I have visions of "Dr. Strangelove" listening to our demented president and his sidekick, Mr. Mattis. "Mr. President, I'm not saying we wouldn't get our hair mussed. But I do say no more than ten to twenty million killed, tops. Uh, depending on the breaks."
In 1956 the United States abrogated (read "violated') the part of the Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean War by introducing new weapons, including nuclear missiles, into South Korea. The Agreement had stipulated that only "replacement" weapons would be introduced into either part by either side. Since then, the US has turned South Korea into one of the world's most heavily armed regions that includes a major new US military base just south of Seoul and less than two hundred miles from China's border. The US has also deployed the THAAD missile system. The US further holds regular naval exercises near the North's coastal waters which the North finds threatening. In the 1990s, the Clinton administration dragged its feet with compliance of a signed agreement with North Korea and the George W. Bush administration, sensing DPRNK weakness, canceled the agreement entirely. Far outgunned and out-manned by South Korea and the US, the North has resorted to nuclear weapons as its only defense. The North has also made its position clear: it will cancel its nuclear weapons program for a peace treaty and a security agreement with the US, only one which the US will abide by this time. The solution to the Korean crisis is clear: to live up to agreements assimilating North Korea as far as possible into the mainstream economic system.
2
An empty State Department with Tillerson at the helm.
Two rogue nuclear failed states running wild.
And a cumpulsive President in search of the truth, that the entire world gave in in the 1950's
2
like most Republicans, President Trump is good at cutthroat politics, and sterling at reducing complex issues to short, beligerent sound bites that appeal to a schoolyard electorate... but his "talents" at politics, also typical of the GOP, end there, with any skill at actual governing nowhere in sight.
so we have him and we're up the creek.
sad!
2
Right message, wrong messenger?? Trump talks big but his brain seems to be disjointed at times. Kill healthcare. What??? Why because Obama passed it??? Kill The Iran deal. Why because Obama made the deal happen? Everybody knew that it was not going to change the strategies of the ayatollahs ambitions. But this is how diplomacy works. Trump calls himself the great deal maker. What??? How many deals has the man made so far. Zero. For trump and his minions it's my way or the highway. This is what happens when you go through life as a megalomaniac. Getting what you want most of the time by screaming. The Iran deal was flawed. Yes. But it was a deal and so far Iran seems to be complying. Our allies also backed it. Let's not leave them twisting in the wind. Netanyahu talks the talk but seems to want the Americans to walk the walk. Trumps rhetoric, kill North Korea, alone should be reason enough for impeachment. This is not leadership. This is short sightedness.
4
Nobody is "forcing" the Pentagon to consider blowing up North Korea. The Pentagon and its suppliers in the "defense" (should read "attack") industry are salivating.
1
Donald Trump has no interest in nor grasp of detail, certainly not at the level of complexity of an international agreement regarding nuclear weapons. He constantly dwells in fantasy positions designed only to appeal his narrow domestic base of political support.
The damage he is doing to our credibility in the world is arguably worse than simply his administration's terrible policies. Dropping important commitments on a whim, like the Paris accord, Iran nuclear deal or our refugee acceptance targets sends a clear signal that the world's most powerful country cannot be trusted. His continual use of bellicose and offensive language makes he situation that much worse.
If the U.S. cannot be dealt with as a reliable partner, it will be impossible to address the world's most serious problems - starting with Iran and North Korea, but also including climate change, the refugee crisis and many many more.
5
I think that one of Trump's key failings is that in his version of the Art of the Deal it's a two player game, him versus one opponent.
In the real world of nations, there are hundreds of participants, and each of them is both a partner and an opponent. What you say to publicly to this party influences hundreds of other current deals and thousands of future ones. It's not as easy as getting into a position of strength and bullying the other party to give up more than they want (which is really all that Trump is capable of doing).
Real world diplomacy is so much more complex and nuanced than making business deals, and neither Trump nor his supporters understand that. They all thought that because he was a successful (which is questionable) businessman that he'd be just great at this.
He's not. He's like a four year old competing in a triathlon. He has absolutely no chance of success.
6
Yesterday, Trump lamented a catastrophic "no choice" outcome for 25M people. Mr Sanger projects 8 other possible responses, but does not address the President's words.
The President said: "..if (US) is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea." Trump's idea of "no choice" is false. He shamelessly put Americans "on notice" that he has reckless, catastrophic illogic. Also, he has "laid blame" on an unstable dictator, the crazy regime, or any errant spark that can "realize" the Trump-provided hair-trigger.
Mr Sanger writes "Over the next few months, Mr. Trump must decide whether it is truly worth the many risks of war to force the North to disarm". This is a wish; and it ignores the words spoken.
I wonder what Mr Sanger's counterpart wrote, in October 1939, about Hitler's speech: "purify the Reich territory from Jews and Polacks"? Did German intellectuals discuss the nation's culpability for hearing and doing nothing?
Is our free press asking Congress about their duty to respond to a President announcing an illogical and reckless "totally destroy" singular response? I contend that shirking duty is tacit approval; and Congress is 100-percent culpable.
Should not the citizens request Congress' attention and duty to an illogical, calamitous statement? I contend that "words matter"; and the President has shamelessly ensnared this nation as culpable for hearing and taking no action.
1
By not calling the Iran deal a "treaty" and thereby avoiding a Senate Confirmation, President Obama handed his predecessor the ability to void it. That's the way our democracy works. And I give Trump credit for recognizing this deal does nothing to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons on an industrial scale nor the means of delivering them. This is a fact, even Obama and Kerry never claimed that after the provisions sunset Iran would be prevented from developing these weapons.
Remember what they said. Kerry felt that the treaty alone would bring Iran into the "community of nations" and after 10 years it wouldn't be necessary to block Iran's path, but 2 years have passed, Iran's behavior is even more aggressive and therefore the President is right to demand changes.
There is no contradiction in Trump's policy towards these two countries. North Korea has signed agreements and simply violated them. Previous administrations have not effectively dealt with this. Trump must. I applaud his stance and consider it an improvement.
This article found a contradiction where there is none. I am proud of this President and support his efforts to hold Iran accountable and stop N Korea. The blithering idiot Kerry talked a lot but was a fool. The deal he made is an embarrassment. The simple ability to recognize good and evil is a necessity in international diplomacy. Calling Iran's foreign minister a friend and a degree from Harvard are not.
Godspeed Donald.
So long as the US continues its historic tradition of ill-conceived and horribly executed regime change--think Iraq, Libya, Egypt, or even go back to Iran 1953 or Guatemala 1954--every pipsqueak country in the world is gonna want and get either nuclear bombs or dirty bombs. Doesn't mean I don't agree with pressure and sanctions, but the reality is if you are an authoritarian dictator who wants to make sure he can hold on to power at all costs, yer gonna get the bomb.
Trump's adviser and speech maker Stephen Miller has to go. Thirty two, a bachelor of arts from a nondescript university and his only experience is as press secretary for some second rate conservative politicians. No life experience, totally weird and in Australia he would find it hard to get a job waiting on tables. Only in this America can someone with such limitations rise to the top and threaten total annihilation of a sovereign nation.
4
golden land of opportunity!
World war as a Trump brand campaign. That's all this is to him. Branding. He'll do what he's always done - strut, whine, blame, break, take all the money - and leave the mess for others to clean up.
Watch as the corporate execs, the hard line Republicans, and Trumpsters all provide addition tail wind to this charlatan - and when it all collapses and he, smiling, goes back to TrumpCo, his backers will blame the "liberal media" for all the devastation that many in the press have reported on and fought against. Up is down, fake is real, and real is fake. We are all pages in a branding campaign - all because we refuse to get rid of the electoral college which prevents the president the majority actually elected from taking her place in the oval office.
1
Both Kim and Trump are engaged in a Twitter war right now in a play for their bases. But Kim has the advantage because he has nothing to lose. Regardless of Kim's actions, N Korea will be the country that's invaded, by the South, by the US, and Kim's people will see he was right all along. They will fight to the last child to protect their home, while the US will, once again, watch on TV as American kids die in an Asian forest, or worse.
Trump thinks he has power because he's President of the United States. But his grasp of history is limited, as is his willingness to listen to those who do know. He thinks he's operating from a position of control simply by default, because the US won WWII 70 years ago. He had no role in Vietnam. He has no idea.
1
All Trump wants is to appear to be a a "strong" leader. He is a one act show--bullying. He is neither thoughtful nor inclined to be helpful to anyone other than his personal interests. How exactly when you drop a nuclear bomb and destroy a neighboring country 35 miles away do you stop the carnage at the border? If we are so good at anti defense missiles and a warhead is disbursed, then why isn't that game over, we win? Why the need to then "punish" and "destroy" other than ego? The truth is he is a disgrace to our country. We should always first and foremost seek peace --not after war but before.
1
Diplomacy? With N. Korea? What diplomacy? Tired, tried and failed for 25 years. What makes this week different?
America has a precise strategy for N. Korea. Our wars, rational or rapacious, must always be just. To wit: the sinking of the battleship Maine, the sinking of the Lusitania, Pearl Harbor, N.Korea crossing the 38th parallel, the Gulf of Tonkin incident, Saddam's invasion of Kuwait, weapons of mass destruction, 9/11, and ISIS's atrocities. Throughout the last 120 years our American strategy has always been the same. We wait for the other guy to engage first hostilities, or provoke him into engaging first hostilities, or construe or openly invent first hostilities purportedly by him, that signals an attack upon us. And then we respond, with massive disproportionate force.
China has a mutual defense treaty with N.K.. But China also indicated a week or two ago that it might disclaim that treaty if N.K. is the initiator and first aggressor.
America embraces a culture of Christian religious ecstasy and demands there be a passion play at the heart of our causus belli. We might succeed in provoking Kim into rashly opening hostilities. For instance we could intercept and board his cargo vessels on the high seas. Or another Gulf of Tonkin incident might mysteriously conjure itself one fine day seemingly out of night and fog.
However it happens we shall not be denied our righteous indignation. Followed shortly thereafter by the instrument of our righteous wrath.
2
let us all say, "Amen!"
"The atomic bomb made the prospect of future war unendurable. It has led us up those last few steps to the mountain pass; and beyond there is a different country." J. Robert Oppenheimer, deveploper of the atom bomb
We have arrived at Oppenheimer's "different country" and world where second and third tier nations can afford a nuclear arsenal. North Korea and Iran are today's problem, but there are many more to come.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jrobertop117615.html
2
Yup. Everyone from Kazakhstan to Sri Lanka, Cuba to Taiwan, Syria to Zimbabwe is gonna want 'em, and gonna try to get 'em.
