I still give the prospect of a permanent agreement a probability of about 10% – mainly because Kim is crazy – but this is the most significant diplomatic engagement with North Korea since Clinton gave them nukes.
CIA director Mike Pompeo travelled to Pyongyang for a secret meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, US President Donald Trump has confirmed.
A “good relationship” was formed at the meeting last week, Mr Trump tweeted on Wednesday.
News of the visit first emerged on Tuesday. US officials were quoted as saying the aim was to prepare a summit between Mr Trump and Mr Kim.
Mr Trump had earlier alluded to high-level direct talks with Pyongyang.
But the unexpected and clandestine meeting marks the highest level US contact with North Korea since 2000.
I’m even less optimistic than you are .
This meeting elevates Kim to the equal of the President . Meeting is a legacy moment for the President to “fix”NK after flaming out with his son in law in the Middle East .
Without an understanding of the issues ( never a strong point for DJT ) , Kim can agree to anything .
Nukes keep Kim in power . He won’t ever agree to meaningful reform or if he does, he won’t follow through .
“since Clinton gave them nukes.”
Seems to be some disagreement as to the truthiness of that claim.
“Clinton did negotiate a deal in 1994 to provide two nuclear reactors and provide heavy fuel oil to North Korea in exchange for the country giving up its nuclear weapons program.
That’s about where the truth of this image stops. The energy aid costs didn’t approach anywhere near $5 billion, and the reactors were never built. North Korea had continued to enrich uranium on its own, leading the Bush administration to end the deal. The agreement, while a failure, didn’t give North Korea nuclear weapons. Experts said the agreement actually slowed North Korea down.”
Politifact