True
Parity and Seeing Eye-to-Eye on Most Things
(Beautiful
Letters and Such)
One very big issue vis-à-vis North Korea: Despot Kim Jong-un has now totally duped Donald J. Trump and bigly outlined in this excellent NY Times article.
The headline: NK Missile Tests, Very Standard to Trump, but Show Signs of Advancing Arsenal
Details from the article:
As North Korea fired off a series of missiles in recent
months — at least 18 since May —Trump has repeatedly dismissed
their importance as short-range and “very standard” tests.
And
although he has conceded “there may be a
United Nations violation,” Trump says any concerns are
overblown.
Plus, Trump said: “North Korea’s leader just likes
testing missiles.”
However,
American intelligence officials and outside experts have come to a far
different conclusion: That the launchings downplayed by Trump, including two late last
month, have allowed Kim to test missiles with greater range and
maneuverability that could overwhelm American defenses in the region.
From
our staunch ally Japan: Japan’s defense minister, Takeshi Iwaya, told reporters
in Tokyo last week: “[…] that the irregular trajectories of the most recent tests were more
evidence of a program designed to defeat the defenses Japan has deployed, with
American technology, at sea and on shore.”
Kim’s flattery of Trump with beguiling letters and episodic
meetings offering vague assurances of eventual nuclear disarmament, some
outside experts say, are part of what they call the “North Korean leader’s strategy of buying time to improve his arsenal
despite all the sanctions on North Korea.”
A
bit more: The rapid improvements in the short-range missiles not only
put Japan and South Korea in increased danger, but also threaten at least eight
American bases in those countries housing more than 30,000 troops, according to
an analysis of the missile ranges by The New York Times. Such missiles, experts say, could be designed to carry either
conventional or nuclear warheads.
Notable
comment from Vipin Narang, a political-science professor at M.I.T. who studies
North Korean weapon advances: “Kim is exploiting loopholes in his
agreements with Trump pretty brilliantly. These are mobile-launched, they move
fast, they fly very low and they are maneuverable. That’s a nightmare for
missile defense. And it’s only a matter of time before those technologies are
migrated to longer-range missiles.”
Trump says that Kim committed to him during a meeting in
Singapore 14 months ago that he would refrain from testing intercontinental
ballistic missiles and conducting nuclear tests while negotiations are
underway, and he has kept those promises even though there have been no
substantive talks since a second summit in Hanoi in February resulted in an
impasse.
Key
point as usual from NK: Their state-run media has made it clear
that they feel no such limits when it comes to improving other missile
technologies, saying it would never accede to the West’s demand: “For disarmament under pressure and appeasement
of ‘international society.”
By pushing ahead with short-range missile tests, though, Kim
has managed to sow divisions between the United States and its main allies in
Asia.
My 2 cents: Continue
story at the NY Times link.
Anyone who knows anything about the nasty history and brutal tactics
by NK knows that they are pros at this kind of con job.
Apparently, Trump sure has fallen for
it hook, line, and sinker with their “fake friendship.”
BTW: “Fake” is word Trump
loves to fling around – so I wonder how he feels now toward his “fake” BFF Kim,
Jong-un?
Will he apply the same standard
to him – that is doubtful. Why not?
– Trump never admits to any fault or wrong on his part. Plus, he will spin this with his usual BS – wait and see.
Tic toc Mr.
President, tic toc.
Thanks for stopping by.
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