Iran is not the problem. The problem is Saudi Arabia, for now.
They're on path to build a few dozen nuclear plants.
They'll get the plutonium they will need to power a nuclear weapon
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are very close friends.
And Qatar wants a nuclear weapon desperately
In 30 years, the life of a mortgage, nuclear weapons will be as common as toasters.
We're depending on Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Grumman, and the like to come up with a defense system which is virtually flawless. Is there an alternative??
3
For a guy who is over 70 years old and in the business world a long time, he certainly doesn't get that everyone affected or involved in negotiating agreements wants something out of the deal. Trump thinks that the rest of the world will bow to him and be willing to be on the losing end so Trump can come away a winner. Sorry, Don, but the rest of the world also wants to win. In the modern world the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Or the one. Anyone who thinks the US has some sort of military option that will bring North Korea to its knees without a catastrophic loss of life is naive. Israel is more than willing to confront its neighbors. If they get into a fight. they know the bulk of the heavy lifting will be done by the US. And if history is any lesson, if the U S tries to go it alone diplomatically, ignoring the wishes of those who partnered with us , and war results, Trump can expect the US will be fighting without coalition partners. When the expectation is partners are fighting for the major goal of making America first at everyone else's expense,who would take that deal? They certainly want more than the pennies on the dollar investors got in many of his business deals.
7
The Reneger in Chief at work. Isn't this how Trump has conducted himself in his entire life? In his work, through refusing to pay what he agreed to pay? In his personal life, by violating his own marriage vows? In his financial dealings, by declaring bankruptcy multiple times? In his businesses, by never delivering what he promised and then welching on the deal he required you to sign? Now, in politics and international affairs, by tearing up agreements he ostensibly has an obligation -- moral and legal -- to carry out and enforce? In his speech, by talking out of both sides of his mouth? His word -- rather than being his bond like an admirable and to-be-trusted person -- is his weapon, designed to disarm, defeat and diminish all who come in contact with him. All for the aggrandizement of his all encompassing ego. Wait for it to happen to you, all those who trusted him with your vote. (If you're smart enough to recognize it when it happens and honest enough in the end to admit that it did...)
9
"What is missing from this debate is obvious: If Mr. Tillerson extracted anything resembling the Iran agreement from North Korea, it would mark a historic breakthrough, one any of the four previous American presidents would rightly have celebrated."
Trump's bellicose message was not at all helpful to ease tensions between the two countries. It is doubtful that Pyongyang is willing to conclude any deal with the US.
Ignorant of North Korean chauvinism, Trump's speech before the UN General Assembly has played well into Kim Jong-un's hands. The "rocket man" can now prove his people that his father and grandfather had been right about American aggression all these years, because the president of the United States has told the whole world on September 19, that he wouldn't hesitate to destroy North Korea. This helps Kim cement his grip on power and make his nuclear programme the raison d'être of North Korea's defence.
10
"North Korean chauvinism"? Please recall that the DPRK population surely recalls the scorched-earth bombing and leveling of EVERY CITY and structure in their nation by US bombs in the 1950's, institutional memory, not chauvinism
informs and drives the increasing militancy and resistance to US chauvanism led by Mr Trump before the entire world. We've seen this dreadful movie before. For the DPRK to lay doen before the US like Qudaffi did, will no doubt lead to a similar result as happened in Libya...
1
Mr. Trump's deviousness has no equal but his foolishness. And to think that he is the President of the so-self-styled 'greatest nation on Earth'..! The World will soon know that such an aberration does not come cheap.
5
Mr Sanger reports our problems and fears because that is his job.
Once the problems have become clear and fear sets in, it becomes our government's job to deal with it by the use of Pespective, a tool even more powerful that nuclear
PERSPECTIVE ---"The capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance".
Perspective tells us that North Korea will keep nuclear weapons because "history" tells them it is important to do so.
Perspective tells us North Korea will not use its nuclear weapons because they well understand that Pyongyang and perhaps other N. Korean cities will be destroyed by United States forces if N. Korea should take such action.
In addition, North Korea's current authoritarian regime will also be destroyed or removed in that process.
The United States and others will allow North Korea to become the ninth country to to maintain nuclear weaponry.
Perspective will win out after all the talk and threats because, in the end, there is nothing more powerful than Perspective.
This writer is less concerned about the perspectives of North Korea and Iran.
My HOPE is that our own government will regain it's PERSPECTIVE.
PERSPECTIVE will be more productive than throwing insults(In the United Nations) at some "Rocket Man" in North Korea.
Every day of the week, "Perspective" beats Insults and tough talk.
Perspective is the word for these times.
PERSPECTIVE " The capacity to view things in their true relations and relative importance.
M.W. Endres
How's this for perspective?
You live in the city that NK nukes, which then triggers the destruction the US would reign on NK.
The perspective you're missing is that the current NK is led by a lunatic.
1
like President Trump, Kim uses lunacy as a tactic. neither is quite as crazy as he appears... which makes them both all the more unpredictable and dangerous.
US foreign policy is now completely incoherent. The only guiding 'principle' is Trump's likes and dislikes.
7
Mr. Obama once asked instructively whether you could trust Mr. Trump with the nuclear codes. Given the inherent self-detrimental conflicts in the positions Mr. Trump has simultaneously taken with Iran and North Korea, it seems clear to anyone who understood Mr. Obama's question what the answer to that question surely is. It is also fascinating in a very scary way how completely clueless Mr. Trump is in matters of negotiation, his supposed great skill. I remember one of the bankers in the room when Mr. Trump was thrown a financial lifeline to end his first bankruptcy. He said he didn't think Trump really had any technical understanding of what was going on, but despite his evident incompetence, the decision was made to leave him intact because he was worth more to them boasting about his businesses than he would have been in liquidation. Hopefully he won't avoid impeachment for similar reasons of the very narrowest of interests.
9
"If Mr. Tillerson extracted anything resembling the Iran agreement from North Korea.."
Complete delusion.
The biggest difference is that North Korea already has nuclear weapons. Iran did not. Moreover, North Korea is never going to give up its nuclear weapons. They don't need to take any lessons from Iran, because they already learned the key lesson from Libya.
The unfortunate, dangerous truth is that nothing will stop North Korea from becoming a full-fledged nuclear power at this point. Not a militaristic approach from the U.S. and not a pacifistic approach from the rest of the world.
The next best option at this point is to agree to South Korea and Japan acquiring nuclear weapons to maintain a balance of terror in the region.
2
Japan and South Korea are already defended by nuclear weapons, under the American umbrella. Are you suggesting that be withdrawn, and they develop independent programs? How is it safer to have more different people with hands on nuclear triggers in the region?
Worldwide, which other countries will be next in the club, if we abandon the principle of non-proliferation?
Trump is infamous for breaking contracts and his word, which has resulted in several bankruptcies and divorces; he has now enlisted Sen McCain and others to follow his path. American media is about where Mussolini's Italian media was in early 1930s-
5
The world community is under no obligation whatsoever to "negotiate" with psychopaths. And this is precisely(!) how the individuals who are presently heads-of-State in North Korea must be described.
(Let us also bear in mind that these murderous people, who have no proper regard for the sanctity of human life, also care nothing for the people of North Korea, and would cheerfully throw every one of them into the maw of War just for the entertainment value.)
In this regard, while Iran is a very serious situation indeed, the heads of State in Iran do not presently appear to be psychopathic. Whereas the non-leaders of North Korea appear to be the sort that might seek to ignite a very hot global war just so that they can toast their marshmallows.
3
So he gets out of the Iran deal .. then what? What's the end game? Wait a year & make up some excuse to invade Iran? Get rid of all the Shia in the world? Sounds pretty absurd to me. Netanyahu is telling Trump what to do and even he doesn't know where he's headed. Sure let's get out, Iran will make it's weapons. The rest of the world could care less and will open up trade & business with Iran, as we keep threatening them. Trump doesn't even know what the Iran deal consists of. Years & years of very hard work by John Kerry & the State Dept thrown away for what?
The rest of the world won't trust us anymore with any agreements, & that is already happening. We will lose out on opening up a market of 80 million people in Iran who want good relations with the West. If we ever did start a war with Iran, which is insane to begin with. They would most likely inflict great damage on Israel right off the bat. China & Russia and maybe all of our traditional allies like England & France would line up against us. They are not going to throw away a trillion dollars of investments & trade deals. And we would have to occupy a country three times the size of Iraq, with a very hostile population towards our soldiers. Probably most of our citizens would be against a war, with only hardcore TrumpHeads & war mongers, the same people who got us into Iraq and still think it was a good idea, for it. Yea that's just great ... keep listening & following this ignoramus Pres. to nowhere.
Orange, NJ
10
Of course, Trump is doing Netanyahu's bidding! Did you notice the ego massage the latter performed on the former at the UN this week? One corrupt leader enabling the other and vice-versa. These two deserve each other. But we deserve neither.
2
Trump campaigned as a non-politician who would not make the mistakes of a politician in the hyper-partisan atmosphere of Washington.
But a non-politician would certainly see that Obama's legacy was mixed. Along with mistakes made in Syria and Libya, he had a landmark achievement in the agreement with Iran. Yes that agreement is far from perfect but it is what can actually be expected in the real world.
Now Trump looks like he will repudiate that agreement. It is hard to imagine making a more serious mistake.
As this op-ed points out, Trump's real problem is with North Korea. And renegotiating the deal with Iran would be a distraction, even if it were to be possible.
Trump seems to believe that tough talk will bring Kim Jong-un to the negotiating table. In fact, Trump's best shot is based upon cooperation with China.
And here Trump has also misplayed his hand. He vilified China during the campaign. Yes, the US has lost its manufacturing jobs to China. Yes, China has most likely manipulated its currency for its own advantage.
But China has also accomplished amazing things in the last several decades.
The election is over. And Trump should treat China with a certain measure of respect. We have lots to gain from a productive relationship with China.
Above all, China can help us keep the peace. Trump should not desire to be the president who goaded North Korea into a nuclear attack on LA, which would make losers of both countries.
16
wise statement
When Mattis says "I won't go into detail" or Mr. Trump says "I'll let you know", all I think is is thaty mean "we don't have a solution firmly in mind, but ee want to appear like we do."
9
Yes. Instead of Mattis having a positive influence on Trump, what has happened is that Trump had negative influence on Mattis, making a bluffer out of him.
4
I'm sorry, but...isn't 'cutting off supplies of oil and gas' essentially what got us a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941?
We're talking about 'economic sanctions' as if it were a measure to avoid war, when we have our experience of cornering an enemy to the point that it feels there is no other option than a first strike.
