General Singapore Summit

[Banchan]

I'm not sure that debunks Trump's knowledge or lack thereof, but I agree that he has his politics.

He keeps tweeting that trump doesn't know about Korea and that he "probably" gets briefed about it an hour before going into talks. My point was that not only did he know decades ago about the problem with North Korea, he also was right that the deal Clinton was making was a mistake. People may be all like well trump was weak with Kim too and offered up a bunches of concessions and got nothing too!

But! It's too late to drive the hard bargain or go military now, it wasn't in 1998 when that clip of Trump was made.

 

[Banchan]

Sooooo Pompeo says yall want North Korea to dismantle their nuclear program by 2020. So you want them to dismantle their capability to make more weapons in 1 year half.

So deal falls apart in 3.2.1.....

 

[1372]

 

[kneeblock]

He keeps tweeting that trump doesn't know about Korea and that he "probably" gets briefed about it an hour before going into talks. My point was that not only did he know decades ago about the problem with North Korea, he also was right that the deal Clinton was making was a mistake. People may be all like well trump was weak with Kim too and offered up a bunches of concessions and got nothing too!

But! It's too late to drive the hard bargain or go military now, it wasn't in 1998 when that clip of Trump was made.

Again, I'm not sure if you live in the US, but criticizing the negotiations with North Korea wasn't exactly a novel or unique opinion in 1998. It was conservative orthodoxy. There was heavy media coverage that rehearsed the positives and drawbacks. Trump having a broad opinion on it doesn't demonstrate a depth of understanding, just that he parroted the partisan lines of the day. The question of how informed he is is solely based on his rhetoric. We can speculate on the negotiating process and what his advisors bring to the table, but we only know what his administration tells us. What he says suggests needless opacity and confused understanding (to be charitable). Believing anything else is based on faith, but free government shouldn't require its citizens faith. It should submit to its ruthless questioning.

 

[Banchan]

Again, I'm not sure if you live in the US, but criticizing the negotiations with North Korea wasn't exactly a novel or unique opinion in 1998. It was conservative orthodoxy. There was heavy media coverage that rehearsed the positives and drawbacks. Trump having a broad opinion on it doesn't demonstrate a depth of understanding, just that he parroted the partisan lines of the day. The question of how informed he is is solely based on his rhetoric. We can speculate on the negotiating process and what his advisors bring to the table, but we only know what his administration tells us. What he says suggests needless opacity and confused understanding (to be charitable). Believing anything else is based on faith, but free government shouldn't require its citizens faith. It should submit to its ruthless questioning.

That could be true, I would not know. What I do know is that Clinton was wrong. He continues to say he could have made the deal work if only he could have been in government longer.

You could also say that for Clinton and all the former US presidents. What I mean to say is that he doesn't necessarily have less understanding than the others did.

 

[Banchan]

I don't see where that article necessarily suggests opposition, but the mood of indifference does come through in the polls they reference. Also, I've heard most framing in terms of normalization rather than reunification as the end goal. Do you live in Korea? Regardless of whether you do, do you feel this is a populist gesture from Moon to distract from the economic concerns noted in that article you linked?

Moon was elected not on his North Korean policy but his policy of fairness particularly in economic issues. The majority of Moon's supporters are under 60 years old (under 30 more accurately). The demographic that cares mostly about North Korea is 60 and over. They (older koreans) have been saying for the longest time that Moon really cares about reuniting the Koreas because his age (over 60) , of his background (he's north korean) and his affiliation and past support for the sunshine policy (most 60 and over didn't vote for Moon). He was widely criticized by his voters for saying that his first diplomatic visit would be North Korea yet he has still continued diverting time and money to issues his supporters are disinterested in. North Korea seems to be his own agenda and one he's had all along. So you have Moon enacting a policy with North that his supporters widely have no interest in (under 30) and those who have interest in (over 60) disagree with Moon's plan. He is doing what he wants to do basically.

 

[Banchan]

I don't see where that article necessarily suggests opposition, but the mood of indifference does come through in the polls they reference. Also, I've heard most framing in terms of normalization rather than reunification as the end goal. Do you live in Korea? Regardless of whether you do, do you feel this is a populist gesture from Moon to distract from the economic concerns noted in that article you linked?

Normalization first
Reunification later