Note: I originally wrote and posted this back on May 1, 2018, before the first “summit” between Trump and Kim Jong Un. I was going to write another one in advance of this second upcoming meeting. However, when I reread this piece, I realized, it still works. Nothing has changed since then that would discredit this article. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
I’m not an expert on North Korea and I won’t pretend to be. But as a layperson, I do have quite a few questions about the whole thing.
I can’t, for the life of me, understand why there is so much celebration on the right about Trump bringing North and South Korea together. No, I am not a Trump supporter. Anyone that knows me, knows that. That said, I am honestly trying to be objective about the situation. Although, I know that my questions will simply be met by people who say I just can’t give Trump any credit for anything. Be that as it may, my wonderment is sincere.
My first question that I hope somebody can answer for me is why is this particular meeting and the resulting pledges between the two sides any different now, then it was in previous meetings?
I’m old enough to remember that the two sides have met previously and have made previous remarks about unification. The last time was in 2007 and the time before I believe in 2000. I’m also old enough to remember when President Clinton made his big deal with North Korea, proclaiming that it was going to prevent them from obtaining nuclear weapons. President Clinton has been excoriated by the right ever since for putting any trust in the promises of North Korea.
So what, exactly, is different this time? Why is the right praising President Trump and calling (chanting) for him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize?
For that matter, why is the right all of the sudden putting any credence to the Nobel Peace Prize? The right has been claiming that the Nobel Peace Prize is a worthless, liberal, meaningless politicized award for years, even before President Obama received if for doing nothing. So why are they now so happy about the idea that President Trump may get it?
Here’s my theory on what might be happening. We have three main players in this saga…President Trump, President Moon Jae-in of South Korea, and Kim Jong Un of North Korea. We know that during the first month’s of President Trump’s term, he and Kim Jong Un were blustering back and forth concerning who had the bigger buttons. All during that time, North Korea was busy testing their nuclear missle capabilities. We also know that during the campaign of President Moon Jae-in in 2017, he ran on a platform of unifying the Koreas. He was very eager to do so.
We know that President Trump surrounded himself with military advisers that would take a hard-line against North Korea and made it clear that they were prepared to take action when deemed necessary.
Lastly, it seems that North Korea experienced some mishap with their nuclear testing facility that rendered it inoperable.
Given all of those knowns, is it at all possible that Kim Jung Un is, once again, simply playing for time?
It’s painfully obvious how to get on the good side of President Trump. You praise him and you make him feel like he is winning. Pretty simple, really.
Add to that the eagerness in which President Moon Jae-in wants to attain unification and fulfill his campaign promises, and it seems to me to be a perfect recipe for North Korea to exploit.
It seems very unlikely that after all of this, after all that North Korea has done to achieve nuclear status, that they would all of the sudden drop it all and denuclearize when they are so close to the final piece. Does anyone really believe that?
It seems way more likely to me that they are playing for time to enable them to complete the final parts and officially declare themselves a nuclear power. And what better way to buy that time then to shake hands, smile, hug, and praise the players who are so desperate to receive it?
I think it’s possible that they may very well agree to denuclearization in the meetings…but not unilaterally. They will agree to it if we agree to it as well and declare that they are being reasonable in that demand. Otherwise, we’ll just have to treat them with mutual respect as a fellow nuclear power, they will say, smiling.
But let’s say that they do agree to total, unilateral denuclearization in the upcoming meeting with President Trump. Even then, would it be time to celebrate and award President Trump the Nobel Peace Prize? Rather, wouldn’t it take years to actually verify the veracity of the entire agreement?
Just as President Clinton was made to look foolish with his much touted agreement with North Korea, isn’t it very possible that President Trump will be made to look just as foolish? And isn’t it possible that all of those on the right who are currently praising him and chanting “Nobel! Nobel! Nobel!” are also going to look just as foolish with him?
What am I missing?
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