And if the Trump administration is able to create enough economic pain on China, as a price for turning the screws on North Korea, in addition to knocking 10+ points off of Russian GDP since its annexation of Crimea...I fear we are creating the conditions of a 'dark coalition' of adversarial nuclear powers (China, NK, Russia) to consider making the impossible possible, in an attempt to do what the Japanese were unable to do in 1941: put the United States on its knees. They may simply dismiss the risk of a full-scale, international nuclear exchange. And so, civilization as we know it, would end with Donald Trump at the helm. I can only hope a 25th Amendment solution would be considered before such an outcome.
4
Trump is the embarrassment!
6
Donald Trump is incapable of doing anything that requires heavy lifting and truly hard work, working through contentious points of view towards an agreement, and being capable to fathom the sensitivities of the parties at the negotiating table. All Donald The Narcissist wants to do is to show up for the photo op, the Rose Garden "announcing the winner" ceremony, and stand basking there in the sun with adulation raining down upon his laurel wreath.
Americans, Donald Trump is the least capable president and most ill-suited personality to represent our nation. Bullies, Tax-evading charlatans, simple-minded "America First" folks (the present generation of the Sarah Palin gaggle of TEA Party losers), and all-around non-thinking (much less critical thinking) Americans are the only ones Trump prefers to have sitting at his table during the negotiations. In short, his own personal cheer squad.
Enough of this red-headed buffoon and intellectually challenged evil narcissist and megalomaniac. Impeach him (and Pence). Please allow America to rebuild its sullied standing in the community of nations. Get rid of Trump & Pence.
14
Why would anyone, ever, trust Trump's word?
11
Oh come on New York Times. Do you REALLY think this man would be able to negotiate anything?!
8
Sigh. Trump is the worst thing that has ever happened to our country, and history will judge him correctly as the clown hitler. On the other hand, Iran, another hitler-esque government, seems to have made the case succinctly for a down and dirty nuclear strike. Plug your ears everyone, and find a desk to dive under.
3
No. Scuttle Iran and NK is out of diplomatic reach.
If Trump is so stupid as to attempt to twist the arm of the Iranians over a nuclear accord involving five other signatories, the United States will find itself dead in the water with regard to international cooperation. Iran is complying with the letter of the agreement.
Don't play "what-about" with grownups, Ditzy Donny.
No one will agree to any new arrangements. Many who are in agreements causing them discomfort by virtue of their compliance will conclude "Better do it (violate the agreement) to the USA before the USA does it to us."
In what possible science fiction movie would NK agree to any nuclear arrangement that depends on faithful compliance by the United States?
6
I wish the Times would stop pretend that our ignorant President actually understands any of this. All he is doing his feeding red meat to his racist base in the hopes that they contribute to his campaign so he can use theoretical to pay his and his greedy family's legal bills. Trump's a grifter. All he cares and knows about is the scam.
5
If you believe what Trump says about anything you're a fool. The man's a pathological liar. Senators, Congresspersons and former allies return to negotiate with him because they understand he's willing to break any promises (all lies) made. He serves his own family business interests first, then his ego next, there's no loyalty to anything or anyone else. The consequences of having this child-like old man in office even a short time will reverberate through the International community for years to come. His actions will result in major war overseas, very soon. He's already fomenting another Civil War here in the U.S.. By the time Congress acts to remove Trump it will be too late.
4
Like even wanting reintegration back into a world that has already cast it out? Funny, that's what I thought a pariah was. Take that status away and all you're left with is a nobody. Hardly grist for a megalomaniac's mill, especially in the shadow of the favorite perfect sibling to the south.
Is anyone minding the store in Washington?
Tearing up the Iran deal to please Netanyahu is not going to get KJ-un to the table.
Trump wants to take out N. Korea, and Netanyahu wants to take out Iran.
5
Ah, when will our little prez grow up and realize countries are intertwined and the world is complicated. Just like health care.
6
We have the most dangerous President in History. Not modern history.....History. Unscrupulous leaders like Netanayu are playing him. Very sad and frightening.
6
Trump's deal making consists of bullying, belittling and insulting. Wow, amazing that he has ever made any deals. Oh wait, he did business with small companies so that he could cheat them at the end, stiffing them out of money he had agreed to pay.
3
There is no contradiction if the goal is war! Criticizing the Iran deal helps keep North Korea far from any neogitating table. The war drums are beating loud and long. Seen this before
5
North Korea must have a credible deterrence capability. It would be suicidal for the North Korean regime o unilaterally disarm and trust an immoral and utterly unethical individual like Trump with its future. How they procure a credible deterrence is on open question, since it is North Korea`s capability to defend herself against attack by the US that seems to be the issue of contention. The US is demanding that NK should remain vulnerable precisely at a time when the US is in the hands of the most immoral and unethical political Mafia in American history. To a narcissist like Trump, nuking NK and killing 20 million innocent people is just a way to focus the world`s attention on himself - the international community seems not to realize this. Let`s hope they do, before it is too late.
2
I have read a good number of these comments, and I am surprised that none mentions the pressure exerted on the willing Trump by the Gulf Arab potentates, Jordan, and above all Bibi, to trash the Iran agreement.
6
Sometimes we can outsmart ourselves.
Donald has told us many times he is a great dealmaker.
He sees that the US sold a condo to Iran under one set of terms. Now, North Korea wants a condo with the same terms.
Donald wants to sell condos to both, but wants Rocketman to think he will have to pay more than what the Ayatollah did.
"Don't look at the Ayatollah deal", he says. "I am tearing that one up. No yoga instructor and italian marble floors and under-sink composter for them. I am tearing it up."
Kapisch?
He just loves to put on a show so he can watch himself approvingly later. Consequences? Those are for losers.
The idea that anything is linked to anything else never enters his thought process unless it directly concerns him, his press coverage and/or his business dealings.
A dangerously unhinged man and one of these days somebody is going to call his bluff. God help us all when that happens.
3
Could it be that he is not really threatening Iran? Maybe this is part of his negotiations with North Korea. (No, Rocketman, you will not get the same deal .. because I am going to tear that one up anyway.)
HISTORY LESSON
How the Republicans created a nuclear North Korea with Trump-like Base enthralling tough "Axis of Evil" blather by GWB in his SOU speech, Jan. 29, 2002, note dates below:
All these events occurring under President George W. Bush:
December 22-24, 2002: "Axis of Evil" state North Korea cuts all seals and disrupts IAEA surveillance equipment on its nuclear facilities and materials. An IAEA spokesman says December 26 that North Korea started moving fresh fuel rods into the reactor, suggesting that it might be restarted soon.
March 20, 2003 - GWB orders US invasion of Iraq, an "axis of evil" state.
NK first nuclear test: October 9, 2006: North Korea conducts an underground nuclear test near the village of P’unggye. Most early analyses of the test based on seismic data collected by South Korean, Japanese, and U.S. institutes estimates the yield to be below one kiloton. Russian estimates differed significantly, and Foreign Minister Sergei Ivanov said Oct. 10 that the estimated yield was between 5 and 15 kilotons.
October 11, 2006: North Korea’s Foreign Ministry states that its “nuclear test was entirely attributable to the US nuclear threat, sanctions and pressure,” adding that North Korea “was compelled to substantially prove its possession of nukes to protect its sovereignty.”
5
Dear John Kelly, Please don't quit. You are the last sane person in the oval office. Please be ready to take the football away from Trump if he threatens a first strike with nuclear weapons. The lives of millions are in your hands. For the world's sake, be ready to be America's Stanislav Petrov. Signed, humanity.
4
Recalling Klaatu's famous final speech at the end of the Day the Earth Stood Still to the assembled scientists on the Washington Mall law representing a world that just can't giver up its warlike behaviors while hellbent on further developing nuclear arsenals:
"Your choice is simple. Join us and live in peace or pursue your present course and face obliteration. We shall be waiting for your answer. The decision rests with you."
When they decided to remake the movie with River Phoenix, it should have actually ended with a NY Times editorial lambasting Klaatu for warmongering and simplistic thinking, and the same progressives in this blog ripping him for not trying to make yet another deal with an incorrigible warlike mankind. That would have been fun.
2
When you have the attention span of a gnat,
it is easy to disparage a 200 page treaty written by someone else,
but it is much, much harder to write up a 20 page proposal
...hey look a squirrel!
-
Donald Trump wants praise headlines but ignores the gritty details and hates hard work.
He is a player.
But ultimately he is a phony and he will fail.
And destroy all those close to him.
6
I'm sure Russia would like nothing better then Iran being freed from complying with the nuclear agreement and the US getting blamed for the results. Putin's goal seems to be to create maximum chaos for the US, through Donald Trump. The more nuclear threats Putin can create, the more US dollars have to go towards defense. So it would be great for Putin if the US had to face off both North Korea and Iran at the same time.
1
Trump has never spelled out his objections to the Iran "deal". I believe he has no reasons. The pact is rational and satisfies the central concern that the United States and other signatories have: Iran cannot develop an atomic weapon while complying to its terms. Iran continues to meet the conditions the agreement imposes.
One objection which has been voiced is that the pact is a "temporary" fix.
If 15 years is 'temporary" so be it. Any rational person would jump at a 15 year fix for any of the manifest problems we face such as Korea, Health Care, Immigration etc.
The Iran agreement may be temporary but it is working. We have more than enough real problems that require urgent attention. Trump's empty campaign-like rhetoric is completely counterproductive in the case of this complex but effective agreement and in numerous other issues as well. Time for him to stop his idiotic base-satisfying rants and past time for all of us to stop paying any heed to him.
1
With President Trump's blustering talks and constant threatening to pull out of this treaty, pact, agreement, accord he is besmirching the good name of the United States. Nations will come to the conclusion that our word, signature, handshake amount to nothing. That conclusion may happen quicker than we would like. The result is the United States will find itself on the outside looking in. It will take years to rebuild our name, or to use Mr. Trump's word, brand. If it is all possible to regain the trust of nations.
3
What country will ever make a deal with us? Trump reneged on the Paris Accord and is talking about nullifying the Iran deal. Trump's hatred for Obama is the only reason he is the least bit interested in these two commitments. I am convinced that Trump doesn't even know what the Iran "deal" is.
11
Trump has yet to demonstrate that he can make any deal. All we've heard from him is a lot of bold talk and Twitter drivel. We've got some serious issues going on in the world right now and our international embarrassment of a president is apparently mostly concerned with sniping over the Emmy awards.
9
It is uninvitable that Kim jong il will continue to advance his nuclear program. Eventually, in the absence of a diplomatic solution, there will be a major confrontation.
