Defense Secretary Mattis Weighs in on North Korea Summit, China, and Russia

Inside Defense ^ | June 15, 2018 | Tony Bertuca

[CondoleezzaProtege]

On North Korea:

There is now a "new avenue to peace" with North Korea after President Trump's meeting with Kim Jong Un, but the United States must remain "vigilant" in blocking Pyongyang's pursuit of nuclear weapons.

"President Trump's historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un proves the past does not have to define the future."

On China:

China appears to be modeling its global ambitions after the Ming Dynasty, "demanding other nations become tribute states kowtowing to Beijing."

China is "attempting to replicate on the international stage their authoritarian domestic model," militarizing the South China Sea and using "predatory economics of piling massive debt on others."

On Russia:

The actions of Russia and China continue to draw the United States into a new era of strategic competition.

Russian President Vladimir Putin "aims to diminish the appeal of the western democratic model and attempts to undermine America's moral authority. His actions are not designed to challenge our arms but to undercut and compromise our belief in our ideals."

[Tai_Chung]

I thought the biggest threat to the United States is Climate Change (/sarcasm)

[mac_truck]

Sec. Mattis needs to end US military involvement in Syria quickly.

Failure to do so before Thanksgiving should be grounds for his removal.