[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Cherie

very quite on this thread

Fair dues if it all works out, these two are so slippery you never know though

You've answered your own question I think Cherie . This might be a historic moment... or it might be more BS. There's no way to know yet . Reserved judgement is the only sensible move at this point.

[MTVN]

For this to have even taken place is still pretty remarkable though, those pictures of the handshake are the ones that will appear in all the history books and be on the front page of half the world's newspapers tomorrow

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by MTVN

For this to have even taken place is still pretty remarkable though, those pictures of the handshake are the ones that will appear in all the history books and be on the front page of half the world's newspapers tomorrow

Yes 100 per cent especially when they were trading personal insults on twitter a few months back

[Maru]

It's great they're agreeing to the sit down to talk at all. Better than the a prolonged stalemate with more idle threats. The other question... does this mean that tougher sanctions actually helped?

[arista]

Originally Posted by Maru

It's great they're agreeing to the sit down to talk at all. Better than having a more prolonged stalemate. The other question... does this mean that tougher sanctions actually help?

Yes Maru
as China reduced some exports as well.

President Trump Confirmed
sanctions stay in place until North Korea
complies with destroying all Nuke Bomb set ups etc.

North Korea happy
that President Trump has frozen all USA military exercises
in South Korea while all this deal is going on.

Mike Pompeo , Secretary of State,
doing all the Ground Work.

[Tom4784]

I hope the denuclearisation sticks. I think it will, I don't think Trump or the US have had any hand in helping NK reach this conclusion, I think this change of heart has likely come from a lack of funds or resources to continue nuclear testing and NK wants to de-escalate tensions because the Kim Dynasty wouldn't hold on to power in a war.

I don't think it mattered which president was in power because I doubt that had any bearing on it, Trump's teenage girl approach to social media certainly does not help the democratic process. Trump will take the credit although this is all purely down to circumstance.

I doubt the Korean peninsula can ever truly recover while the Kims remain in charge of NK though, they've committed too many attrocities to ever even out the scales.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

I hope the denuclearisation sticks. I think it will, I don't think Trump or the US have had any hand in helping NK reach this conclusion, I think this change of heart has likely come from a lack of funds or resources to continue nuclear testing and NK wants to de-escalate tensions because the Kim Dynasty wouldn't hold on to power in a war.

I don't think it mattered which president was in power because I doubt that had any bearing on it, Trump's teenage girl approach to social media certainly does not help the democratic process. Trump will take the credit although this is all purely down to circumstance.

I doubt the Korean peninsula can ever truly recover while the Kims remain in charge of NK though, they've committed too many attrocities to ever even out the scales.

You are wrong Dezzy
with respect,
as Mike Pompeo USA Secretary of State
went to North Korea weeks ago
to start this Historic Change.


China is happy for the USA
to start this off.

Of Course North Korea
has a terrible record on illegal killings
a nation that has shocking Jails.
Trump wants all that change.
Also, President Trump - who you hate, Dezzy
is happy for a New McDonald's
to be set up North Korea
with their own menu changes.


Sign Of The Times

[bitontheslide]

Originally Posted by Maru

It's great they're agreeing to the sit down to talk at all. Better than the a prolonged stalemate with more idle threats. The other question... does this mean that tougher sanctions actually helped?

I think the sanctions did their job, but I also think China withdrawing their support hit them the hardest as that left them truly isolated. Trump will take the credit, but none of it would have happened without China turning the screw

[Maru]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

I think the sanctions did their job, but I also think China withdrawing their support hit them the hardest as that left them truly isolated. Trump will take the credit, but none of it would have happened without China turning the screw

Didn't Trump say that at one point though? We needed China to make to apply more pressure.

Anyway, I did a search because I didn't remember exactly what it was in reference to at the time... but interesting article now considering the change in dynamics:

Why China Won’t Pressure North Korea as Much as Trump Wants
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-...on-north-korea

But, importantly, Zhao added that it would be a mistake to misread those steps as China signing on, wholesale, to American efforts to force North Korea to the edge of collapse—a tactic, favored in Washington, known as “strategic strangulation.” “No, it’s just balancing Trump and Kim Jong Un,” Zhao said. “The reason China agreed to much tougher sanctions is to calm Trump down.” China has strategic tensions of its own with the U.S., so it is keeping both countries off balance. “It’s basically, ‘Who is the bigger evil?’ For China, the U.S. is always the top geostrategic concern, the top threat.”

To be fair, China does seem to play an ambiguous role in the international stage, probably by choice. I've never really understood our relationship with them. It is interesting how much things seem to be changing with those relationships... especially with a trade war supposedly looming.

[Northern Monkey]

I think Trump’s done well.He got about as much from Kim as anyone could have possibly expected.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Northern Monkey

I think Trump’s done well.He got about as much from Kim as anyone could have possibly expected.

a handshake

[bitontheslide]

the video trump played to kim is so bizarre

Youtube video

[Nicky91]

yeah bizarre

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

the video trump played to kim is so bizarre

Youtube video

It's designed to play to his ego, even explicitly making him the "hero"... it will appeal to both of their narcissistic tendencies.