We are at a similar historic junction that led to the Shoah. The world's leading nations, with few exceptions, avoided a concerted diplomatic interdiction to protect European Jewry, while Einsatzgruppen killing fields and Gas Chamber genocide began to filter back from diplomatic channels.
Japense-Americans had their properties taken and were intered in 'camps' after Pearl Harbor (WW2), even though many were born American citizens and some did not speak Japanese. The Koreans, like the Japanese in WW2 Hiroshima and Nagasaki, are easy targets: they aren't white and don't speak 'American'.
The greatest concern today is that reason and diplomacy may have a shorter life-span under a Trump administration. President Trump has unequivocally refused to denounce white supremicists in America. His followers ("base") seems to revel in Trump's 'talk tough' approach.
I wonder if Base Trump won't mind living in a cave if unintended consequences result in massive death and environmental uncertaintities?
The article raises a contradiction in Trump's deal-making that portends a sense of insecurity in diplomacy and bilateral agreements. If the Iran nuclear deal is being unilaterally attacked and renegotiated, why should the North Koreans engage in diplomatic consensus that may be broken by the US?
1
I've been shaking my head so often and so violently since last November that my doctor says I may soon need a neck brace.
3
All nations and all people need to understand that it really doesn't matter what Donald Trump says; he doesn't mean it and he won't honor it.
4
I have never been more nervous in my life I am considering not even having any kids because why would I want to subject them to all this.
Why doesn't any mainstream American paper question the right of US to say to other countries to not have nuclear weapons? If North Korea treats its people bad but we do do the same thing to our poor people. If Iran supports terrorism we do the same thing in other countries. I think every country should have nuclear weapon .
I have serious doubts as to whether the president is even aware of the terms of the Iran deal, including its strict limitations on enrichment and its requirement that Iran submit to intrusive inspections which arguably infringe on its "sovereignty," the paramountcy of which he feels should be obvious to "all nations." Moreover, I am almost certain that the geopolitics fueling Iran's perceived need to consider nuclear weapons is also completely lost on him (i.e., Israel's possession of nuclear weapons and ongoing US military presence in the two countries bordering Iran--Iraq and Afghanistan).
But even more broadly, I find it troubling how we appear to have become so desensitized to Trump's daily avalanche of vagaries that nobody has mentioned how patently offensive and antithetical to the UN's mission it is to threaten nuclear annihilation amidst the backdrop of the Green Marble. The lasting damage that such an act in itself can inflict upon this institution which, for all of its flaws and shortcomings, has helped maintain peace among major powers since WWII is absolutely harrowing.
4
Sad to say this, but our military is not big enough, nimble enough, and capable enough to fight on three to five fronts, occupy three to five nations, or nation-build in three to five sovereign countries.
Coalition of the willing, I think not. Coalition of the the crazy and delusional, perhaps
2
Trump does not really make deals, he just complains and agitates about existing deals and arrangements. But he has nothing better to offer than cranky blame on others, which is what his followers want to hear, but which will contribute zero to any positive or meaningful change.
4
Weve given NK money in return for them to stop developing weapons. Weve tried strategic patience. Weve tried to talk. It is time to start making it very clear the US has attempted the easy route with NK for decades.
No more. They do not listen. Kim should realize his actions open his people up to military action. China is also an enabler, and Trump is correct to say so.
It is refreshing to have a President stand up and say enough is enough.
1
Yes, the guy may be an idiot by most measures, but he does not mince his words when threatening other countries. We are so lucky to have such a president after so many wasted years.
To actually say enough is enough and do something to find a solution is very different than blowing air. Peace is the solution. That requires thoughtfulness, clarity and action that is strong and not bullying. Here Trump has failed.
With that kind of thinking, let's hope Paradise Valley is their destination for a retort rather than the rest of the sane, open to negotiation world.
Trump always says we'll find out later or we'll find out soon. Now he says he's made a decision on the Iran deal but he won't tell us until later.
Does he think he's still on a reality TV show and he needs to leave cliffhangers? Does he think he's a 2nd grader who says, "I've got a secret but I'm not telling you?" Trump treats the presidency like it is a game and not like it's a deadly serious business that can get people killed.
24
If the pentagon has not been war gaming North Korea they would be incompetent, and no amount of diplomacy with help in either case. Dictators only respond to their belief that they will die.
1
Must we wait until Trump is responsible for the deaths of millions on both sides before he's given the boot?
25
The only people Trump and America can deal with are the Saudis and Likud as just like Trump and America their deals are as worthless snake oil and magic elixir.
My father taught me all the pious are thieves. My father loved and respected Judaism, Islam and Christianity. America, Saudi Arabia and Likud share one common belief and that is a God that has no regard for truth or justice and only respects power.
How many NYT readers would trust a contract signed by Trump, Congress and the US Supreme Court?
8
NOT ME. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE DANGEROUS.
Don the Con's UN speech was all about "sovereignty", in that other countries should cater to their citizen's wants and needs. But then he goes on to tell the Democratic People's Republic of Korea how they should think and act. What hypocrisy. If having nuclear weapons were a detriment to co-existing with a country, why don't we have problems with India or Pakistan? Perhaps we should just work on containment. Kim Jong Un is not as dumb as many seem to think. He does not want his country destroyed (which, I'm sure, he realizes will happen if he attacks the US or allies). He is using his ability to get under the skin of the president to reinforce his control of his country. This dance will go on for a long time but little will change until something changes in North Korea.
6
Trump is Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu's sock puppet.
Meanwhile their new found friends in Saudi Arabia are destroying Yemen with the support of the US military and defense industry.
Why would any rational leader of a nation negotiate with an administration that has not honored any of the policies of past administrations?
20
"Mr. Trump’s team has not thought about how his threats to Tehran resonate 4,000 miles away in Pyongyang." It has not thought about how his insanity will play 3,000 miles away in Tehran. It has not thought about anything. It does not think. Thinking is for losers, as is diplomacy, compromise, global security. OUT! Out with it all!
18
All of his speeches and actions are for his base. Period. They don't care about anything except erasing Obama. This UN speech was for his base. They loved it. Don't expect reason or logic or diplomatic maneuvering. The base hates the Iran deal. The base would love to see NK nuked. The base thinks nothing through. Trump loves his base and they love him. The rest of us are along for the ride.
16
His base?? Do you really think they even know what the Iran agreement consists of? Most of the deplorables couldn't even find Iran on a map.
Orange, NJ
3
I don't see any strategic thinking or plan that the President has except to rescind all policies bearing Obama's name. Refusing to accept refugees including women and children (and branding them as terrorists), allowing Affordable Care to collapse (and replace with what?), rescinding DACA (and leaving it to Congress to take care of the kids he loves), ending strategic patience with North Korea (and shouting threats at the 'Rocket Man'), going back on the nuclear deal with Iran (and then what?), climate change reversals (the scientists have got it all wrong),.......the list goes on. He has not suggested a viable option for any one of the Obama policies that he has reversed or plans to reverse. Obama's legacy is already in the history books. What is Trump's legacy? A big beautiful wall that Mexico will pay for that can be seen from space? We are waiting to see when that will happen.
16
Trump's desire to undo the treaty with Iran has much more to do with his fake claim that "everything that has to with Obama" was a disaster, and his quest to please his excitable (but not too enlightened) base.
7
Come on Mueller... the clock is ticking more quickly by the day. Time to act.
5
Just because Mueller isn't advertising his moves on a daily basis like Trump does, doesn't mean that he's not acting.
Slow and steady wins the race.
1
He can't kill the Iran deal because it is not his deal to kill, there are other players. Iran has held to their end of the bargain so there is no sane, adult, logical, trustworthy, intelligent or wise reason for the other countries involved to renege on it.
Trump can pull out if he wishes, but it will just further isolate the USA and deepen the distrust it is viewed with under his reign. He is a pariah.
18
I have concluded that many of the major actor nations in this play will accept a different pain point to oppose and neutralize US hegemony - repudiation of the dollar as the current key reserve currency. Yes, it will be harsh, perhaps impoverishing, but it may be their least worst outcome. However, it would trigger a wild ride downward for America. Pray they are not pushed to do it.
What does Trump have against the Iran deal aside from Obama's involvement? It's only him and Bibi that cry foul - what is their end game?
10
The Iranian deal is awful and the damage has already been done. Obama gave them 150 Billion dollars. Worse deal ever.
1
150 billion of their own money. Zero US money. Thrives paying restitution is what it's called in the civilised world.
He didn't "give them" 150 billion, he allowed them to recover their own money that had previously been frozen since sanctions began. Quite two different things.
Obama didn't give Iran any money. He merely joined in a multilateral agreement that Iran should be entitled to receive funds (rather less than $150B in total) due to them, from several countries, for oil sales already concluded. This was one element of the international leverage brought to bear in the Iran muclear deal, that made it a success.
If only there were a negotiator who could work as well with North Korea.
The capacity of a psychopath is to be destructive, sensations seeking, provocative, paranoid, unreliable, dominating and misinforming.
So, no.
No executive function. No emotional regulation. No value system.
No neural network reaching the part of the brain capable of diplomacy, or the other components of executive function identified above, or haven't you noticed?
6
You cannot expect rational behavior from an idiot.
17
It looks like a virtual certainty that Trump is going to destroy the Iran deal (he's following the same playbook as the Paris Accords...saying he's made a decision and smirking while saying that he'll announce it when he's ready). That would be utterly disastrous for the United States. No country on Earth will ever trust us again if he does that. It would cripple American foreign policy for at least a generation. This man is insane.
23
What North Korea did that requires punishment? They are developing the weapons systems that protects them from American aggression. What is wrong with that? The Rocket man is not saying anything. All the bellicose talk is coming from Trump. No country in the world is against the United States. It is the foreign policy of the past and present making the countries to behave the way they are behaving. Every country knows what the response would be if they attack the U.S or its close allies. Name calling Kim Jong-un as a rocket man doesn't work the way it worked against his political opponents. We need to normalize our relations with North Korea rather than demonize that country. We should help to open up the borders between south and north Koreas. We have to come to terms with North Korea similar to what we did with Iran. Trump can hate Obama all he wants, if he runs against Obama, he will loose.
4
REGRETTABLY, IT HASN'T HAPPENED. WE ARE IN A LOT OF TROUBLE.
General Kelly's reactions say it all. The embarrassment continues.
17
Tillerson compares the Iran deal to kicking the can down the road. That beats leaving the can where it was, which was the alternative. Kicking the can means movement. We can move forward, and at a future time kick it some more, maybe in a different direction!
7
Trump's policy on Iran is not a US interest policy, it is essentially crafted by Jared and is driven by Israel and Saudi Arabia. Trump is not being an America Firster but an Israel firster.
