Susan Wright on the Right
Who wants to give the over-under on how long it will take the nation to dig out of the rubble of the foreign policy mess Donald Trump creates?
Will we even get the chance?
Between trade wars and alienating our allies in the world, to total capitulation to despots and geopolitical foes, there’s no way we come out of this as winners.
As Trump derpity-derps his way through his presidency, others are left to do the heavy lifting.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was in North Korea for several days this week, in order to discuss the goal of denuclearization and also to talk about the repatriation of the remains of American soldiers killed during the Korean War.
Secretary Pompeo did not meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on this trip, but he apparently left feeling confident.
Before departing Pyongyang, Pompeo told reporters that his conversations with senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol had been “productive,” conducted “in good faith” and that “a great deal of progress” had been made in some areas. But he stressed that “there’s still more work to be done” in other areas, much of which would be done by working groups that the two sides have set up to deal with specific issues.
Pompeo said that a Pentagon team would be meeting with North Korean officials on or about July 12 at the border between North and South Korea to discuss the repatriation of remains and that working level talks would be held soon on the destruction of North Korea’s missile engine testing facility.
That’s certainly a more realistic approach than to immediately declare that the hermit nation is no longer a nuclear threat to the world.
After his summit with Kim, President Trump rushed to gather up his latest hit of praise, like a junkie jonesing for a quick shot to the vein, with not only his declaration of North Korea’s new “safe” status (complete with praise for Kim Jong Un), but that the return of U.S. war dead remains was pretty much a done deal.
But, as it always is with Trump, he either didn’t understand or he outright lied to the people, because none of that is reality.
Pompeo, however, said that more talks were needed on both.
“We now have a meeting set up for July 12 — it could move by one day or two — where there will be discussions between the folks responsible for the repatriation of remains. (It) will take place at the border and that process will begin to develop over the days that follow,” he said as he boarded his plane for Tokyo.
On the destruction of the missile engine plant, Pompeo said, “We talked about what the modalities would look like for the destruction of that facility as well, and some progress there as well, and then we have laid out a path for further negotiation at the working level so the two teams can get together and continue these discussions.”
It sounds like there’s a lot more work to do before we’re at a point where Trump can begin negotiating to build a Trump Hotel on the beaches of North Korea.
It’s not Trump and Kim Jong Un working out an agreement, but Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol who see multiple meetings ahead before the needle moves.
As they began their talks on Saturday, Kim Yong Chol alluded to the fact that Pompeo and his delegation had stayed overnight in Pyongyang.
“We did have very serious discussions on very important matters yesterday,” Kim said. “So, thinking about those discussions you might have not slept well last night.”
Pompeo, who spoke with Trump, national security adviser John Bolton and White House chief of staff John Kelly by secure phone before starting Saturday’s session, replied that he “slept just fine.” He added that the Trump administration was committed to reaching a deal under which North Korea would denuclearize and realize economic benefits in return.
Kim later said that “there are things that I have to clarify” to which Pompeo responded that “there are things that I have to clarify as well.”
One hoped-for breakthrough on this trip would have been the return of the remains of U.S. troops killed during the 1950-53 Korean War. North Korea committed at last month’s summit to the “immediate repatriation” of remains already identified, but that hasn’t happened yet.
Trump screwed up. He listened to a despot, then came home to brag about it.
And if you see any glimmer of hope from Pompeo’s efforts, consider this from the Associated Press’ Twitter feed:
BREAKING: North Korea Foreign Ministry says talks with Pompeo 'regrettable,' accuses US of unilateral demands for denuclearization.
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 7, 2018
This was immediately following those talks.
Unless we get real leadership in Washington, this comes back hard on us, as a nation.
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