IAEA Report: North Korea continuing to develop nuclear capabilities

[TLK Valentine]

I kind of figured they were just placating with pretty words and no real intent to change anything.

We've never had a head of state so easily duped by pretty words up until recently.

 

[Bumble Bee]

You have to give him credit for at least trying negotiations. I don't recall another president actually meeting with North Korea.

 

[SimplyMe]

You have to give him credit for at least trying negotiations. I don't recall another president actually meeting with North Korea.

That's because president's typically don't meet until the deal is basically done. And, in the case of North Korea, the meeting was a PR boost for North Korea. To give you an example -- perhaps you'll remember at a summit when it was reported that Trump pushed the PM of Montenegro out of the way, so that Trump could be in the front of the picture. Many here excused Trump's behavior by saying that Trump, as representative of the most powerful nation on earth, should be in front. The meeting of Trump with Kim is, politically, allowing the PM of Montenegro to stay in front of him -- the photo op as "equals" was a signal that North Korea is an equal to the US -- that is why no former president has had a similar photo op, even when they've made agreements with North Korea.

And every president, at least that I can remember (and I remember decades), has negotiated with North Korea -- just not at the presidential level. Not all came to an agreement, but they did try. And every time, even when it appeared they made an agreement, it turned out like it has this time with Trump, where North Korea almost immediately went back on their word.

In this case, we have Trump, who handed this political victory to Kim at the "summit." On top of that, Trump "gave away" the war games we annually have with the South Korean army, to ensure the two armies are ready to fight together. Trump got nothing, really, for these concessions.

 

[AirPo]

You have to give him credit for at least trying negotiations. I don't recall another president actually meeting with North Korea.

No, he get's credit for getting suckered by Kim.