Kim/Trump Summit Disaster

[Dill]

(02-28-2019, 01:04 PM)michaelsean Wrote: Walk me through it.  An impact to who?  I could see the citizens of NK but they are probably told a bunch of BS anyway.  Who are the people/countries who are now thinking, "Trump met with him?  Wow this dude's legit."?  It's like wonks have their own language that nobody else pays attention to.  "This means this, and this means that" and the rest of the world goes on thinking this dude is still a crazy bastard.

That may be the wrong question, Mike. 

Who are the countries now MEETING with Kim face-to-face with all the ceremony of state? (Short answer--China, Russia, SK, Japan (on the table), Singapore, Vietnam.) What usually follows from such meetings is that some NK staff remain behind, and some presence from the other country is introduced into NK, so that direct talks/contacts can continue, secured from third parties. This out-of-sight-and-under-the-table routing of communication is precisely what you don't want, if effective sanctions are the goal.  The fact that the first Summit was in Singapore is also big, as Singapore lifted a number of travel and trade restrictions for a time.  (Add to this the fact that Trump is telling countries in the region to make their own way and stop free-riding on U.S. security. That too is an incentive to set up relations with NK independent of US interests. That is why Japan's Abe wants badly to meet with Kim.)

Putin's trip to Pyongyang is pretty big in this respect, as he is one guy we/the UN would want on the side of strict sanctions enforcement.  Russia's level of enforcement is never going to be 100% percent, but the degree of it is very important.  Since 2016 it has been less and less in their interest to enforce sanctions.  

Here is one policy wonk point--under Obama, level of Russian sanctions led by us and the UN was also always tied to their willingness to enforce sanctions on NK and Iran.  "Linkage" that is called. Violating sanctions against NK enriches Russia and is a thorn in the US eye, but hardly worth the cost if it means more sanctions and stricter enforcement on Russia. 

Under Trump the sanction pressure on Russia is considerably reduced. Congress simply can't run foreign policy; Trump has sent mighty signals he would roll back sanctions on Russia if given a chance. He is not prepared to lead or enforce the current sanctions regime against Russia, if he can help it.  Where, really, is the Russian incentive now to hold to sanctions on NK? 

Maybe I will have time to make some other points later regarding Japan and SK; for now I'll just say wonkdom rightly views Trump's impulsive, "historic first" overture to NK as a developing FP disaster.  It behooves US citizens to understand how their own dear leader is mucking up decades of hard won regional stability.

[Benton]

I've been on the road all day so I tuned into Limbaugh to see how things were going. It took me several minutes to figure out who the hell he was talking about as it was "chicoms this" and "norks that." The confusion was compounded by Limbaugh just mumbling about trump not having any real choice.

[Yojimbo]

(02-28-2019, 02:34 PM)Dill Wrote: I am in the middle of something else at the moment so I don't have time to give a thorough answer.  Maybe later tonight.

But I cannot let this pass without saying something at least.

The effectiveness of sanctions depends on the willingness of nations to enforce them. Before the first big historic first summit, Kim was boxed in even by Russia and China.  Since Kim Il Sung, no North Korean leader traveled around the world meeting with leaders to establish multiple unilateral relations with them--the kind that make it hard to enforce sanctions and easy to get around them. 

The first Summit opened young Kim's way to face-to-face meetings with leaders of China, South Korea, Singapore, and Japan(on the table).  Now add Putin and Vietnam's Trong. The (correct) perception of Trump's ineffectiveness is working now to undo the sanctions regime placed on NK by Bush, Obama and the UN.

We are a long ways from the Obama days, when a US leader could get countries as different as China, Iran and Russia to sit down at the table and agree to something.

This is happening right now with the EU refusing to acknowledge the sanctions put back on Iran after Trump pulled out of that treaty.

[*bfine32*]

(02-28-2019, 12:59 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: No offense taken.  I would point out that these wonks you refer to have a political agenda as well.  I'd be more inclined to lend credence to this "legitimizing Kim" argument if there was anything of substance they, or anyone, could point to as proof.  N. Korea is still a pariah nation, still under sanctions, has the same "allies" (really their allies see them as a useful idiot) and the same foes.

