from South Korea and forget about them. Prepare from an all out nuclear war with China/North Korean and the Pakistanis. The next time (by then enslaved ) South Koreans see anything American, it will be hyper sonic missiles streaking through the sky on their way to China and North Korea.

[Guest]

Let these ingrate South Koreans learn the hard way. Pull out all American troops from South Korea and forget about them. Prepare from an all out nuclear war with China/North Korean and the Pakistanis. The next time (by then enslaved ) South Koreans see anything American, it will be hyper sonic missiles streaking through the sky on their way to China and North Korea.

Yes but in the mean time you might as well drive a temporary wedge between NK and China or at the very least extract some last minute concession. I don't think there is any real benefit of political grandstanding if you're about to go to war.

[Guest]

Let these ingrate South Koreans learn the hard way. Pull out all American troops from South Korea and forget about them. Prepare from an all out nuclear war with China/North Korean and the Pakistanis. The next time (by then enslaved ) South Koreans see anything American, it will be hyper sonic missiles streaking through the sky on their way to China and North Korea.

Yes but in the mean time you might as well drive a temporary wedge between NK and China or at the very least extract some last minute concession. I don't think there is any real benefit of political grandstanding if you're about to go to war.

This is an old tactic. Hitler did it with Chamberlain in 1938, all the while preparing to invade the rest of Europe. Napoleon did it with the British with the Treaty of Amiens. Go through history, political grandstanding is what you do before you attack someone.

[Guest]

Go through history, political grandstanding is what you do before you attack someone.

Spot on.

Any thoughts on how long it will take for Trump to attack North Korea, John? Reading the South China Post this afternoon at work, I read an article on the new aircraft carrier, but it seems years away from being fully functional.

[John]

There are many, many scenarios.

[thomasglee]

Go through history, political grandstanding is what you do before you attack someone.

Spot on.

Any thoughts on how long it will take for Trump to attack North Korea, John? Reading the South China Post this afternoon at work, I read an article on the new aircraft carrier, but it seems years away from being fully functional.

They (the Chinese) keep announcing their new carrier that is years away from being fully functional. They say it so often that I am beginning to believe it is disinformation; I am starting to think they're a lot further along than they want us to know. Hell, ten years ago they were beginning 'trials' of their new carrier, so something isn't right about their proclamations. Plus, their islands in the South China Sea make carriers unnecessary. New anti-ship missile technology makes carriers and large ships nothing more than sitting targets.