You are correct, once US withdraws from this deal which is working for the it was designed. It moved the goal post for Iran from a few weeks to over a year and a half break out period. Our track record with countries giving up on their nuclear ambition is not that great, look at what happened to Qaddafi, Saddam, Syria etc. and what happened with India, Pakistan, Israel etc.
The answer would be obvious to DPRK; in order to survive they must have the option of Nuclear weapons.
I wonder what would we do if we were in DPRK's position. In order to negotiate we must be able to imagine ourselves in other parties shoes.
BTW, It is not a very comfortable position to be in.
Trump must look at these deals/negotiations with America First filter and not necessarily any foreign country first filter.
8
Didn't Trump show with the Paris Accord on Climate Change, a deal where countries set their own goals and without any consequences whatsoever for failing to meet them, but which Trump withdrew saying that the US would not participate unless he could negotiate a better deal, that Trump doesn't care to understand the details before speaking out?
Aren't Trump’s attacks on the Iran nuclear deal just more of the same? Speaking out to draw attention for himself without understanding any of the actual details involved? The fact that it is disserving with his animosity likely to create the very nuclear weapon development we are trying to avoid doesn't register because all Trump notices is how much attention he gets personally, right?
How is Trump’s interaction with South Korea and Japan not more of the same, Trump ignorant of the details, uncaring about the people under threat, disconcerned with their leaders, and focused solely on what gets Trump the personal attention his mental illness demands?
7
Without the Iran deal, we would be in exactly the same boat with Iran as we are now with North Korea --- Iran would now have the bomb or be close to having it. Instead, Iran dismantled their nuclear weapons program and have been abiding by the accord. Thanks goodness for that.
If only our sanctions against North Korea over the last decades could have achieved a similarly "disastrous" deal!
53
"Instead, Iran dismantled their nuclear weapons program and have been abiding by the accord. Thanks goodness for that. "
Except once the terms of the accord expire, Iran will be free to continue its nuclear weapons work.
And there will be nothing -- NOTHING -- the US or anyone else can do about it.
Bet you did not know about that fine print, did you?
Excuse me, but I must have missed the news. How do is it that you're so certain that Iran has "dismantled" its nuclear weapons program? Iran has refused to allow inspections. Why do you suppose they do so?
2
Yes I am aware of the expiration date of the Iran accord.
Number one, we will have delayed their nuclear weapons program by ten years. Number two, the U.S. and its allies will of course start negotiating, probably years before the expiration date, to come to terms on a renewal of the deal. Nothing is for sure. But there is every reason that if the parties came to agreement once, they may do it again.
Stupid & arrogant silver-spoons are the worst people. Let's not deny.
Jung Un is, as is Trump.
9
Too bad all the poor and working-class whites didn't realize that before they voted for him...
4
Trump was widely supported by rich and middle-class white people too. And, weirdly, some blacks and Hispanics. Don't just blame the lower-income people.
2
@AF
It's not "blame". It's fact.
The overwhelming percentage of his base-support comes from that group -- and it's to them that he continues to cater.
I think the best possible negotiated settlement at this point would be getting Trump to settle for having a couple of Russian prostitutes urinate on copies of the Iran deal and Korean cease-fire. Maybe throw in copies of Obama's State of the Union speeches to sweeten the deal. I think No-Drama would be OK with that.
6
Trump personifies the word "embarrassment", and the grown-ups in the US need to take charge quickly before he manages to destroy what civilization we have left. He is a giant, spoiled toddler playing with bombs in a china shop.
12
Exiting the deal with Iran is about erasing Obama's achievements. Something that only a small, petulant man like Trump would do against the best interests of the US.
Even if there was a real problem with the Iran deal, no idiot would open two fronts at the same time.
15
Hitler did with Russia. Look at what it got him.
Jus sayin'.
Your comment is spot on, Sha.
Jus sayin'.
Your comment is spot on, Sha.
I'm fully convinced that the Trump Administration does not want to resolve the issue peacefully. It is Trump's way or the highway. Won't listen to Chinese who take a very long and pragmatic view of international issues. Won't listen to GB, France, or Germany regarding the Iran deal. This is exactly the "John Wayne" administration I feared, never back down, never negotiate in good faith, and threaten the planet with our big stick, our big hollow stick. I can understand why so many people around the world think the USA is the greatest threat to world peace in existence. All brawn, no brain.
18
Just stop trying to make sense here. It is bad foreign policy. PERIOD.
5
"Mr. Zarif used to talk or email every few days with John Kerry, the American secretary of state who negotiated the deal."
Awww, how sweet. The Iranians are just swell, aren't they? And Mr. Zarif... he's just like us!
I wonder how many deliveries of weapons Iran made to Hizballah -- to threaten Israel -- and how many Iranian-supplied weapons in the hands of ISIS in Iraq maimed American soldiers, whilst Mr. Kerry and Mr. Zarif whispered sweet nothings to one another electronically.
THIS is the problem with Americans We want so desperately to believe that even the most heinous, vile and duplicitous regimes can be "reasoned" with. This renders us vulnerable to silver-tongued diplomats like Mr. Zarif.
I have absolutely no doubt that the smooth talking Mr. Zarif convinced Mr. Kerry that over the life of the nuclear deal, Iran would become a democratic, free nation and would have a referendum on the need for nuclear weapons. And American and Israel would have nothing to worry about.
Sure.
4
Just about every country is and has been and probably will keep on being guilty of what you are throwing at Iran.
How many American weapons were sold to the Saudi's to pulverize Yemen into dust. How many US arms were shipped to Columbia with a Peru end-user certificate, which helped to destroy that country. The list is long and tawdry and applicable to most all countries around the world, the more powerful the country or its friends, the worse the abuses. And do not forget it was the US/UK that backed a coup to topple a democratically elected Prime-minister in Iran in 1953 because he wanted a fair share of his country's oil revenues. Think, Iran could have been a democracy for over 50 years now if not for foreign meddling.
7
The one weapons deal I know of with Iran is when the US negotiated to give them air to air missiles in secret while Iran was holding Americans hostages.
6
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Can this administration get ANYTHING right?
6
Apparently not.
"“If the President pulls back on the Iran deal, given Iranian compliance” with its terms, said Wendy R. Sherman, the chief negotiator of the accord, “it will make diplomacy on North Korea almost impossible because U.S. credibility will be shot.” American's credibility is already shot and was the day Trump took office. Why are Republicans standing by watching this sideshow instead of putting together impeachment proceedings before he blows up the planet?
13
Trump spelled it out yesterday for all to see and hear at the UN. America will focus on American first and the other nations should focus on themselves first. Is that not exactly what N. Korea is doing.
7
If America wants to focus on itself without regard to other nations then no unified international policy can exist. It is only because of diplomacy that ANY economic sanctions against NK remain in force. If the US wants to "go it alone", every nation in the world with an interest in NK can justify the policy of "free trade" in its own interest.
1
So this guy down the street has been talking bad about me for 20 years, and for those 20 years, I've been trying to make a deal with him so he'll shut up and leave me alone. It hasn't worked. Now he has a gun, and he's shot it over my friend's house a couple of times. Meanwhile, his aim is getting better, and he's going to get an even a bigger gun soon. The police have warned him, but they can't stop him.
What should I do? Make another deal?
You forgot to mention that you've been pointing an entire arsenal at his house for more than half a century. Why would he even consider giving up his gun?
You could just as well be describing the U.S position towards N. Korea. We march up and down outside the guy's house with big guns (aka, war games with S. Korea and Japan) and call for a decapitation strike. Oh, and call him part of the "axis of evil." So he feels threatened and wants a big gun too. Who is the crazy one here?
I've told him a bunch of times that if he'll just lighten up and quit talking trash, I'll take my arsenal somewhere else. He agrees, then starts waving his gun and shooting off his mouth again.
Here's the part I don't know. After the armistice, did we still want to invade NK? I think the militaries have been facing each other down since the war ended. It's not like we started the whole thing, even if we always had the better arsenal. NK invaded SK, we rolled them back, then China jumped in and fought us to a draw.
The point I was trying to make is we've tried everything else short of abandoning SK, and none of it worked. Trump's trash talk might not be the right thing to do, but neither was anything else.
Part of the problem is that Trump policy is being written by a 28 year old psychopath, Steve Miller. I am almost paralyzed by disbelief and terror.
14
How could anyone in America have faith that Donald J. Trump is capable of evaluating the Iran nuclear deal? His attention span and ability to objectively reason are highly compromised by a toxic mix of ego and narcissism. He is the last person in America who should be speaking on our behalf. And yet, here he is, POTUS. We have found the enemy and it's ourselves.
12
That was an excellent comment.
2
"Classic containment." Yeah, that works. Uh-huh. It's unfortunate that Trump is in the driver's seat at this time. But admit it, folks, previous administrations have been getting it all wrong for decades and the current crisis is the result.
Trump does not appear to be a man of his word. I'm not sure he has the credibility to broker any kind of a dealt.
4
the true irony is Trump's claims about sovereignty and his "America First" policy.
for Iran, that means logically, "Iran First" and Trump has no say over what sovereign Iran does internally, nor over international deals Iran makes with other nations.
for North Korea, that means logically, "DPRK First" and Trump has no say over what sovereign DPRK does internally, nor over international deals Iran makes with other nations, like China and ROK. nor does Trump have any say over any actions or deals ROK and China and Russia make with DPRK.
absolute "liberty" means everyone has absolute liberty, but any governance requires everyone to yield liberty in equal measure to cooperate with others. no one can be "first", unless everyone of the many is first, and thus none have any identity. ie, the UN becomes the feared "One World Government" and nations disappear.
1
The output of aggression can not be sweet words. It adds more problem.
After couple of days, we will hear NK testing either another Missile or bomb.( Russia or China may help from back door)
Then again another round of threaten?
Rocket boy may be engaged in mass production of rocket or bomb. He may have judged by now,If US was in a position to attack NK, It would have happened by now. Everybody knows US have most advanced technology and can destroy the whole world many times. But history has shown War can not be won by weapons all the time. Who is handling the weapon also matters.
War is not a fun game or talk show. Responsible or average man can not take the risk of killing of millions of innocent man and woman. That needs a cruel heart, KIm has shown that heart( by killing half brother, Uncle and many others) .
At this point threatening, such person makes situation more worse. To give a break up to Kim, America needs a heart like once in Japan war.
But it is too risky.
Pres Trump said "cut off all trade with any country that does business with North Korea" and would totally destroy NK. Why not penalize the Chinese bank that supports NK, and the firms providing rocket fuel and missile trailers?
That's less extreme and might work.
