Posted on 06/12/2018 8:58:46 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Speaking after his historic summit meeting with Kim Jong-un Tuesday, President Trump said that he was suspending joint military exercises with South Korea in exchange for a denuclearization pledge from North Korea.
“We will be stopping the war games, which will save us a tremendous amount of money, unless and until we see the future negotiation is not going along like it should,” Trump told reporters. “But we’ll be saving a tremendous amount of money, plus I think it’s very provocative.”
The concession surprised the Pentagon as well as South Korean officials, according to the New York Times, and hinges on Trump’s ability to ensure Kim keeps his pledge to denuclearize, which echoes similar promises the North has reneged on in the past.
“We’re very proud of what took place today,” Trump said. “I think our whole relationship with North Korea and the Korean Peninsula is going to be a very much different situation than it has [been] in the past.”
While the suspension of joint military exercises with South Korea represents a significant concession, Trump elected to maintain stringent economic sanctions on the Kim regime until further progress is realized.
In a joint statement signed by the two leaders, Trump “committed to provide security guarantees” to North Korea and Kim “reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
The statement also referenced “follow-on negotiations” to be led by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, which are set to begin “at the earliest possible date, to implement the outcomes” of Tuesday’s meeting.
Trump also mused about drawing down the U.S. troop presence in the Korean Peninsula during the Tuesday press conference before ruling it out as an immediate possibility.
“I have to be honest, and I used to say this during my campaign, as you know probably better than most — I want to get our soldiers out. I want to bring our soldiers back home,” he said. “We have right now 32,000 soldiers in South Korea, and I’d like to be able to bring them back home. But that’s not part of the equation right now. At some point I hope it will be, but not right now
Verification is KEY.
SK can pay and protect themselves with little effort. Good move.
Trust but Verify.
Leave the two converted (w cruise missiles) boomers off shore for another couple months just in case.
The Left must be having kittens as they are seeing ‘80-’88 all over again.
Military exercises are expensive. We’ll save a ton. Pizza for everybody!
China wants US troops out, with zero unification.
They want no wealthy, unified Korea on their doorstep.
I’d recognize Taiwan asap to really stick it in the ChiCom’s eye. That also adds another level of power out there
I like that Trump showed Kim a video of what NKorea could be like. Talk about a salesman!!!
Art of the Deal, baby! I think Madeleine Albright had tougher terms than this.
No it is not. It a token face saving gesture for Kim to say he got something out of the deal.
Hey, can we start spending the Trump Peace Dividend?! Maybe use it to build the Trump Wall?
That was so clever. Bravo Trump!
I love the way Trump thinks.
Why?
That would be an opportunity for the PRC to acquire a new client state with a healthy industrial economy.
It looks like we got exactly what Bill Clinton got, except we got a handshake too.
And we gave up less, though not an insignificant concession.
While hating the motivations of the left, I must agree with them on this point: Lots of Sound and Fury, Pomp and Circumstance...and very little substance.
Maybe we got a new era of goodwill. We can hope for that. Maybe the wheels are in motion toward a Grand Bargain.
But US agents verifying complete denuclearization is a long way off.
So can Europe, Japan, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Bring them all home?
So...cancel them all, world-wide? Imagine the savings if we do that!
build Kate’s wall!!!!
All we are saying, Is Give Pizza a Chance!
One reason the President gave for cancelling the military exercises is that they're too provocative. Any recognition of Taiwan would be even more provocative and is probably out of the question. Likewise sending ships on freedom of navigation exercises in the South China Sea.
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