Comments on: Trump Says Nuclear Threat is Over; North Korea Experts Skeptical

By: David Rahrer

David Rahrer — Fri, 15 Jun 2018 16:36:33 +0000

In reply to MyPetSlug. There is absolutely no doubt about this.

By: Tacitus

Tacitus — Fri, 15 Jun 2018 14:11:25 +0000

In reply to MyPetSlug. I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said.

By: MyPetSlug

MyPetSlug — Fri, 15 Jun 2018 10:02:53 +0000

In reply to Tacitus.

It’s not so much the act itself. It’s possible that Trump made a “mistake” by reflexively saluting in return like he might otherwise do in any other situation. Again, it’s the fact that had Obama done this Fox News would run the footage 24/7 with headlines like “Why does Obama love the NK military?”, “Obama embarrasses country, some say”, “Did Obama shows more respect for NK than G7?”. Hannity would be in tears lamenting Obama embarrassing us and imagining our country being laughed at. He would probably be suggesting that a real man would have punched Un in the face.

By: Tacitus

Tacitus — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 18:44:47 +0000

In reply to MG.

You imply some level of planning and forethought from Trump, which is doubtful. More likely, Kim saw an opening (meeting one-on-one with the US President on equal terms is a massive coup for his regime), threw out the carrot, and Trump took the bait.

If a meaningful change for the better happens, I’ll gladly give credit where credit is due, but so far, aside from Trump giving Kim everything he’s asked for, North Korea has yet to promise anything they haven’t promised before.

By: Tacitus

Tacitus — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 18:38:28 +0000

In reply to ken. Yes, he believes it, and no doubt that belief is being reinforced by those around him given that he's ditched almost everyone who was willing to tell him the truth.

By: Tacitus

Tacitus — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 18:36:25 +0000

In reply to MyPetSlug.

To be excruciatingly fair to Trump, it looks like the salute was an instinctive reaction to being saluted rather than any premeditated — presumably because that’s what he’s gotten used to doing when receiving salutes from US generals — and frankly, after all the praise he’s already heaped upon that mass-murdering dictator, it didn’t (couldn’t) make the situation any worse.

By: thatotherjean

thatotherjean — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 16:53:04 +0000

Both Kim and Trump got what they wanted: Kim got international recognition of his rule of North Korea, and Trump got a big publicity coup that looks good if you don’t look very closely. Both of them are liars; neither of them signed onto anything concrete or verifiable. They’ll be back to calling each other names by Christmas. The nuclear threat from either North Korea to the US or the US to North Korea is pretty much unchanged.

By: MyPetSlug

MyPetSlug — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 14:24:34 +0000

I, for one, would have liked to see Fox New’s reaction (not to mention any of the other right wing press outlets) to Obama meeting with North Korea’s dictator without pre-conditions, lavishing praise upon him, co-opting North Korea’s propagandist language, obtaining an “agreement” that does nothing concrete, declaring the threat over, and then congratulation himself for saving the world. This, after treating our long standing G7 allies like garbage.

If I had to guess, in that alternate universe, the amount of outrage would be a sight to behold. And the conspiracy theories would come fast and wild.

ETA: And now we have pictures of Trump saluting a NK general. I can’t wait to hear about how it’s so great and respectful of Trump to salute an adversarial military leader, but Obama was weak bowing to a Saudi king, who, say what you want, is at least officially our ally.

By: Ellie2

Ellie2 — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 09:39:13 +0000

There is no earthly reason to believe anything either of them say. They both have proven track records as liars.
And this morning, I was greeted with a picture of the president of the United States SALUTING a NK general.
I need a day away from political news.

By: otrotierra

otrotierra — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 08:40:38 +0000

I’d like to see the press focus their energy on the South Koreans who impeached their miliraristic president in favor of progressive leader Moon Jae-In. And the South Korean movement against U.S.-backed dictatorships deserves greater coverage.