1
Here's why there's no contradiction. Trump believes, as to every problem, that the solution is to free the powerful from restraints. He seems to think that will create a better world. As his speech indicates, at the international level, that's not just "America First," but every powerful company looking after its own interests. It ignores the cooperative side of human nature and relies entirely on competition to sort things out. Of course, rational analysis can point out multiple problems with this approach, but Trump and his followers believe all that thinking and reasoning is just "weak." The powerful should bully the weak, in Trump's view. Don't like it? Get powerful. Of course, that's also exactly how North Korea sees things, too. That's why they don't believe they have any choice but to develop the nuclear capability. As I said, rational analysis can spot the problems, but such approaches carry no weight with Trump and his followers. Unfortunately, they also over-estimate America's real strength in a world very largely arranged by agreements for perceived mutual good. The Iran deal is working precisely because all the other parties to it see their self-interest in it, viewed diplomatically. But Trump's agonistic ideology blinds him and his privilege-fueled supporters from such complex realities.
4
A basic tenet in diplomatic negotiations is that there must always remain a way for the "loser" to save face. Trump's background in business, coupled with his innate arrogance, prevents him from grasping that. To him, a successful negotiation involves bludgeoning the opposition.
No one has yet proposed a rational reason to the North Korean leadership for dismantling their nuclear weapons program. Obviously, threats have proven ineffective. An alternative approach might be to accept the obvious facts and move on from there. We want to deny North Korea nuclear weapons because we deem their leadership to be irrational and unstable. In the eyes of many, the leadership currently navigating our ship of state is no less irrational and unstable. Trump & Co. would do well to recognize that might does NOT make right.
5
The Iran deal, which has encouraged Iran to be more aggressive, is exactly what Trump wants to avoid.
2
He's made a decision but isn't ready to announce it. Sounds like he's waiting for another hurricane to hit so he'll have as big an audience as possible- may one that's even bigger than the biggest audience Obama ever had.
4
Getting into a nuclear war will be good revenge against Obama. Maybe that's the point? The rest of us are just along for the ride.
9
No. The rest of us are being held hostage.
5
REALITY: nok wants deal with south korea not usa
1
Didn't they have some kind of breakthrough a few years back. Reunification was being talked about as if it might actually happen. That all melted away. I'm sure SK would be happy to de-militarize and stand down.
That's creative thinking. Trumps wants to do A and Trump wants to do B. Trump can't do A or B. But! If he argues that A will cause B, Trump might at least get A. There's no fixing stupid.
4
"Mr. Trump’s aides see the problem and in an entirely different way."
Different, yeah. See the problem? Don't think so. The imaginings of this administration make absolutely no sense from any perspective that either Iran or North Korea might actually hold. And as with all matters of diplomacy any action or agreement by them requires a persuasive case that accords with their perspective. We would like for these two sovereign nations to put voluntary restraints on their nuclear weapons development programs. The threat of Mutually (or Unilaterally) Assured Destruction has not worked to persuade in either case. The Obama administration put together a credible package (mostly multi-country sanctions removal) that brought Iran to an agreeable position for all concerned.
Right wing media and political interests have lied to their faithful listeners about stimulus spending, tax policy, health care, etc, etc, and the Iran agreement. And now that they are in positions of governing authority, they cannot unwind the lies. So get used to dysfunctional governance on all fronts, even this one.
9
Is the United States really convinced its not as dangerous or corruptible as Iran or North Korea? Since when has this nation invested in peace and domestic spending over war? Since when has the US apologized or admitted wrong in dealing with its indigenous population as American Capitalism profits from Communist polices inflicted on American Indians? Freedom nation my foot!
3
"...Over the next few months, Mr. Trump must decide whether it is truly worth the many risks of war to force the North to disarm, as he has seemed to suggest several times, including in his United Nations speech, or whether he can acquiesce to Cold War-style containment...."
This paragraph above just reminded me that Mr. Trump, the Man who makes decision base on potential TV ratings will be deciding whether there will be a Nuclear War in the near future.
Director Mueller, please help us.
9
Thanks, New York Times and so many of the comments here. You have succeeded in giving Kim Jung Un exactly the propaganda tool they need. All they have to do is quote from this article, or better yet for Mr. Kim, quote from some of the the more critical comments, such as "why would any other country enter into a deal with him?"( mk). Or, maybe the best:"This so called president, who was installed with the help of Putin, is doing everything he can to bring the United States to its knees. Nuclear war is on the table. The sooner he is removed, the safer we, and the rest of the world, will be."(blue_sky_ca).
Those of you who made such statements in your irresistible need to ridicule this president no matter what are more interested in spewing hatred than you are in what's good for the country. Your words will be used against us, not Trump's.
Don't you see that our internal vicious discord makes us all look stupid, not just one side? The world is laughing at us, and we are all to blame.
1
Anyone claiming that Trump is good for the country needs more help than any of us can give.
6
Gino, the North Koreans are already on that page. They have been watching us and responding accordingly. The NY Times is simply reporting how Trump has put us in a no-win situation so that the people in the U.S. might understand. Your blind respect for the mirror image of Kim Jong-un and a man who wants to engage in a game of nuclear chicken will not help us out of this situation.
2
Trump is an idiot. He is taking us and other down a path to destruction. The Iranian deal was a stroke of genius. The only country that did not like it was Saudi Arabia
12
This is not a matter of tactics or political philosophies, Trump simply has no idea what he is doing.
As long as Donald can watch himself (he is his own adoring audience) swaggering in imitation of a tough guy then he is well satisfied. What happens to the world is an irrelevant abstraction for him.
Not since Napoleon as an egomaniac found so much narcissistic satisfaction at the expense of everyone else.
10
On top of the disgrace of Donald Trump's 'speech' to the UN yesterday, notice that while he has decided how he'll proceed on the Iran deal, he will not yet favor the public with his decision. On this deadly serious and potentially devastating 'yea or nay', we are told that we must wait.
Like a TV game show or soap opera, the audience must 'stay tuned'.
No words...
NOT my president
5
Has anyone asked North Korea what they want? Maybe it's as simple as food and/or recognition.
63
North Korea has already told us what they want.
They want to have nuclear "equilibrium" with the United States.
It's what will they do, once they achieve it -- that's the question.
2
The regime wants to survive. They feel they need a credible nuclear weapon program to accomplish that. Pretty simple, and pretty rational.
It's Trump's actions that are irrational.
They have gotten bribes in the past, they want nuclear weapons and delivery systems.
It appears to me that Mr. Trump is very unschooled in the ways of diplomacy and in particular what the features of the "Iran" deal actually are about.
It is all well and good to rant and threaten when you have a captive audience and a teleprompter but I doubt that Trump could answer any incisive questions about Iran or NK.
With Kelly's head in his hands it tells me he has little or no control of Trump's rants. It also makes me wonder what the end game for NK and Iran actually is.
As a deal maker, in his own mind, Trump should be aware that when you threaten to end a well negotiated deal or forge a new one that the facts and details matter and so does your credibility. I should think Trump has no grasp of either.
14
I just don't see how the Iranian Deal is so one sided, we make huge concessions and they stop pursuing their nuclear program. It's a fair trade in my eyes, money is worthless and if they want more, sure. The more countries holding an N-bomb the more likely someone will use them...
6
Its one sided because once the terms of the deal expire, Iran will be free to develop a nuclear weapon. And if the want to, there will be NOTHING that anyone can do to stop them, short of a preemptive nuclear strike.
Unless Donald Duck and Cover plans to revive the draft, forego building the wall against Mexico (earthquakes may bring it down anyway), and raise taxes to build more bombs, missiles, ships and and planes we will not be in a position to fight both Nort Korea and Iran at the same time. Where are the generals (the so-called adults of this administration) in explaining reality to this guy? Since when does Steven "Isolationist" Bannon seem to make sense? God help this country, and the hard-headed, idiotic 1/3 that support this ignoramus no matter what slithers out of his mouth. If there is an election for Anti-Christ, my vote is in.
8
I think USD would tank. His minions Munchin and GS buddies are already shorting it.
when credibility tanks; who would trust mighty green back.
1
Trump was put in place to sow dissent and disrespect, both at home and abroad. With the help of the GOP, he's doing it admirably. I try but can find no other rational reason for his actions. What to do? Turn out the biggest vote possible in 2018 for local offices and national Democratic representatives and senators who will then be running for office.
13
Clinton, Bush and Obama either made deals with appeased or exercised "strategic patience" with those who imprison women for slight insults against the Kim Dynasty and then rape them, feed their babies to dogs and kill them.
What makes you Kim would honor any agreement?
I'd agree with Trump here. Kim needs to feel threatened to achieve any kind of a positive response from him. In the real world, friendship or even armistice with Kim is a dangerous fantasy
Because of this deal, Iran can no longer make plutonium. Trump doesn't understand ANYTHING about why it's a good idea to stick with this agreement. What a fool. Sadly, we're all stuck with the consequences of his ignorance.
11
There is no contradiction here. Even before he was given the Presidency by the Electoral "College" he spoke very clearly as a warmonger. tRump has been consistently intent on starting some war somehere. The reason: so he can browbeat the Congress into giving him strongman powers. He better hurry, the Mid-terms are coming up!
7
So, Trump is saying that "he" has "made a decision" on Iran. Let's just hope that he doesn't idiotically move to "tear it up." It is all insane. Listening this morning to an excellent long interview with John Kerry on "Morning Joe," the juxtaposition of Trump's simplicity with Kerry's careful and successful negotiation of the Iran Deal is mind-boggling.
7
I have been leading iran Custom Travel Tours to Iran for the last 10 years, as well as sending Americans..every one of whom has said that Iran is nothing like what they expected..in a positive way. Having seen the "tremendous" progress Iran has made,I take particular umbrage at him calling Iran an "economically depleted rogue nation". Iran has better free education, medical care, environmental controls, ( A women is head of that Ministry), more low/mid income housing projects than we have in New York. Women significantly playing roles in government & social services. Yikes, even more women taxi drivers (many part of Iran's Uber like system). Too bad Trump hasn't built any hotels..(too late now)France, Denmark, Italy ,Turkey (to name just a few hotel chains building hotels throughout the country).More relevant..these and many other countries have business cooperation in the billions ..while we close our factories.
15
trump is hardly in the position to use the word" embarrassment". He is the grand embodiment of the word , globally.
15
Trump has "policies" the same way that schizophrenics have personalities, no offense to schizophrenics.