Of course source is going to play a role. Listening about this today on NPR it is possible that this is going to strengthen out ties with China while China may begin to withdraw support from NK. We're extending a olive branch in  way it has never been extended before and the NK's allies are seeing who is not willing to compromise.

If you would have gave me a list of names of poster and asked me what their opinion of the summit was; I could have told you without reading a single post in this thread.

IMO it hurt nothing, we tried, NK balked, so we said FU and left. The only negative I've heard (other that trolls) is it legitimizes NK. WTF does that even mean?

[GMDino]

DJT said he wants to do this deal with NK "right and not fast".

Because nuclear weapons are not as big an emergency as a campaign promise wall that he didn't NEED to declare an emergency but he wanted to do it faster. 

[jj22]

(02-28-2019, 06:02 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Of course source is going to play a role. Listening about this today on NPR it is possible that this is going to strengthen out ties with China while China may begin to withdraw support from NK. We're extending a olive branch in  way it has never been extended before and the NK's allies are seeing who is not willing to compromise.

If you would have gave me a list of names of poster and asked me what their opinion of the summit was; I could have told you without reading a single post in this thread.

IMO it hurt nothing, we tried, NK balked, so we said FU and left. The only negative I've heard (other that trolls) is it legitimizes NK. WTF does that even mean?

My thing is everyone told Trump this was going to happen, so he should have demanded more accountability before meeting with him a 2nd time A SECOND TIME! (and professing his love for him). Kim played the American President for the world to see. Not good.

And him turning on Otta and his family just made it all the worse of a summit.

[*bfine32*]

(02-28-2019, 07:05 PM)jj22 Wrote: My thing is everyone told Trump this was going to happen, so he should have demanded more accountability before meeting with him a 2nd time A SECOND TIME! (and professing his love for him). Kim played the American President for the world to see. Not good.

And him turning on Otta and his family just made it all the worse of a summit.

Once again no rational person thinks Kim is now more "legitimate" because Trump offered to have a second meeting and immediately walked out when NK did talk like we wanted them to. 


What happened to Otto was a tragedy and if the family is offended then I'm offended. A bunch of left wingers looking for another reason to hate is not going to do it. For all we know the family is grateful that Trump engaged in discussions about their son.

[fredtoast]

(02-28-2019, 06:02 PM)bfine32 Wrote: If you would have gave me a list of names of poster and asked me what their opinion of the summit was; I could have told you without reading a single post in this thread.

Bet you can't predict mine.

[fredtoast]

(02-28-2019, 07:13 PM)bfine32 Wrote: What happened to Otto was a tragedy and if the family is offended then I'm offended.

That is a sign of some good programming.

"I can't have an opinion of my own.  I have to wait for someone to tell you what my opinion is."

[*bfine32*]

(02-28-2019, 07:37 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Bet you can't predict mine.

You think Trump walking out of a meeting with an Asian is because of White Privilege. 

[*bfine32*]

(02-28-2019, 07:39 PM)fredtoast Wrote: That is a sign of some good programming.

"I can't have an opinion of my own.  I have to wait for someone to tell you what my opinion is."

It's known as empathy. If they want to rage, I'll rage with them. If they want to celebrate I'll celebrate with them.

I need to know the feelings of those affected. My opinion means shit.

[Dill]

(02-28-2019, 06:02 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Of course source is going to play a role. Listening about this today on NPR it is possible that this is going to strengthen out ties with China while China may begin to withdraw support from NK. We're extending a olive branch in  way it has never been extended before and the NK's allies are seeing who is not willing to compromise.

If you would have gave me a list of names of poster and asked me what their opinion of the summit was; I could have told you without reading a single post in this thread.

IMO it hurt nothing, we tried, NK balked, so we said FU and left. The only negative I've heard (other that trolls) is it legitimizes NK. WTF does that even mean?

Hmm.  You don't know what that means. So it must not mean anything.

A guy who doesn't need to read posts to know "opinions" probably doesn't need to read anything to conclude "it hurt nothing."  

[fredtoast]

(02-28-2019, 07:43 PM)bfine32 Wrote: It's known as empathy. If they want to rage, I'll rage with them. If they want to celebrate I'll celebrate with them.

I need to know the feelings of those affected. My opinion means shit.

