Posted on 09/22/2018 12:24:16 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
After the big bang of the Singapore summit in June, with its showy but vague North Korean commitment to denuclearization, many analysts doubted that the deal had any real substance. But we're beginning to see the first signs of what a serious accord would look like.
This week's North-South summit meeting in Pyongyang produced accord on some basic essentials of a real denuclearization process. North Korea agreed to accept internal inspectors to monitor destruction of one of its test sites, a first step toward the broader inspection process that will be essential for any verifiable pact.
North Korea also agreed in principle to dismantle its main nuclear-weapons facility at Yongbyon, though the details are fuzzy and its offer is conditioned on reciprocal U.S. "corresponding measures." Finally, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week floated a timetable (without objection from North Korea) for completion of denuclearization by 2021. That is aspirational, to put it generously, but it at least provides a baseline for the U.S. to protest if Pyongyang delays.
The Trump administration seems willing to offer some version of the desired "corresponding measures" as a confidence-building step that would facilitate the Yongbyon shutdown. North Korea wants a formal declaration of the end of the state of war, but it's unclear what precise formula the U.S. will propose.
Meanwhile, President Trump continues his mutual flattery with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump keeps cheerleading for a deal, tweeting Tuesday that emerging signs of detente between the Koreas are "very exciting." And Kim said this week that he wants a second meeting with Trump to ratify the moves toward denuclearization....
(Excerpt) Read more at qctimes.com ...
I thought it was a decent article. It certainly was informative.
That’s what I look for in journalism: stories that give me information I haven’t seen before. It’s becoming increasingly difficult and I often find I know more than the author of an article. If nothing else, this enables me to better distinguish between real news and fake news.
I see this article as real news. I almost didn’t read it because you seemed to trash it. Since I didn’t see anything particularly objectionable in your excerpt, I decided to read the article to find out what your beef was. I didn’t see it.
You missed that?
His statement here is annoying, but it is also a non issue. Presidents are always personally tied to their foreign policies, and their opponents always cast it in a negative light. So what if he digs into Trump a little.
The rest of what he writes is reasonable. North Korea is at least agreeing to allow some inspectors and dismantle facilities. At the same time, reunification could derail everything. That problem would still exist no matter who was President.
The only difference is, the news would rather have a Democrat taking the credit. Unless I missed something.
When I served in Korea a soldier would salute an officer and shout “Tongil!” which means Reunification. I believe that is still true.
I’ll believe it when teams of international inspectors are given free rein to look everywhere and find nothing.
Not until.
This is the Trump coup against the United Nations, showing the world that one of their signature treaties was not really something that world body could or even cared to finish. Kim has been around, educated abroad, and certainly doesn't want to end up like all the former presidents in S.Korea. It will be interesting to see the voting in Korea after reunification. Will incorporation of the North prevent further presidents from corruption, simply because the stakes are too high to rip off the North who will vote as a block with like minded S.Korean's.
If the US/SK/Japan can build up the infrastructure in the North after reunification, world class medical facilities and living conditions might attract Snowbirds for retirement. I'm looking forward to a second there given the relative strength of the dollar. Go Trump/Kim.
Moreover, if nothing else, Trump is a deal-maker. If a nuclear deal and a new and peaceful relationship with North Korea are possible, Trump will figure it out how to do it. Indeed, with a Nobel Prize and easy reelection to be had for such an accomplishment, Trump will keep the North Korean situation a top priority.
Ehh... Like the WaCompost would ask this question if Zero was still President. They’d be rejoicing from the rooftops and questioning nothing!
I cannot imagine what a unified Korea would look like politically. How does a prosperous, free South unite on an equal voting basis with a people who have been far more oppressed than Eastern Europeans during the Cold War?
Do they all get one vote? How much money/welfare/reconstruction does the South have to put up? Is movement from North to South controlled or free? Can people from the South buy property in the North. If so, from whom? Who gets and who controls the missiles/artillery/warships? What role does an NK general have in the unified army. Same question for SK generals. How do you prevent a quick NK oriented coup against the unified government?
Unifying the US with Mexico would be far easier.
Agree. It seems like a bit of a narititive shift from the washpost.
The question is leading. The article seems to suggest the answer is Yes.
And, maybe most important, how does China react to a unified Korea on it’s border. A Korea that will be culturally dominated by Westernized Koreans.
I think not well.
“its offer is conditioned on reciprocal U.S. “corresponding measures.” “
and THAT is the rub..
No. The Wa Po writer wants to twist, lie and/or obfuscate to make Trump look Bad.
Well what are those reciprocal measures? If they involve trade, financing, normalization of travel and moves towards normalcy in diplomatic relations that is only fair. If it involves US denuclearization or some such obviously that is a nonstarter.
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