6
Dear Leader, AKA Rocket Man, is running rings around Don Caesar
3
Donald Trump, world-famous buttbrain since the 1980s. Now he's up there trashing the UN, where world leaders - better leaders than Trump, every one - come together in peace. He's trashing the Iran deal that hundreds of smart and dedicated worked on for years. He claims to have figured out a "safe" way to destroy North Korea.
What are the chances that any of these utterances will end up being good for the US? That's a big, fat zero.
11
The Iranians are a bunch of fascist, religious-fanatic, sneaky liars. Their government is illegitimate and unelected. They believe in some nonsense known as "takia" which is Koranically endorsed lying and deception when the issue involved is them getting to do things their Twelver, Shia way. They do these things because they think that walking among us is a 12th imam named Al Mahdi. They say that Al will show up with Jesus, when conditions are set right by the Iranians, to show us the way to peace and righteousness as defined by them. Have you ever heard such crazy nonsense? This is what they are all about. Here's a link to the speech made at the UN by Ahmadinejad, Iran's last president.
Start near the end with the words "Mr. President, Friends and Dear Colleagues" where this was all explained.
http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/?p=57189
Why is it that the nuclear agreement prevents nuclear inspectors from inspecting for prohibited material at Iranian military bases? You mean to tell me that they could not have moved their nuclear activities to such bases? We were dumb to look the other way and agree to this.
It's time to make this right. If the Iranians have nothing to hide and want to show that they are abiding by the agreement then they should open every bit of Iran to UN Inspectors.
1
Iran is in compliance. Bunk upon more bunk.
1
Isn't it obvious!
Trump doesn't know if the iran nuke deal is a good deal or not....he has one thing in mind and one thing alone. Trump is a true white supremacist and he is focussed on one thing - undoing Obama's legacy wherever he can and no matter how damaging it is to the Unitest States.
Trump is a traitor....he is not a patriot and he is not a conservative.
8
Donald Trump should keep his mouth shut since he knows nothing about the world, politics or our allies. Nor does he care. Why doesn't he just go away. He should never have run for office anyway because he is a businessman but also a stupid unread unintelligent president that the majority of us did not vote for and find despicable. And the Republican Party seems as stupid as the president. Where have these people and Fox News been living--on another planet? The rest of us read real news.
4
Ask Bill Clinton how $4 billion dollar deals to stay out of nuclear weapons go South in North Korea. 20 years of experience. NYT barking up wrong tree.
Obama was bad news for the Islamic regime in Iran. The mullahs continued their nuclear program during Bush and would start over if Trump would unwind the deal. In other words, any action against Iran would be celebrated by the Iranian regime.
China would not let the US forces get even close to N. Korea. Trump's stupid rhetorics hurts US credibility.
4
So now we will have two rogue nuclear powers to deal with instead of one, North Korea, which had been in the process of negotiating a deal with President Clinton before Republican War Criminal and illigetiamte idiot President George W. Bush trashed it, along with Kyoto Accords.
You know people around the world are becoming increasingly fed up with the arrogance, high handedness, capriciousness and downright foolishness of the States and the Republucsn criminals now running it to ruin. Many nations would like to see us taken down a peg, which one or two nuclear weapons could easily do. We shouldn't be surprised when they Abandon us to our folly, and devise a future for mankind minus us.
3
Trump's "Business Plan" was always to make a deal and then ignore it. Ask his creditors. He simply doesn't understand why the NY banks stopped doing business with him. If he negates the Iran deal, why would any other country enter into a deal with him?
14
Instead of taking the opportunity to establish himself as a world leader, Trump acted like little more than a boy playing with tin soldiers. Instead of elevating the United States and engaging the U.N. members about uniting against this very serious threat, he reduced the conversation to nothing more than a game of name-calling in the school yard and one-upmanship. He contributed absolutely nothing to either the dialogue or solution and proved, once again, that he appears to have no clue at all what it means to be a leader.
7
Watching the PBS series on Vietnam War the last few nights reminded me what is at stake with our current occupant of the White House. He is no statesman, diplomat, negotiator or any other title normally required of the POTUS. Peaceful negotiations are required, not blind threats. Lord help us all that Ken Burns won't get new subject matter from 45.
3
Finally. Thank you Mr. Sanger for bringing to light the problem with the Administration's obsession with the Iran deal. If they throw that out the window, NK will never get to the negotiating table. Why would they? I'm confident Tillerson will never understand the connection between the two issues. Trump certainly does not.
6
When you just want to bluster and bully, all you are left with is non-sense. You don't want North Korea to have nuclear weapons at the risk of war they are "begging for," but, on the other hand, you're on the verge of backing out of the Iran nuclear deal which has been verified as keeping them from developing a nuclear weapon in a region already in the midst of a major Islamic war between Sunnis and Shiites in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. This is just the latest example of why President Trump is more than unfit for office, but, as Sec, Clinton stated recently (during an interview with Rachel Maddow), is "a clear and present danger" to world peace and even human survival. This is the very definition of irrationality that threatens all of us.
6
Is this even a serious question? Are we now treating Trump like he is a normal president capable of reaching any deal with any government?
It won't happen!
Let's please not normalize the madman by pretending he is rational.
15
"Contradiction" is a nice way of saying it. How about incoherently counterproductive? How about egomania? Trump only cares about the Iran deal because it was such a popular position during the primaries. He doesn't want to appear to flip flop on everything (wall, immigration and Iran deal).
Trump knows the Iran deal is great. Trump knows he will be starting a trade war or sanctions war with Europe if he backs out of the deal. He knows this will prevent the United States from having ANY credibility on any future deals.
HE KNOWS ALL OF THIS.
He doesn't care. In Donald Trump's book, Donald Trump comes before the United States of America. You know it's true.
14
Mr. Trump has never indicated any familiarity with the provisions of the multi-lateral agreement with Iran concerning the development of nuclear weapons nor has he indicated what provisions he would require in such an agreement. An orderly process which might lead to an acceptable amendment to the agreement requires details. He has been shooting his mouth off about this agreement since early in his campaign without actually knowing what is in it (by all indications) or bothering to find out. Recall that he claimed to have amendments to the internal revenue code and a universal health plan better and cheaper than the ACA ready to go "on day one". These, as well as the shortcomings of the Iran agreement, appear to be figments of his overactive imagination. He hasn't a clue.
5
Watching a bit of the brilliant Burns' Vietnam docu-series, it seems that American hubris never dies.
Much like the Vietnamese, Trump and his cohorts are underestimating N Korea. 'Rocket Man' knows exactly what he is doing. He already has nukes and the only way to get them out of his hands is to go have an all out war.
Its a given that Russia and China(now that Trump has threatened China as well) will support the North Koreans in subtle but significant ways in the event of a war. And South Korea will not fully support it either.
Its a lose-lose-lose any way you slice it.
3
This so called president, who was installed with the help of Putin, is doing everything he can to bring the United States to its knees. Nuclear war is on the table. The sooner he is removed, the safer we, and the rest of the world, will be.
6
Trump doesn't know how to bring people together; he only knows how to fight. That's his preferred mode, chaos and discord. He thrives on it. All he's done so far is figure out how he can trash and dismantle anything President Obama ever did. I'll be hugely surprised if he's ever able to build consensus or create anything for the American people. It's not in him. But hey, congrats to the nihilism voters who just wanted to blow up DC, he's all yours.
1
trump said he didn't want his adversaries to know what he was thinking. His rhetoric is frightening. A whirlwind for most Americans of an unhinged power hungry adolescent in office. trump at the UN, the people have the right to speak up for their own democracies. trump is trying to taking that away from us.
1
Funny how the logic for their tax cut proposal, that it disappears in ten years, is satisfactory but the Iran deal with a term limit of 15 is a complete no go. Rather than do nothing during those 15 years, one would imagine that the 15 year term of the Iran deal offers a chance to keep negotiating and to find a way to end the madness in a more peaceful atmosphere.
Don't they understand anything? Why is everything zero sum?
4
The only contradiction here is in the assumption that Donald Trump knows how to make any foreign policy -- because judging from his actions within the last eight months, he doesn't.
This is clearly someone who hasn't the slightest inclination, or aptitude for what it takes to have a constructive dialogue that might actually yield results...results that last longer than the next tweet, in any case.
In the meantime, the Chinese bide their time, Iran steps further into regional affais by arming Yemen, and North Korea manages to get around its imposed sanctions while thumbing its nose at the U.S.
What could possibly go wrong???
4
Notice how he NEVER offers any meaningful plan or positive solution for anything. Do away with or replace. He has taken up the mantle of the Republican "Party of No" that is stunning in its absence of planning for the future. Unless of course you think that more more threats, more troops, pumping more oil, extracting more coal and giving more tax relief to the rich is a plan that will help this country (and the world)
2
Trump is in it only for Trump, and this move is no different. With Mueller's investigation closing in and his support wavering, Trump seems to be pinning his hopes on getting a boost from being a "war-time President." The nuclear deal has been unpopular with hard-liners in Iran as well, and chances are Trump's move will put more power back in the hands of hard-liners in the Revolutionary Guard and out of the hands of reformers like Hassan Rouhani. Opponents to the nuclear deal claim that Iran is secretly developing nuclear weapons. Well, now they have made that into a certainty, and in so doing created the justification for an armed confrontation.
But for Trump, that's no bad thing. Trump is creating the confrontation that he thinks will rescue his presidency.
1
North Korea is in this for the money. They are doing all of this to extract money. They are poor. They have no economy. They trade with almost no one. They are starving. They even eat dog.
I say pay them. Wars cost money and lives.
In exchange we get the dismantling and disposal of all such armaments plus regular inspections to make sure that they are not up to their old tricks. They pass an inspection, they get some bucks.
Cheaper to pay than to fight.
2
Accept that is what we offered in the initial nuclear deal with DPRK which did not prevent the DPRK from enriching uranium in violation of the agreement. Why should we believe that now that the DPRK has nuclear weapons that an offer to provide food and heating oil would make any difference.
Furthermore, with the failure of the agreement with the DPRK why should we believe that a similar, albeit less restrictive agreement, between the U.S. and the Islamic Rep. of Iran will have any different outcome. It seems likely that less than 10 years from now we will be looking at the IRI as we look at the DPRK, and say, they have nuclear weapons now, so there is no effective way to deal with their bellicose behavior so let us try to see if there is some other way to appease them.
"They are starving. They even eat dog."
But that isn't stopping them from buying rocket fuel, or any other kind of fuel -- In fact, German SPIEGEL just reported another (eight, so far) North Korean tanker laden with diesel fuel recently departing Russia on the trip back home.
For those who can read German:
www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/soziales/nordkorea-diesel-tanker-steuern-nordk...
2
Is anyone keeping an eye on Kim's subs? These can be armed with proven short range missiles and parked just off the coast of Guam, Hawaii at the mainland while are distracted looking up.