Exactly.  That is the way the echo chamber programs people.  It convinces you that you are incapable of having a valid opinion of your own, i.e. your opinion "means shit".  

Then your Donald tells you what your opinion is.

[fredtoast]

(02-28-2019, 07:40 PM)bfine32 Wrote: You think Trump walking out of a meeting with an Asian is because of White Privilege. 

Wrong.

Care to try again, or are you willing to admit your claim was BS?

[GMDino]

(02-28-2019, 07:13 PM)bfine32 Wrote: Once again no rational person thinks Kim is now more "legitimate" because Trump offered to have a second meeting and immediately walked out when NK did talk like we wanted them to. 


What happened to Otto was a tragedy and if the family is offended then I'm offended. A bunch of left wingers looking for another reason to hate is not going to do it. For all we know the family is grateful that Trump engaged in discussions about their son.

Wow.

You can't even admit that Trump kissed Kim's hiney over that and get "offended" because "left wingers" called him out on it.

Good thing you're not a Trump supporter.  

[GMDino]

The biggest problem with this is that DJT truly believes that he and he alone can do this "deal".  With no foreign policy experience, refusing to listen to his advisors, and completely unaccepting of any criticism.

That he even walked away from a bad deal is pretty lucky.

But who could have guessed that a 70 year old narcissist with not desire to learn because he's a "stable genius"  would have a hard time understanding things he's never done? 

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

Here are some rational, reasoned responses to the summit on the BBC.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47382060

I like these to varying degrees  I find myself agreeing the most with this take.

"Waning momentum in the US?

Jenny Town, managing editor, 38 North
It is surprising that they didn't come away with a preliminary deal, as they clearly had the outline for one going into the final round of pre-summit negotiations.
The tone of the press conference was relatively positive, indicating that the administration still sees a way forward and intends to continue negotiations.
That's encouraging for now, while also offering some relief to those who thought the US would accept a "bad deal".
However, in the meantime, no concrete obligations have been placed on either side and I would suspect that offers of confidence building measures that we've seen coming from North Korea in the past - such as dismantling of the nuclear test site - are unlikely to continue.
Of all the stakeholders in this process, the lack of movement on the US-North Korea agenda puts South Korea in a very awkward position, unable to secure the sanctions exemptions they were hoping for as part of this deal, which would facilitate the resumption of inter-Korean economic cooperation.
Moreover, despite the president's stated will to continue negotiating with North Korea, in the current domestic political environment, there is a real risk of the momentum for this issue waning amidst a sea of competing interests."

[Mike M (the other one)]

The only way Trump got hurt from this is a sore butt from flying over.

KJ is a player on the field, even if he's a tiny fat one.

We went in wanting de-neuclearization and war heads/missles dismantled.
Kim willing to give up his factory, but not warheads/missles, and the ability to keep making fuel at his new hidden sites.

C'mon get real, only Obama agrees to shit like that.

Kim got brought to the table and called out. Listen to what his people are telling the press, We were willing to sign over the factory if sanctions lifted. No mention of the existing warheads/missles. The only country being hurt by this is NK. We aren't hurt by it at all. We didn't agree to some crappy deal. None of us was there, we have no idea WHICH sanctions Kim wanted lifted. We still hold the upper hand in this.

[GMDino]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6757367/North-Koreans-insist-Trump-demanded-nuke-deal-proposal-never-change.html

Quote:North Korean foreign minister holds a surprise press conference to blame the president for the collapse of the Vietnam nuclear summit because HE asked for too much

• Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un abruptly ended their summit in Hanoi early without signing a deal 
• He said the issue was Kim's insistence that all sanctions get lifted in return for only giving up some nukes
• Trump continued to tout his 'warm' relationship with Kim, but added 'you have to be willing to walk away'  
• North Korean officials made a rare appearance on Thursday after President Trump departed Vietnam to publicly rebuke him for claims he made about the breakdown in talks 
• Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho said the country asked for 'partial sanctions' relief, primarily in the areas harming North Korean citizens and affecting their livelihoods 
• In return, Pyongyang offered to 'permanently' close its Plutonium and Uranium facilities in the Yongbyon region in the presence of U.S. inspectors 
• Ri told reporters an opportunity to make a better agreement may not present itself: 'Our principle stand will remain variably and our proposal will never be changed'
• The United States repeatedly claimed after the summit that negotiations would pick back up immediately 
  

North Korean officials made an unprecedented appearance before foreign journalists — while U.S. President Donald Trump was on his way home from Vietnam — to publicly rebuke him for the breakdown in nuclear talks.