See... Trump really IS the best world leader to talk to Kim Jong, because on a personal level, they are so very similar. In this situation that's a good thing but overall, it's pretty horrifying.

Also pretty strange that international trade, investment and cooperation are some of his big "selling points" for NK, whilst Trump is at the same time driving the US in the direction of isolationism .

[arista]

Yes the Video
is typical Trump.

A Possible Future Vision.

[Cherie]

When I heard this played on the radio yesterday I thought was was a wind up

[Maru]

Oh man, can't watch the video right now... sounds like I need to watch this later

[Maru]

Did anyone see the Dennis Rodman video? Supposedly weeping on CNN about the Kim+Trump meeting...

[arista]

Originally Posted by Maru

Did anyone see the Dennis Rodman video? Supposedly weeping on CNN about the Kim+Trump meeting...

Yes I watched that on CNN HD
he knows Kim so well, from years back.
And he respects Trump.

I think he knew he could not
get in the way of these 2 Leaders,
at that point etc.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Maru

Oh man, can't watch the video right now... sounds like I need to watch this later

Like a USA Movie soundtrack.


I can see Bill Maher
taking the piss on his Friday show
Which we get on Sunday
on our SkyAtlanticHD.

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

I hope the denuclearisation sticks. I think it will, I don't think Trump or the US have had any hand in helping NK reach this conclusion, I think this change of heart has likely come from a lack of funds or resources to continue nuclear testing and NK wants to de-escalate tensions because the Kim Dynasty wouldn't hold on to power in a war.

I don't think it mattered which president was in power because I doubt that had any bearing on it, Trump's teenage girl approach to social media certainly does not help the democratic process. Trump will take the credit although this is all purely down to circumstance.

I doubt the Korean peninsula can ever truly recover while the Kims remain in charge of NK though, they've committed too many attrocities to ever even out the scales.

If you re serious about the emboldened sentiments, then I think that this is one of those occasions when I am reminded of your comment that: "People in today's world place too much weight on their opinions and feelings above the cold hard facts and this post is an excellent example of that."

It is ludicrous to suggest that Trump and the US had no 'hand in helping NK reach this conclusion', because without Trump this momentous event simply would not have happened - unless you think that out of the blue Kim would have suddenly changed tack from his war-mongering, threatening stance and pleaded to the US to start suing for peace?

And it certainly DOES matter which President was in power because Obama did not even think about such an initiative nor Clinton, and Trump has already achieved more positive results in many areas in 9 months than Obama did in his entire reign - including this Peace Treaty with NK and pardoning Jack Johnson (Obama refused to do so) and freeing Alice Johnson (Obama refused to do so THREE times).

In addition, the Stock Market is at an all-time high, the Economy has strengthened, unemployment has fallen - including among Black and Hispanics - and though some of these improvements WERE started during the end of Obama's Presidency, the very fact that they have continued to improve so dramatically under Trump's Presidency shows that business has faith in his policies - the very policies which the majority of Americans also had faith in when they elected him.

Trump is a flawed man but up to now he has not shagged any young White House Interns or destroyed 33,000 incriminating emails three weeks AFTER any Congressional Subpoena to produce them.

It's time to stop allowing personal prejudice to obscure facts - in my opinion.

[Maru]

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

the video trump played to kim is so bizarre

Youtube video

Ohhh, it is sort of like a corporate presentation, but it reminds me of a pitch before the agency/contractor starts to construct a proposal or pitch a potential deal... though the voice also does kind of sound like a Scientology propaganda movie...

I can actually see why they have decided on this method. It's quite genius really. Yes, it's a bit cheesy, but I don't think the intention was to attempt an American action movie vibe. Rather, NK is heavy into propaganda movies and this sort of high drama patriotic vibe... let's do what's best for ourselves/the world to lead our people into the future, etc. You are the future, etc. So it dovetails into that same type of patriotic literacy that a local is accustomed to who lives in NK. It's also in line with how NK expects foreigners to behave when they visit the country, to show respect for the Kims and keep a positive worldview towards the administration and the country at all times...

So actually, this is speaking in the same code that their leader and the North Koreans already understand quite well and is deeply ingrained in their culture. So I think using this method to set the tone for the meeting is quite brilliant, as it gets the message across in a way Kim can already relate to and so it gives them a common place to start from... and yes, because it does have that epic movie tone that is common in American pop-culture, that does give them a common ground to work with. I think well-played by the Trump administration. It's non-aggressive and it sends the message, let's make a deal...

[Maru]

Originally Posted by arista

Like a USA Movie soundtrack.


I can see Bill Maher
taking the piss on his Friday show
Which we get on Sunday
on our SkyAtlanticHD.

I'm looking forward to reading and listening to the reactions to this. It's not something we see everyday... befriending a warmongering maniac with propaganda movies & using creative persuasive techniques to get them to agree to negotiate.. If it's successful, then it will be the early model for all future negotiations of this type... I doubt this will be the last time we ever have to deal with this sort of nuclear stalemate with such a nation... we live in interesting times.