On Thursday, the North Korean Foreign Ministry issued a statement demanding that the US withdraw Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from future negotiations, asking that the US replace him with someone “more careful and mature.”
The spokesman said that wherever Pompeo “pokes his nose in,” the talks go wrong, adding that he worries if Pompeo is back at the talks, “the table will be lousy once again.” Officials added they welcome talks with the US, just with some not-Pompeo officials.
This isn’t the first time North Korea has expressed disquiet about a US negotiator. Earlier it was centered on the notoriously undiplomatic John Bolton. North Korea has also emphasized that they like to deal with Trump directly.
But Pompeo has been deeply involved in the talks since before he became Secretary of State, becoming the highest ranking official to ever visit North Korea as CIA Director early in the process.
Pompeo’s recent attitude on talks between the US and North Korea has been dismissive, and he has argued North Korea has already committed to everything that the US wanted without getting sanctions relief, and the US expects them to comply with the demands.
“someone ‘more careful and mature'”. That pretty much rules out everybody but Rand Paul. Batter up Jr., we’re working with a shallow bench here.
Good idea.
Lose/lose for Trump. If he obliges, everybody goes nuts. If he doesn’t oblige, it will hurt any further talks.
More to the point, is Korea now also part of what Trump had to caugh up in order to stop Mueller circus. For sure, we see Syria deployment in limbo, with Trump not beingbin the picture any more. The fact that we are so calously letting tertorists run Rukban refugee camp right next to US positions at Al-Tanf, and not allowing people to leave to the safety of government controlled territory. Hopefully next Astana conference with UN rep for Syria attending may bring some clarity.
Then there is Yemen. Trump has zero choice there. Congress has passed a toothless act, and signing it would do nothing for resolving the core discrepancy between Saudi and US end-game ideas. And the act does not require that US stop the blockade of Hodeidah, the main cause of starvation.
But Trump had to give up a whole lots more. Neocons need MORE wars, more nation building get rich quick schemas. Niw Venezuela is in the menu, Nicaragua being threatened. And Sudan is just a shot at Saudis, Sudan is part of Red Sea alliance, aling with Egypt — and part of Yemen end-game plan for Bab Al-Mandeb, Destabilize Sudan, and voila — here comes a problem for Saudis. But Arab world learned much from Arab spring. So, Bashar, the ling term president with all the baggage, has swiftly gone into retirement, military in charge Egypt style, transition of two years planned. NATURALLY, the would be revolutionaries paid for buy US taxpayers are deroly unhappy —they want chaos and “democracy”. Swiftly, Saudis came up with financial assistance, recignized the transitional authority. Who else recognized it? Russia.
Trump clearly had to cave jn wholesale to stop the circus draining the presidency. But in the ither hand — what exactly has he given up? Venezuela will nit be cakewalk. Syria and Iraq are dead ends for US and any western country. Chances for regaining influence and respect are small to none. Sudan us not an easy target, especially given the recent amoutation if South Sudan and its oil riches by the West.
Bottom line, is Trump destind to own niw all if these messes, and be a good boy Obama style? Is all this a condition for his candidacy 2020? Pompeo does not speak out of turn — he has been empowered by the winners of Russiagate political duel. Neocons.
And when they create many more messes, what is the point blaming Trump? With or without Trump m, neocons march on.
But they will lose this time. Not politically in US — as they are bulletproof. No, the loss this time will be inflicted on our policy. Howvand where, who knows. But it is inevitable. Since they cannot be stopped from the inside, something will have to stop them from the outside.
Pompeo is the Trump administrations hit man , he has no diplomatic skills and is totally driven by ideology and a Neocon.
Pompeo has the reputation of being a brazen advocate of US supremacy and hegemony.
Pompous Pompeo is both a traitor and a mass murderer, Jim Beam; he belongs behind bars for the rest of his life for his heinous crimes.
Instead of the SOS post, he should’ve remained in the CIA as its Director. His replacement’s a sadistic torturer and should be hanged.