06-11-2018, 07:01 PM
(06-11-2018, 02:33 PM)fredtoast Wrote: G-7 was just a bunch of huffing and puffing. No real new policy best I could tell.
The NK summit is interesting. I wonder what Kim is going to demand. People act like we need Chinas help to "take care of" the NK problem, but China loves having NK as a buffer between the west friendly SK and their own borders. China is in no hurry for a new regime in NK that is more friendly with the west. Also want to point out that a big reason this summit is moving forward is because the new President of SK, Moon Jae-in, is much more interested in making it work that former SK leaders.
It's partly Moon and it's partly that N. Korea feels they are now bargaining from a position of strength. What many people don't seem to get about the Kim's, and totalitarian leaders in general, is that appearances are more important than facts to them. He can play this meeting off at home as a meeting of equals. As an equal he can give something away in exchange for something he can claim is of equal importance and not lose face. On the contrary, if he earns any concessions at all he can play this off as a huge victory at home. I say let him, as long as we get what we want then he can claim an overwhelming victory at home from now until doomsday.
