A North Korean envoy making a rare visit to South Korea said Sunday that his country was willing to open talks with the United States, a rare step toward diplomacy between enemies after a year of North Korean missile and nuclear tests and direct threats of war from both Pyongyang and Washington.You might ask yourself why the North Koreans are now so interested in talking.
Well, it's not because of Trump's bluster and sanctions. Nobody, outside of his base, takes that tweeting poltroon seriously.
It's more likely because of an intelligence coup that North Korean hackers pulled off last year. They hacked into South Korean military computers and stole a bunch of operational plans for a war with North Korea. Apparently, what they then read and analyzed scared the shit out of them.
Is that really the truth? Beats me.
Could be. As likely as Trump making it happen.
ReplyDeleteOr the Chinese no longer need them as a distraction, and have told 'em to back off.
The NK hacking reminds me of St. Theresa of Avila: “More tears are shed over answered than unanswered prayers.”
ReplyDeleteIf they had any sense, they would realize:
ReplyDelete1) Stronger Together
2) the South's way works better than ours
Apparently big fish - little pond is very appealing.
Add in a little of "we're a nuclear power now, so you have to talk to us" which was kinda their whole plan. Not what I would call adept negotiators, but this is the pickle the current Kim inherited, so it's the role he's playing.
ReplyDelete-Doug in Oakland
Good time for them. Trump is a crappy negotiator, the State Dept has been gutted to the point that we have no amabassador in South Korea and Trump's NSA Advisor could be on the way out. If the NORKs can't eat Donny's lunch and get him to bring another bag they just aren't trying.
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ReplyDeleteDonnie has answered with roughly “we’re willing to talk AFTER you dispose of your nukes.”. If the self described “great negotiator” would pull his head outta his ass long enough to notice how that worked for Libya and Iraq, he’d realize that he just pissed away the chance of talks. This was his Nixon moment, but to take credit for getting the NORKs to the table, he needed to be at the table himself...and this shows he never intended to be at the table.
ReplyDeleteCP88, then he won't be at the table. The ROKs will talk to the NORKs and they will do it without Trump's participation. Splitting the ROK from the US has been a long-term goal of the NORKs; Trump will make that possible.
ReplyDeleteYep, chalk up another win for Kim and a lose for Donnie...and I’m betting on a Japanese announcement of nukes within less than a year of North and South Korea working something out.
ReplyDeleteThe wildcard is the Chinese, whose interested are only served best by a rabid dog (Notth Korea) in their backyard.