With North Korean officials heading to the US to meet with Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo, in an effort to restart progress on nuclear
disarmament, Vice President Mike Pence has issued a statement complaining that North Korea has not taken “concrete steps” to disarm.
Pence’s comments are reflective of the Trump Administration’s
expectation that North Korea will unilaterally give up its program
first, and wait for any US concessions, including a peace treaty, to
come after the fact.
But it comes amid North Korea expressing very publicly their concerns
about this idea, with discomfort both at giving up all their leverage
without getting anything in return, and that even when North Korea was
closing down facilities, the US was increasing sanctions and cracking
down even further in an attempt to “maximize pressure.”
This puts Pompeo in a tough spot for his upcoming meeting, as the
administration seems loath to offer North Korea any incentives, or even
to stop escalating their disincentives in return for compliance. This
puts him in a position to try to put a nicer spin on the status quo that
North Korea has already made clear is unacceptable.
When will the USA start to reduce instead of “improve” its nuclear arsenal, and make the world safer for us all?
I’m asking myself the same question, Rosemerry. When will the US start reducing instead of “improving” its nuclear arsenal and make the world safe for all of us?
VP Pence is a liar, the DPRK has taken steps to dismantle its nuclear program. It’s destroyed much of the underground nuclear sites, which is a beginning, and it hasn’t tested any nuclear weapon, nor has it tested any more missiles after the summit between President Trump and Chairman Kim-Jong-Un sometime last year.
Truth is, Trump didn’t choose Pence as his running mate on his own volition after winning the GOP nomination .. the Trotskyites aka Neocons foisted Pence on him. I hope Trump dumps him and picks a more honest individual as his running mate next year.
Eileen, pence said what he was told to say by his boss. The world waits for the US to make some iota of concession to the peace process. Disarmament is a tit for tat arrangement, so far, trump got no tat.
Didn’t we act similar during Clintons initiative?
That’s because we haven’t called their wager.
I’ve said all along that they would be fools to give up their nukes until America gives up their’s. Since that’s not going to happen, keep yours.