The Korean Dilemma

[Ironduke]

Completely off-topic, but if KJU and Trump were to meet, would it be on a golf course? Maybe the negotiations could be settled on the basis of a golfing duel, whomever gets more holes-in-one wins the negotiations.

I'll bet the final score will be 18 holes-in-one to 17, but without outside intervention, I'd say there's a 50/50 chance of whether it's Trump or KJU who prevails with a final score of 18-17.

I'd pay a million dollars of somebody else's money to be the guy hiding in the tree line with an air horn for the golfing duel. I would most likely blow off the air horn when KJU is taking his swing on the 18th hole, thus ensuring he only gets 17 holes-in-one.

As a consolation prize, I'd have a buffet of double bread with meat in the form of Quad Whoppers and McQuadruples for KJU. I'd also have this rocket for him to ride, with a roll of quarters on hand to operate it, as a consolation for him losing his nuclear rocket capabilities. I might even hire Dennis Rodman to serve KJU double bread with meat, and feed quarters into the rocket spaceship ride.

[astralis]

this is why the whole Singapore meeting is coming apart (and wouldn't have mattered even if did go off): it's a case where both sides have leaders known for reneging on deals. there's no long-term incentive whatsoever.

[Officer of Engineers]

It still blows my mind that people trust Donald Trump.

The man is a pathological liar. He lies about things that don't even really matter, then gets proved dead wrong....and then doubles down and lies about it even more.

I'd sooner trust a rabid dog than Donald Trump.

Joe, you can't have it both ways. Either Trump is too stupid to deal with KJU or Trump would lie to KJU to get what he wants. I point to the fact that these promises of protection ain't worth the paper they're written on but it does throw the ball back into KJU's court.

[Officer of Engineers]

to the extent any of that is happening, it's probably being forced not by Trump but by the collapse of the nuclear testing mountain, lol.

Don't see how that has anything to do with rocket developments.

so as far as i can tell both sides are farting out of their mouths. Kim wants aid, Moon wants to get Trump to stop talking about hitting NK, Trump wants a Nobel, and Xi wants stability. so everyone does a Kabuki dance with intangibles.

But only Kim has to offer up something while everyone else is offerring nothing but photo ops.

[TopHatter]

Trump offers promises in exchange for verifiable disarmament.

It still blows my mind that people trust Donald Trump.

The man is a pathological liar. He lies about things that don't even really matter, then gets proved dead wrong....and then doubles down and lies about it even more.

I'd sooner trust a rabid dog than Donald Trump.

[astralis]

Kim has to at least stop nuclear development; more specificially re-entry vehicle and fusing development.

to the extent any of that is happening, it's probably being forced not by Trump but by the collapse of the nuclear testing mountain, lol.

so as far as i can tell both sides are farting out of their mouths. Kim wants aid, Moon wants to get Trump to stop talking about hitting NK, Trump wants a Nobel, and Xi wants stability. so everyone does a Kabuki dance with intangibles.

[Officer of Engineers]

i think it's pretty clear now that it's been Moon that is playing Trump, not Kim.

Maybe but Trump is offerring nothing but promises while Kim has to at least stop nuclear development; more specificially re-entry vehicle and fusing development.

[astralis]

i think it's pretty clear now that it's been Moon that is playing Trump, not Kim.

[Officer of Engineers]

As I've maintained all along: A small child could play Trump.

In both senses of the word.

As I said, between Fat Boy and Trump, I'll take Trump.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/pres...ry?id=55241910

Trump offers promises in exchange for verifiable disarmament.

[Officer of Engineers]

He said Kim called these talks on his own. NK cares the least about world opinion. It wasn't any external factors. Those played a role but are secondary, so you can include Trump & Chinese sanctions in here as well. Kim is ready for talks because he knows he can hit the US with a nuke and the Americans know it too. Why else was there this talk of nuclear war. Either get the nukes from him or hit them are the only two options

North Korea does not have a nuke that can hit the US.

Kim isn't desperate. He's out shopping

If he was shopping, he would not have kowtowed to Xi like he did.

[Double Edge]

Was listening to a talk by Robert Kelly. The one whose daughter is world famous : D

He said Kim called these talks on his own. NK cares the least about world opinion. It wasn't any external factors. Those played a role but are secondary, so you can include Trump & Chinese sanctions in here as well. Kim is ready for talks because he knows he can hit the US with a nuke and the Americans know it too. Why else was there this talk of nuclear war. Either get the nukes from him or hit them are the only two options

The other part about whether his backers are hungry. Here is a quote by Benjamin Franklin that is apt

We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.

Literally.

NK is run by about 200k people, if they don't stick together they are all dead. If they have to go hungry they will go hungry but they won't pull the rug from Kim

Kim isn't desperate. He's out shopping

[Officer of Engineers]

What's the end-game, though?

He wants what Trump has. To be respected/feared across the world. Only the ugly little word called survival is threatening his delusions of grandeur.

You're right. Fat Boy is not going to abandon his nukes. It's his only card to bargin with. Give that up and he is nothing more than a beggar to his Chinese overlords.

[Double Edge]

It's a bluff on KJU's part. Otherwise, he would not have gone to China - twice. He needs sanction relief and he needs it fast. Trump has responded that he's not going to beg for a meet and MAX THUNDER has not been cancelled - by the South Koreans no less.

In fact, the more I think about it. What does Fat Boy got left? His only ace was nukes and that did not make him the power that he wants to be. His military is in shambles. He needs trade, especially with the Chinese. What's he going to do? Restart his nuke program? Spending more money he doesn't have?

The Chinese sanctions hurt and hurt big time. He needs Trump's ok far more than Trump needs a photo op.

heh yeah, KJU's hardballing Trump : D

[GVChamp]

What's the end-game, though? North Korea isn't going to torpedo the nuclear program. They might backtrack a bit, but they will still maintain their ability to develop nukes quickly, and they'll just suffer otherwise.

[Officer of Engineers]

It's a bluff on KJU's part. Otherwise, he would not have gone to China - twice. He needs sanction relief and he needs it fast. Trump has responded that he's not going to beg for a meet and MAX THUNDER has not been cancelled - by the South Koreans no less.

In fact, the more I think about it. What does Fat Boy got left? His only ace was nukes and that did not make him the power that he wants to be. His military is in shambles. He needs trade, especially with the Chinese. What's he going to do? Restart his nuke program? Spending more money he doesn't have?

The Chinese sanctions hurt and hurt big time. He needs Trump's ok far more than Trump needs a photo op.