Posted on 08/24/2019 5:15:52 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday the United States has a really good relationship with North Korea and that the country's leader, Kim Jong-un, has been "pretty straight" with him.
"Kim Jong-un has been ... pretty straight with me," Trump told reporters at the White House after North Korea fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast, according to the South Korean military. (Reuters)
Earlier North Korea fired two suspected short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast Saturday in the seventh weapons launch in a month, South Korea's military said, a day after it threatened to remain America's biggest threat in protest of U.S.-led sanctions on the country. The North had been expected to halt weapons tests because the 10-day U.S.-South Korean drills, which it views as an invasion rehearsal, ended earlier this week.
Saturday's launches were made from northeastern South Hamgyong Province, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. They flew about 380 kilometers (236 miles) at the maximum altitude of 97 kilometers (60 miles), the military said.
The Japanese government said the suspected missiles caused no damage and did not land in its territorial waters.
South Korea's National Security Council expressed strong concern about the launches and urged North Korea to stop acts that raise military tensions. Council members said South Korea will launch diplomatic efforts to make North Korea return to nuclear talks with the United States, according to the president's office.
North Korea's foreign minister said Friday his country will try to remain ''America's biggest threat'' if the United States continues to confront it with sanctions. Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho also called U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo a ''poisonous plant of American diplomacy'' and vowed to ''shutter the absurd dream'' that sanctions will force a change in Pyongyang.
Ri's blistering rhetoric and the missile launches may dim the prospect for an early resumption of nuclear negotiations between the countries. The top U.S. envoy on North Korea, Stephen Biegun, said Wednesday that Washington was ready to restart the talks.
North Korea's anger over the U.S.-South Korean military drills had focused on South Korea, not the United States. Starting in late July, North Korea has tested a slew of weapons, mostly short-range missiles and rockets. Some of the weapons revealed developments of a new rocket artillery system and two different short-range mobile ballistic missiles that experts say would expand its ability to strike targets throughout South Korea.
Many analysts said the tests were aimed at applying more pressure on the United States ahead of a possible resumption of nuclear talks.
U.S.-led diplomacy to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons collapsed after Trump rejected North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's demand for widespread sanctions relief in return for partial disarmament steps during their second summit in Vietnam in February. Trump and Kim met again at the Korean border in late June and agreed to resume the talks.
Saturday's launches came two days after South Korea said it would terminate a military intelligence-sharing deal with Japan amid bitter trade and history disputes between the U.S. allies.
The decision drew criticism that it would end up weakening South Korea's defense and reconnaissance capability at a time when North Korea's nuclear threats remain intact. The United States, which wants stronger trilateral security cooperation with Seoul and Tokyo, expressed disappointment at the South Korean decision.
South Korea's military said it will share information on the latest North Korean launches with Japan at Tokyo's request as the intelligence deal is valid until November.
''We want to continue the cooperation among Japan, the U.S. and South Korea,'' Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya told reporters. ''North Korea's repeated launches of projectiles and missiles show North Korea is working on developing such technology.'' (AP)
So we should tell the world what we’re doing behind the scenes? I don’t think so.
Looks like the state dept “experts” are up early.
So whats the alternative?
Back to saber rattling and harsh name-calling
Decades of Which only got Kim nukes
Do Japan and ROK want us to use military force?
Are they willing to accept the inevitable cost?
People who write these articles think they have a better plan?
Kim may be trying to pacify some of the old-guard over there in N Korea ... it also keeps the ‘troops’ busy and not thinking about a coup ...
If Trump is re-elected the Democrat/Media/Chicom axis will have been defeated. The Chicoms will take the best deal they can get from Trump and the North Korean problem will be solved. Kim Jong-un is merely a pawn in the US Chinese trade war.
The recent Norko missile tests are irrelevant. Likely, the fired missiles are not tests but rather stock missiles taken from old inventory and tweaked to fire for theatrical show.
Whatever the motivation, the pitiful spectacle just doesn’t matter.
Couldn’t find a byline. Just (AP) at the end of the article.
Hmmmmph.
Source, please.
If you stop courting him, the only other alternative is to nuke him. Pretty sure the libs dont want that.
Why doesn’t Trump stop courting Kim Jong-un despite repeated missile tests? (Korea Times)>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The Asians forget the old Mafia adage:
“Keep your friends close, AND your enemies even closer.”
Kim will never know when an ICBM or cruise missile is headed for his puckered ass. Yours with LOVE Kim! If you truly understand President Trump, you would know it could happen anytime.
Source: intuition based on observations of a man and government that must do something to be seen
He simply doesn’t really need the missiles.
The strategic artillery aimed at seoul will win his war or lose it.
Didn’t someone say “keep your enemy close”?
Its actually for perfecting trajectory (varied), various apogees and velocities and thwarting detection by ROK and USFK defenses, working up to potential thwart THAAD. Japan Defense White Paper released yesterday showed miniaturizing nukes now accomplished. KN-23 or Islander variations solid fuel. Working this with TEL mobile launch capability from various launch coordinates around NK and just about every professional Ive read of or talked to in the kill chain of command does not dismiss these as kids play (Japan states again today they are definite UN resolution violations) would not matter which Administration is in office. Its not good any way you cut it. Why downplay what hes doing? He already promised in Panmunjom he would cease SRBMs after 20 Aug conclusion of bilat drills. So this is already a broken promise. Yet his media also threatened massive USFK Camp Humphreys in so many words the other day. Cannot rationalize this any further, this pipsqueak fat piece of shit with a bad haircut anymore.
He doesnt want to admit that it failed just before the election. Kim is going to make it increasingly difficult however. Kim is taking his orders from the Chinese.
Give me some idea of the internal working of the the N Korea govt - the regime; what is the power structure look like under Kim? Who is in charge of what?
Old guard largely executed, or retired, or purged over the last 7 years by Fat Kim. General staff and officers corps now generally solidly loyal and his 100%. He runs the show. Little internal evidence to the contrary
As in every previous administration.
Bush, Clinton, Bush, Obama. They all fell into that cycle and that trap. NK knows this beautiffffffffully. And plays it predictably like a fiddle.
This is called kicking the can down the road.
That is what I think too. If he acts too weak, the old guard take him out. If he fires a few short/medium range missiles every that keeps the peace at home. Since there is a lack of US response, I wonder if the launches were agreed upon beforehand.
There really is t much he can do though.
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