The nation that tightly controls the media its people consume and does not have any independent news agencies, allowed two top officials to appear before cameras. One of the officials even took questions in Korean after acknowledging an American reporter in English.   


It was a slap in the face to Trump, who'd boasted about his 'great relationship' with Kim Jong-un at a news conference and cast North Korea as 'not ready' to make a deal that he could sign.


'Basically they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety and we couldn’t do that,' Trump asserted.

In a long statement delivered to the press in Korean, and a translator read aloud in English for Americans watching over lunch, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho contradicted Trump hours later at a midnight news conference.


He said the country asked for 'partial sanctions' relief in areas the authoritarian country claims are harming North Korean citizens and affecting their livelihoods. In return, Pyongyang offered to 'permanently' close its Plutonium and Uranium facilities in the Yongbyon region in the presence of U.S. inspectors. 


He said North Korea asked the U.S. to lift sanctions corresponding with five United Nations resolutions adopted between 2016 and 2017. Ri claimed that his proposal was the 'biggest' offer North Korea could make based on the 'current level of confidence' between the country and the United States.


Trump claimed Thursday that North Korea was 'not ready' to meet the United States' conditions. Ri said talks broke down when the United States 'insisted that we should take one more step' beyond the pledge to abandon Yongbyon. 


'Therefore it became crystal clear that the United States was not ready to accept our proposal,' he stated.


The U.S. president expressed confidence that an accord could be struck in the future that would see North Korea denuclearize, but Ri told reporters an opportunity to make a better agreement may not present itself: 'Our principle stand will remain variably and our proposal will never be changed.' 


Ri left the media availability without taking questions. His deputy Choe Son-hui did interact with press, and took a question in English from an NBC reporter on Otto Warmbier. 


Choe declined to comment on the Ohio college student's death, however, telling a rowdy group of reporters she would only talk about denuclearization. 


She proceeded to answer questions in Korean for three and a half more minutes before she left the scrum at Melia Hotel in Hanoi that took place nearly ten hours after the summit concluded.


Trump speculated at his own presser that 'top leadership' in North Korea did not know about the Warmbier's arrest and the student's deteriorating condition. He claimed it wasn't to Kim's 'advantage' to send the young man, who'd been accused of taking down a propaganda poster, back to the U.S. in a coma. 


'He tells me that he didn’t know about it, and I will take him at his word,' the American president said.


Trump spoke to the press for roughly 40 minutes about his failure to get a deal before flying back to the U.S.,where he touched down just before 2 pm EDT at a base in Alaska.


The president made no mention of Kim in remarks he delivered there to troops, opting for a traditional stump speech on the military, economy and trade, instead. 


White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters riding on Air Force One that the U.S. was aware of North Korea's claims. She had no statement to share at the time in response to the country's shocking comments.


Trump had already spoken about his decision to walk away from his North Korean nuclear summit without a deal not just at the news conference, but in a interview from Vietnam with Fox News host Sean Hannity, as well. 
The president told Hannity he wasn't 'satisfied' with the outcome of talks, and he suspects that Kim 'wasn't satisfied,' either. He suggested that they left as pals, though, and could someday resume the discussion.


'We’re working towards something, but we didn’t sign anything today, it didn’t quite work out,' he told Hannity on Thursday afternoon local time. 'Good relationship, but I decided this wasn’t the right time to sign something so we’ll see what happens over a period of time.' 


The dictator demanded that all sanctions be lifted in return for giving up only some of his nukes, the U.S. president claimed.


'They wanted to de-nuke certain areas, and I wanted everything. And the sanctions are there and I didn’t want to give up the sanctions unless we had a real program,' he told Hannity. 'And they’re not ready for that and I understand that fully, I really do.' 


Trump said that the final snag that caused the sudden breakdown was over sanctions — and Kim's push to have all of them lifted in exchange for a concession Trump and his secretary of state could not live with.  


