North Korea threatens to withdraw from summit with Trump

[Dill]

(05-24-2018, 07:40 PM)Millhouse Wrote: Either this was planned by the WH, or Pence is an idiot. Its hard to tell which. Trying to get to the table with North Korea is beyond delicate at this point. But yet on Monday Pence had to open his mouth about it.

"There was some talk about the Libya model," Pence told Fox News' Martha MacCallum. "As the President made clear, this will only end like the Libya model ended if Kim Jong Un doesn't make a deal." When MacCallum said that some people may have seen Bolton's comments as a threat, Pence said "I think it's more of a fact." https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/23/politics/mike-pence-north-korea-intl/index.html

So in response to that the NK woman made her remarks, which ruffled Trumps feathers enough to cancel the meeting.

Seriously, wtf. If they are serious about getting to the table, just the shut the eff up about anything until the meeting happens. So again, either Pence was told to say that knowing that NK would respond to it. Or Pence is just an amateur idiot at this.

The amateur idiot is the one who said "yes" to a meeting before 1) running through possible outcomes with his NSC and their area experts, and then 2) sending lower level officials to discuss expectations and options BEFORE any official announcements and press coverage. If the expectations are just too far apart so NO ONE can win or look good, the overture does not rise to the level of international news with the credibility and judgement of both parties on the line. That's how not to get caught with your pants down. 

Hinting China might be to blame is also not helpful.

This has nothing to do with "what Pence said" or what some North Korea said. NK says the same thing on the news every day.  We still don't have an ambassador to NK or a State Dept. staff which can competently work on a peace process.  But if you don't like big government, the good news is the state department has been downsized.