Quote:President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed an unspecified document that Mr. Trump described as "important" and "comprehensive," to conclude their meetings in Singapore.

Mr. Trump said he "absolutely" will invite Kim to the White House. Mr. Trump said he thinks the summit went "better than anybody could have expected."

But it's unclear yet exactly what that means. A press conference is scheduled for 4 p.m. local time, or 4 p.m. EDT, in which more details will come forward.

As they began, Mr. Trump said he thinks he and Kim will have a "terrific relationship," and Kim, through a translator, said North Korea had to overcome a number of "obstacles" to get to this moment.

The stakes are high -- the U.S. seeks nothing less than the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, and Kim wants to see the sanctions on the North eased.

Mr. Trump and Kim participated in a one-on-one meeting, with translators only, followed by an expanded meeting including their top advisers, and a working lunch.

(06-12-2018, 04:30 AM)Nebuchadnezzar Wrote: I'm cautiously optimistic over this.

(06-12-2018, 08:59 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: As an idealistic pragmatist, I get this.

What I'm hoping this doesn't turn out to be is just a photo op. The word going into the meeting was that there was a lot of ground to cover, and four hours isn't going to do it. The "comprehensive document" is likely just a commitment to continue conversations, though we won't know for certain until the details of the document are released. This is going to be a process that will take years to negotiate, so we will have plenty of time to pick it all apart.

A couple of things to note. This was Pompeo's show. Bolton was pushed to the sidelines after his stupid remarks about Libya. If we see Bolton come back into this process in a more elevated role, we should start being concerned. Also, Kim played up a great image to his folks back home with his night on the town.

Quote:Joint Statement of President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea at the Singapore Summit


President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) held a first, historic summit in Singapore on June 12, 2018.

President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un conducted a comprehensive, in-depth and sincere exchange of opinions on the issues related to the establishment of new US-DPRK relations and the building of a lasting and robust peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. President Trump committed to provide security guarantees to the DPRK, and Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Convinced that the establishment of new US-DPRK relations will contribute to the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and of the world, and recognizing that mutual confidence building can promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un state the following:

1. The United States and the DPRK commit to establish new US-DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity.
2. The United States and DPRK will join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.
3. Reaffirming the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK commits to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula
4. The United States and the DPRK commit to recovering POW/MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.
   

Having acknowledged that the US-DPRK summit -- the first in history -- was an epochal event of great significance in overcoming decades of tensions and hostilities between the two countries and for the opening up of a new future, President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un commit to implement the stipulations in the joint statement fully and expeditiously. The United States and the DPRK commit to hold follow-on negotiations, led by the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and a relevant high-level DPRK official, at the earliest possible date, to implement the outcomes of the US-DPRK summit.

President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have committed to cooperate for the development of new US-DPRK relations and for the promotion of peace, prosperity, and the security of the Korean Peninsula and of the world.

(06-12-2018, 11:28 AM)jj22 Wrote: Critics of the Iran deal blasted Obama for giving up maximum leverage for a less-than-perfect agreement, even though the 156-page deal provided long-term, verifiable nuclear constraints, and signed on to by over 40 world powers including our allies.

Trump has now given up maximum pressure on North Korea, given up joint military practices with SK per Kim's request, all for 1 page of empty promises, no verification, and no support from anyone other country outside of NK's allies in Russia and China.

Got to love politics.

(06-12-2018, 11:32 AM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: What exactly did Trump "give up" other than canceling a military exercise?  A symbolic gesture that costs us nothing.  We literally gave away nothing, as in not a thing.  This process wasn't going to take place over one night, if it's to be done correctly it's going to take some time.  Seriously the predictable whinging on this, and other, boards on this subject is nauseating.