'Sometimes you have to walk away,' Trump told reporters at a press conference in Hanoi that was abruptly moved up after the stalled talks. 

The president expressed his hope that the two leaders would meet again, but acknowledged: 'It might be soon, it might not be for a long time. I can’t tell you.'

At home, the president received the usual cheering from Republicans like South Carolina's Lindsey Graham.
Graham suggested that Kim's days will be numbered if he can't come to an agreement with Trump. 


'Speaking of Rocket Man, he couldn't be here. And if he doesn't get a deal with Trump he won't be anywhere much longer,' the U.S. senator said to laughs at a large-scale conservative gathering just outside of Washington. 'Why is Rocket Man talking to Trump when he's never talked to anybody else? Because he knows Trump means business.' 


Democrats mocked the summit as 'amateur hour' — with Speaker Nancy Pelosi touting Kim the 'big winner' for getting the president to sit down and negotiate. 


'I guess it took two meetings for him to realize that Kim Jong Un is not on the level,' Pelosi told reporters at the U.S. Capitol. 'He was a big winner, Kim Jong Un, in getting to sit face-to-face with the most powerful person in the world - the president of the United States.'  


Other Democratic lawmakers said they were not surprised that the Republican president — whose claim to fame is his deal-making skills — could not get Kim to agree the United States' preconditions for sanctions relief. 


They called the summit a 'failure' and the president who orchestrated it 'naive' for believing that the authoritarian leader would ever hand over his nuclear arsenal.  


'I'm not surprised it ended in failure. Trump just does not know what he's doing,' Congressman Brendan Boyle told DailyMail.com. 'We have gotten absolutely nothing out of these two bilateral summits, other than a photo op.'


Congressman Ruben Gallego, a member on the House Armed Services Committee, said the administration is either 'naive or so desperate for a deal' that it was willing to offer North Korea 'something for nothing' to get to this point in talks.


'North Korea does not intend to denuclearize,' he told DailyMail.com. 'It shows either the administration is naive or so desperate for a deal that they would go down this path.' 


Rep. Jim Clyburn, the number three House Democrat, told DailyMail.com as Trump flew back to the United States: 'I don't think anybody expected the president to get a deal out of that. I don't know what he was thinking.'


Some legislators signaled relief that Trump had walked away, knowing what was on the table.  


'In some ways this might be the best possible realistic outcome from my perspective because I was nervous President Trump would make an agreement that would be far worse than just a failed summit,' Boyle said.


One Democratic lawmaker, who asked to speak to the DailyMail.com on background, said,' I guess no deal is better than a bad deal.'


The lawmaker added what really concerned him were the president's comments on Otto Warmbier, the American student sent to a work camp who came back to the U.S. in a comma and died several days later.


'I was blown away by the president's quote about Otto Warmbier. That the president would defend Kim Jong-un and his regime I thought was incredible,' the lawmaker said.


The member of Congress said the second summit did not help Trump's reputation as a deal maker.


'I think he really hasn't done a deal with anybody,' the lawmaker said, adding: 'He tries to do things on his own. He's not really a deal maker. At least he hasn't shown that in politics.'


New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand also said she was 'disappointed' that Trump's summit did not have a more productive conclusion. 


'I'm grateful, however, that he is focused on diplomacy and a political solution with North Korea, as opposed to a military one,' she said. 'I just would hope that he would, perhaps, engage with our allies and South Korea more, so that we can reach a more productive solution.'    


Trouble was brewing for Trump on multiple fronts as he flew back to the U.S. on Thursday. His longtime fixer, Michael Cohen, claimed in congressional testimony that Trump ordered him to silence two women threatening to go public with affairs. 


Cohen said that a $130,000 payoff to one of them, former adult film actress Stormy Daniels, was chump change to a billionaire like Trump.


The president mostly avoided the topic at his news conference by calling on a series of members of the foreign press corps he did not recognize rather than White House reporters preparing to quiz him on the crimes Cohen claims he witnessed.  


He told Hannity, 'As far as Cohen is concerned, he’s convicted, he’s a liar, he’s defrauded at a high level. He’s got a lot of problems. And you know, it was very interesting, because he lied so much.'


