Posted on 02/28/2019 8:28:00 AM PST by SleeperCatcher
“At this time, we had some options, and we decided not to do any of the options. We’ll see where that goes,” Trump told reporters in Hanoi. “But it was a very interesting two days. And I think actually it was a very productive two days. But sometimes you have to walk. And this was just one of those times.”
One factor that has been largely ignored by the mainstream media is the behind-the-scenes influence China is likely wielding over the talks. While Beijing played a much more public role prior to the first meeting between Trump and Kim in Singapore last year, the fact that China has not been mentioned much this time around doesn’t mean Beijing has sat on the sidelines.
38 North notes:
Beijing’s more backseat role in parallel US-DPRK and inter-Korean talks may fuel suspicions about the marginalization of China in the ongoing diplomatic processes taking place with North Korea. In particular, the direct channels of communication established between the US and the DPRK, now including a possible US liaison office in North Korea, seem to support a narrative of Chinese exclusion.
However, judging by Beijing’s recent statements and actions, China does not appear particularly concerned about being sidelined from US-DPRK direct engagement, including the second Trump-Kim summit. The Chinese Foreign Ministry and senior government officials have publicly expressed their support of the summit and hope for positive outcomes. This is consistent with their high praise regarding the result of the first Trump-Kim summit last year. Had China truly felt excluded from the process, Beijing would hardly remain this calm and gracious.
Trump said repeatedly, “It might work, it might not”.
But this will give the never trump stooges something to cry about.
I thought they postponed the agreement so Kim could release All of Hillary’s emails to the Public to demonstrate his enthusiasm.
I think Trump and Pompeo also showed that they have been well briefed and have become adept at understanding the North Korean personality and negotiating tactics. They understood that Kim had to be told no so that he could go back and ask his generals to rethink the situation and make new proposals. He had to remind Kim that North Korea needs us more than we need them.
IMHO - China came to the table with the opinion Trump was dealing from a weakened hand because of the Cohen hearing. They thought the President needed something good to counter the bad press coming out of the Cohen Hearing and so they dealt a poor hand thinking the President would grab it. After all dismantling a large nuclear facility is a big deal. But The President stuck to his guns and walked away until they put the whole nuclear program on the table.
We have a great President.
Smart man.
Trump was very open last night about what happened. Apparently we surprised the North Koreans by letting them know we are aware of all of their secret sites for nuclear development. They were confronted with this and needed time to save face and to come up with a different approach.
Trump said no more BAD deals, he meant it.
Trump did the right thing and I hope that things work out sooner rather than later.
Well we tried that tactic of giving something for nothing the last 40 years....the norks were counting on the US domestic issues to twist Trump’s arm to make a bad deal.....f em...they are messing with their very existence.....
That’s okay, Mr. President. We have time, and you already have a somewhat friendly relationship with Kim.
This is not over. I’m very pleased at what you’ve done so far. In the past, it was mostly pay the North K. off to keep them from threatening us. Now, it’s a matter of negotiations.
This trip was worth doing, absolutely.It was something great.
We have time to hammer out a better deal.
Apparently the North Korean military and generals have a lot of power in North Korea. While Kim is a dictator, he is not all powerful.
Negotiations with Asian countries(China, N Korea, etc.) are marathons and not sprints. It is a cultural thing. Trump is playing this right. Being firm and resolute is what wins.
Since Trump opened up negotiations the missiles have stopped flying.
Thank you POTUS.
The fact that a President has got this far with NK is a great achievement.
There is no other President more capable than this President in handling this situation.
I agree.
I'm certainly no expert, but I think Kim is not crazy and not stupid. He had a good education in Switzerland, I believe. But he's trapped in a strange society and he is not all-powerful there.
I think Trump truly wants to help him. I think Trump truly wants to help North Korea. The world will be better off if NK were less backward, less isolated, less a puppet of China, and less combative. I think Trump and Kim are working together to free North Korea. In the end, this helps us. I think Trump the negotiator is actively teaching Kim how to get things done inside NK.
A great deal maker knows how to walk away from a bad deal. Obummer made hugely awful deals (especially with Iran) then lied about what he got and what they got.
Actually, I think there is a different dynamic going on here, and it appears to be a Leftist talking point, since I am hearing it come from several Leftist sources.
I believe they want to try to set the expectation that Trump went to Vietnam to meet with Kim Jong Un as simply a way to try to distract the "serious and damaging" coverage back home.
Normally, they would bash him for a futile negotiation failure (which under normal circumstances they would do) but it serves them better to make it appear that he did something "right" by implying he DID go over there for a distraction photo-op agreement but didn't sign anything.
The two are mutually exclusive. They cannot bash him for poor negotiations, because that would imply he actually went over there to negotiate, not posture. But if they damn him with faint praise by saying he didn't succumb to his intent to simply distract from his "problems", that props up their kabuki stage that he DID go over there to distract.
Wanting a full immediate lift of sanctions without full disarmament was a non starter...
Trump was right to tell Kim, go back and tell your support structure, that ain’t going to happen... Get them on board with reality, and we can talk some more.
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