(06-12-2018, 11:42 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: In all seriousness, one reason that we have not had POTUS meet with a Kim until this point is because it is a public win for them. It legitimizes their place as a world leader. By giving Kim that without any guarantees does take away leverage, because that alone is a win for them. We can debate until we're blue in the face whether doing so was smart, but this summit was a win for Kim on the world stage more than anyone else.

(06-12-2018, 11:47 AM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: Yes, it was a win in the sense that it was a reverse of the utterly failed US tactics of the past 60 years.  I take a different view, changing tactics when the old tactic is a proven failure, at every level, is smart.  If you're of the opinion that a photo op he can brag about back home is too high a cost to potentially stabilize a situation that has been volatile for over half a century then nothing Trump is doing here will please you.  I stand by the statement, we've started a very important process and we gave away nothing to do it.

(06-12-2018, 11:47 AM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: As an aside, anyone hear Acosta shouting out questions during the event?  I'd revoke that guy's press credentials yesterday.  

(06-12-2018, 11:51 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: My concern is that the decision to make this face-to-face a step so early in the process reduces leverage for us. Your mischaracterization of my opinions aside, we did give up leverage. Those intangibles can be very important in these processes.

Quote:Yeah, I'm not as hard on Acosta as a lot of people, but that was cringeworthy.

(06-12-2018, 12:04 PM)jj22 Wrote: Trumps concession giving up the SK military exercises was significant because it was Kim's top demand. It alienated yet another ally in SK.

Quote: And we got nothing in return. Trump as you'll notice in the pics is much happier with those who have nukes pointed at us (Russians/Putin/Kim) then he is with our Allies who fought side by side with our men and women in uniform. This isn't a coincidence as Trump has moved to align America with Russia and NK and against the West. A move even Trump supporters are uncomfortable with.

Quote:The more Trump talks about the deal, the worse it sounds. U.S. stops exercises, pledges to remove troops, no new sanctions, all in exchange for vague promises of denuclearization.

Quote:If this was Obama, he'd be slammed by the same people celebrating Trump and demanding he get a Nobel Peace Prize because of this.

(06-12-2018, 12:19 PM)jj22 Wrote: You had no response to anything I said. Even admitting to not knowing all the facts. Not impressed. You have to come better with me then that.

Quote:This is what you said in another thread

Sociopathicsteelerfan

I could not disagree more.  I'd trade a guarantee of no regime change and even remove troops from S. Korea in exchange for complete and verified, by the US, denuclearization, ceasing counterfeiting US currency, ceasing malignant cyber attacks and a complete cessation on kidnapping foreign nationals.  As much as I'd like to see the people of N. Korea treated better I see that as a complete non-starter issue for Kim and of far less importance than the other items on my list.  North Korea developed nuclear weapons so they could preserve the regime, they won't give them up unless they get assurances that the regime will not be interfered with.  Getting them to loosen their grip at home is pie in the sky thinking, it just won't happen.

Quote:I actually agree with you here, but you got none of this, yet you attack me because my opinions haven't changed. My goal post never moved. We must be better than this. Stick to your belief. Don't let Trumps failure change your opinions. Call a spade a spade.

(06-12-2018, 12:29 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: First, please learn how to use the quote function, it's far less confusing.  Secondly, I did have an answer to everything you said.  For some reason you decided not to respond to it.




Of course, this assumes I thought we'd get all of this out of one day's meeting.  Only a naive person with no understanding of the situation would think that.  I still think everything on my list should be our goal, I didn't think we'd reach that goal instantly.


I'm calling a beginning a beginning.  Remember the Iran deal that Obama was so proud of, it took literally years of work to accomplish, regardless of anyone's personal opinion on its efficacy.  This is a first step, it might lead nowhere or it might lead to a lasting peace.  Either way, we weren't going to find out today.  

(06-12-2018, 12:31 PM)Goalpost Wrote: SK wanted this meeting.  I don't think we alienated them at all.

(06-12-2018, 12:31 PM)Goalpost Wrote: SK wanted this meeting.  I don't think we alienated them at all.