Trump said he watched some of the House Oversight hearing that Cohen testified at between the hours of 10 pm and 5 am, Hanoi time. He suggested with the statement that he was up late watching his disbarred former employee rather that prepping aggressively for his nuclear summit with Kim.


'He lied so much, and yet he said when it came to collusion, the whole hoax with the Russia collusion, it’s just a witch hunt hoax, and by the way, very, very bad for our country,' Trump told Hannity of Cohen, 'because it really stops you from doing what you’re supposed to be doing. He said no collusion.' 


The president was unusually quiet on his flight back from Vietnam as it all unfurled, having tweeted his way through his flight to Hanoi on Tuesday. 


He's scheduled to arrive at the White House in the wee hours of Friday morning, when Americans who most likely missed his Vietnam presser will once again be going to bed.


In Hanoi, Trump said that he remains on good terms with Kim and continued to tout the 'enormous potential' of North Korea but notably said there are no plans for another nuclear summit.


Trump candidly revealed that Kim wanted the sanctions off, but was not willing to give up his array of nukes, missiles, and additional sites he only alluded to vaguely.  


'They were willing to de-nuke a large portion of the areas that we wanted but we couldn’t give up all of the sanctions for that,' Trump claimed. 
'We had to walk away from that particular suggestion. We had to walk away from that.'


He said, 'It was about sanctions. They wanted sanctions lifted but they weren't willing to do an area that we wanted.'


Secretary of State Mike Pompeo added: 'We have been working for weeks to find a path forward so we could make a big step at this summit. We made progress and even more progress when the two leaders met over the last 48, or 72 hours.


'But we didn't get all the way. We didn't get something that made sense for the United States,' he acknowledged.



The first signs of a rupture came when the White House suddenly made changes to the president's schedule on Thursday afternoon local time.


A planned lunch meeting never happened, although a table was set with a floral centerpiece and menus folded inside napkins.


Reporters on hand to cover it were told to move to another location. 


Sanders suddenly told reporters traveling with the president just before 1 pm local time that talks would wrap up within a half an hour, throwing the event's schedule into turmoil. 


She declined to say initially that there wouldn't be a signing ceremony, though one had been on an earlier White House schedule. Only minutes before Trump was scheduled to face the press did she acknowledge that there would not be one. 


The public White House schedule had listed a ‘Joint Agreement Signing Ceremony’ with the chairman of the state affairs commission of DPRK, set for 2:05 pm local time.


Trump was to have fielded questions at 4 pm, right before leaving Vietnam, but his news conference was subsequently moved to 2 pm, and he left immediately after that


Describing talks, which ran from a Wednesday dinner through mid-day Thursday, at the presser, Trump said Kim told him he was 'not going to do testing of rockets and nuclear. I trust him and I take him at his word.'


He indicated that Kim was willing to make concessions related to the Yongbyon facility where his regime enriches Plutonium, but it wasn't enough.  

'That facility while very big, it wasn’t enough to do what we were doing. We had to have more than that,' said Trump.


He made it clear in his remarks there were other sites the U.S. identified that Kim wanted to maintain. 


'We have that setup so we would be able to do that very easily. The inspections on North Korea will take place, and if we do something with them, we have a schedule setup that is very good. We know things ...  about certain places and certain sites. There are sites that people don’t know about that we know about. We would be able to do inspections we think very, very successfully,' Trump said.  


He insisted that the U.S. and North Korea remain in a position 'to do something very special' together' and that he and Kim have 'become very friendly' with one another.


The U.S. dollar and South Korean stock market meanwhile fell on the news that no deal had been reached. 


The recognition that the two parties were two far apart to agree to a joint statement came despite weeks of advance negotiations. A range of compromise gestures had been circulating for days in media reports. 


Pompeo told reporters riding his plane back to Washington that the U.S. intentionally took a 'big swing' with the summit that it hoped would produce a deal.


'We cleared away a lot of brush over the past, apparently, 60, 90 days at the working level, then we were hoping we could take another big swing when the two leaders got together. I think we did. We made some progress, but we didn’t get as far as we would have hoped to have gotten,' he said.  


The Cabinet official who has been running point on talks with North Korea since they began nearly a year ago insisted, 'We were prepared for the potentiality of this outcome as well, and tomorrow we’ll get right back at it.'


He said of the signing ceremony that journalists 'shouldn’t get hung up on things like that' as he blasted reports about what the U.S. would be willing to concede for ultimately being wrong. 


Pompeo singled out NBC for reporting that the U.S. was no longer insisting as a negotiating position that North Korea provide a 'full accounting of its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs,' which would amount to a major capitualtion. 


'I think that’d give you a lot more credibility to the world than going out and saying silly things that you know nothing about and speculating,' he complained. 'It was radically uninformed and now I think can be proven incorrect, and so you ought to go fix it.' 


Pompeo said, 'We were very hopeful we’d make enough progress that it would justify a signing statement at the ultimate concluding, and we didn’t. The President made that decision.


'It’s a schedule. Yeah, we were scheduled to leave seven minutes earlier than we did too,' he continued, as journalists tried to interject. 'Look, it’s a long ways. We’ve known it was a long ways. There’s still a lot of work to do.'


After Trump and Kim's historic summit in Singapore in June, they signed a joint statement – although critics lambasted it for failing to include a timetable or verification members in its undefined call for denuclearization.    



If the tension between Trump and Kim was there all along, it was not visible on Wednesday, when the two leaders and their aides smiled and chatted each other up at a poolside photo op. 


The chummy atmosphere continued into Thursday, when Trump and Kim grinned for the cameras before the start of talks — Kim even took questions from U.S. media and expressed openness toward a step in normalization of relations. 


The North Korean dictator said he is open to the idea of a liaison office in Pyongyang, in a major development in relations.


In another comment, he revealed his preference for denuclearization, although without saying what it would take to get him there. 


'If I was not, I wouldn't be here,' he said in his native Korean, while seated alongside Trump, according to a translator. 


Trump once again asserted that he was in 'no rush' to make an agreement. 'We don't want the testing, and we've developed something very special with respect to that,' Trump said, without revealing details, as the two men seemingly moved toward their expected joint statement. 


A reporter asked Kim in Korean if he was confident of an agreement, and he responded, saying 'It's too early to say. I would not say I'm pessimistic.'


'I have a feeling that good results will come,' Kim added.  

Trump once again called the relationship between the two men 'very strong' and said he believes that 'a little bit longer term, and over a period of time, I know we're going to have a fantastic success with respect to Chairman Kim and North Korea. They're going to have an economic powerhouse.'

Trump predicted: 'I think it's going to be something very special.'    

The Hanoi summit was Trump's second with Kim since an inconclusive meeting in Singapore in June that produced much fanfare but little substance and there had been little sign of concrete progress since. 

Facing mounting pressure at home over investigations into Russian meddling in the election, Trump had sought a big win by trying to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for promises of peace and development, a foreign policy goal that has confounded multiple predecessors.

'It's great to be with you. We had a very successful first summit,' Trump said at his first meeting with Kim on Wednesday morning local time. 'I felt it was very successful. Some people would like to see it go quicker. I'm satisfied, you're satisfied. We want to be happy with what we're doing.'

'I thought the first summit was a great success, I think this one hopefully will be equal or greater than the first,' the president added.
As he has repeatedly, Trump pointed to personal chemistry with the reclusive leader of the family-led one-party dictatorship.
'We made a lot of progress and I think the biggest progress was our relationship is really a good one,' he optimistically said. 

As he has repeatedly, Trump pointed to personal chemistry with the reclusive leader of the family-led one-party dictatorship – although his secretary of state says North Korea is still a nuclear threat, having tested a hydrogen bomb and months ago conducted a skein of missile tests



By the end of the summit, he said that the relationship was 'very good, very friendly' in spite of the way the talks ended.
'This wasn’t a walk away, like you get up and walk out. No, this was very friendly. We shook hands. You know, there's a warmth that we have, and I hope that stays. I think it will.' 

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(02-28-2019, 08:39 PM)GMDino Wrote: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6757367/North-Koreans-insist-Trump-demanded-nuke-deal-proposal-never-change.html

First of all, The Daily Mail?  Second, while I'd be disturbed if anyone would believe anything coming out of the mouth of a NK government official their claim of the offer made, which Trump refused and abruptly cancelled the whole summit, doesn't make sense at all.  I suppose the truth of it is up to the individual to decide.