Hubris and overconfidence by leaders throughout history never ended well.
1
The Iran Deal was really no deal at all. Iran was given 1.5 billion dollars on silver pallets to give lip service to the idea that they would curb their nuclear weapon progress. In fact, they had no plan to do any such thing. I, for one, want my money back. I'm glad we have a President that knows a bad deal when he sees it.
1
It was their cash, deposited into US banks, before the Iranian Revolution.
They were paid back with interest. That's how it works when you deposit funds in a bank.
5
You do know that that was Iran's own money, right? That it was frozen due to sanctions over their nuclear program and released when they signed the Agreement?
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/mar/17/donald-tr...
Do you pay attention when people show Trump is making stuff up? Or do you just believe whatever passes through our Dear Leader's lips?
And where's your evidence that the Iranians have not curbed their nuclear weapons program? Both the IAEA and our own State Department, such as it is these days, beg to disagree.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/iran-adhering-to-nuclear-deal-with-...
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/07/17/537793465/state-depart...
3
It wasn't your money. It was Iran's money that the US had frozen, and subsequent to the nuclear deal, returned.
1
Again, I think Americans have a very cavalier attitude toward war. Perhaps it's because, for most Americans, war has been something that only happens "over there" for over a century and a half. There is no notion of our homes being devastated and our families being killed. The only losses are young people who be called to serve overseas, but there no possibility of children becoming casualties or our towns being razed.
Perhaps that's why I see comments more or less endorsing Trump's position on the grounds that diplomacy has "failed" with regards to North Korea. Certainly, it has not achieved the ideal result of disarming North Korea or ending the Kim regime. But on the other hand, there has not been a war on the Korean Peninsula either. Such a war would, at minimum, cause tens of thousands of civilian causalities in South Korea and most likely Japan, and have the potential to wreck havoc that Japan and South Korea would not recover from for decades. Such a war might even draw in China, as the first Korean War had, and pave the path for a world war.
So before declaring diplomacy a failure and declare that the only path is to charge in guns blazing, Americans should perhaps spare a thought for other people's homes and children even if they believe their own are immune to war.
3
"The Iran nuclear deal framework was a preliminary framework agreement reached in 2015 between the Islamic Republic of Iran and a group of world powers: the P5+1 (the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council—the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, and China—plus Germany) and the European Union".
As stated above, it is not a deal just between the US and Iran...far from it. In addition to P5+1, real experts on nuclear technology and weapons systems were an integral part of all the negotiations. Now, Trump and his circle of no nothings are trying their best to delay, derail and destroy this important agreement. It also just reveals how much the right wing government of Israel under Netanyahu has the ability to manipulate Trump and US foreign policy.
7
In one regard Mr. Trump is a true Republican, he is best at obstruction or destruction rather than construction.
2
Iran and its supporters aka the Shia are so embedded throughout the ME that by shunning the Iran deal, the entire ME will be in perpetual war and possibly spawn another ISIS, perhaps of the Shia variety.
Netanyahu will get what he wants in the short-term, which is to keep the Sunni and Shia fight each other while he grabs more Palestinian territory house by house each day. But the eventuality is Iran will get its nukes as a result. In the long run, that is a negative for Israel.
1
I think Trump was far more interested in the tone of his speech than the content. His base loves the "tough Goy" Trump and as they say, they will be the first ones to reach "1,000,000 degrees centigrade in less that 3 seconds", after Trump gets us into an unwinnable war.
No matter how we attack NK, Kim will slip across the Chinese border and be on TV that night, counting bodies from Seoul.
How did Trump happen to us?
1
"How did Trump happen to us?"
It's a long story . . .
Misogyny.
The Infotainment Industry.
A lousy education system.
2
Multiple Bankruptcy guru talks about negotiating a deal.
He never got one right for himself, never abide by one and never have done new deal except bailing through bankruptcy.
What a joke and a leader of deplorable.
2
Actually, our credibility is already shot because of what we did in Libya. Muammar Gaddafi agreed to give up his fledgling nuclear weapons program in return for an end of sanctions. Then in 2011 we aided a rebellion that removed him from power and executed him.
After what happened to Gaddafi, any state with nuclear weapons would be crazy to give them up in return for promises from us.
Presi-don't Trump calls many things an "embarrassment." It's one of his go-to words, like "failing," "terrific," and "great."
What's sad is that he himself is a supreme embarrassment.
3
Kim Jung Un and Donald Trump are two severe cases of arrested development playing a very dangerous game with many lives--sad.
3
So much for the "adults in the room theory", Mattis has been captured by Trumpist unhinged bluster. God help us all...
Trump's hypocrisy is unbearable. He just again follows his lobbiests agenda. In this case not the Kochs but israels. The Iran deal is working as neutral authorities confirm. Whatever trump does is not working. He rather wants to invade Iran than accepting that peace can be possible without war or America first idioty. This constant Iran bashing is unbearable especially when seeing the real sponsors of terror - the saudis - doing one raid after the other to silence opposition, suppress women, and kill thousands in Jemen. Any deal about that Donald? No because he loves sword dancing with his business partners in Saudi Arabia
4
As of this afternoon, Trump says he has decided what he is going to do about the Iran deal only he won't tell anybody yet. He thinks this is funny. He's acting like a 6 year old on the playground - "I know something you don't know." He is going to get us all blown up and he'll blame it on Obama.
4
The Chinese will love to have the US ruined by simultaneous wars with North Korea and Iran - we will have no allies in the latter. Let's tell the Chinese fix their NK problem in 20 days or you can eat every penny of US debt you hold and we will also seize all your assets in the US.
6
tell that to Walmart
Like most classic losers, he overestimates himself and underestimates others....
Our 'enemies', both real and imagined, are licking their chops over the showdown to come....
"The bigger they are, the harder they fall... "
Our 'enemies', both real and imagined, are licking their chops over the showdown to come....
"The bigger they are, the harder they fall... "
13
With Trump at the helm there is no "US credibility" left to lose.
Whoever follows this jackapple better find a Secretary of State with as much energy as Hillary had. Trump's already burnt more bridges than W did.
28
DJT understands nothing about this multilateral deal, which was evident on the world stage as he referred to it as a "transaction" and a "one-sided" one at that. That he believes he alone can renegotiate it is an absurd notion by itself. But if you could then ask him what results he would expect, you get "... a much better deal... many people will be very happy... believe me..." or some such nonsense. And today he keeps us in suspense (!) regarding his decision to maintain our commitment to the deal, as if this is just his own TV reality show with a nuclear twist.
I have been successfully ignoring this obnoxious shallow man since the 80's. Now the whole world is forced to pay attention to him, and in his narcissistic disordered mind, this is all that matters.
48
American and South Korean defenses at the demilitarized zone will be decimated by North Korea's decades old military arrays already accurately aimed at them. Will the North take out Seoul? Of course not. Hyperbole is the enemy in all of this nonsense. There is no way that an American military strike, however, short and sharp will not be answered. Mr. Mattis thinks the US can get away with it without "the risk of retaliation." He must have consulted the geniuses who planned the Bay of Pigs picnic. The gross incompetence that marked our military adventures in Iraq and Afghanistan for the past 14 years will go unmentioned. Is there danger that North Korea will let loose one of its nukes if the US mounts an attack, however small? No. It is American and South Korean troops who will die in significant numbers before the US turns the Korean peninsula into an all-out conventional war. Killing Kim is the answer, but even the South Koreans admit they can't find him. The Japanese are barely marginal players in any of this. It will be US v NK.
8
Maybe DT's ignorance of the job he holds combined with his intense need to destroy our first black President has blinded him to his interactions and consequences of his actions with other leaders we need to hold trust with in sharing this Planet. He is in so far over his head and other World Leaders know it. His transactional Win/lose mentality is not sustainable in an interdependent world.
42
According to RT - Trump's UN Speech deserved three shoe throws out of 4.
11
Trump's performance was ever worse than Nikita Khruschev taking his shoe off and banging it on the desk.
I give Trump 4 shoes.
Trump disgraced all of humanity and made Americans look dangerously warlike.
2
As my friend in New York, a real estate guy, told me, "No one in New York will do business with Trump. He's too big a risk."
Now, we are all at risk.
59
Perhaps the better question should be ; Why would anyone in their right mind negotiate anything with Donald Trump knowing full well he will stab you in the back in the end ?
As far as N.Korea is concerned after all our bloviating blatherskite's provocations and 4th grade insults is off the table
6
Getting played by dictatorships is the sorry stock-and-trade of democracies - the list is long, and best exemplified by Neville Chamberlain's Sudetenland German appeasement. Dealing with the likes of Iran and North Korea is just as distasteful, but Trump's showman bellicosity, coupled with his habitual mendacity, does nothing but make the situation worse. After the UN General Assembly week is done, I'm fully expecting Tillerson's resignation and Haley's appointment, opening the door just a crack for a more sane approach on both Iran and NK.
1
Trump's words are reckless regarding North Korea. Each side has little understanding of the other, so there is a terrible possibility of a miscalculation. NK might believe an attack is imminent and act preemptively. It's possible. Loose lips sink more than ships. Trump is a menace. I fear what his truculence could set off.
6
The embarrassment is Donald Trump, not the deal with Iran. Of course he opposes it, it was done under President Obama's administration so he must oppose it. Shameful and unAmerican. Are we great again yet with this mindless leader?
15
“I believe that North Korea may have the capability today to successfully conduct a nuclear attack on the United States,” he wrote recently, saying that Washington was relying on flawed logic in its assumption that Pyongyang did not possess the technology needed to deliver a warhead to Los Angeles or Chicago simply because it had yet to demonstrate the mastery of those technologies.
If Mr. Morell is right — and no one will know until the North Korean regime collapses and inspectors can assess the extent of its technology —"
There is of course another way we can find out.
2
“If we’re going to stick with the Iran deal there has to be changes made to it,”
Rex, that's not what "stick with" means.
America signed a commitment. America should honor it.
14
True. More to the point, the agreement involves additional nations, many of which have registered objections to changes. Judging by their public comments, it seems that neither Tillerson nor Trump have an understanding of the agreement's parameters - let alone its details.
1
Destroying the deal with Iran, breaking our word as a nation, would be an unforced diplomatic error on our part. It is foolishness.
Why is the US addicted to conflict with Iran? As a regular citizen it makes no sense to me. Iran did something to us 38 years ago.
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan murder our people, and our allies. on a daily basis.
US policy, on almost every issue, makes no sense to me. I would be hard pressed to think of anything the elected government does that benefits the citizens of this country.
17
Right, that's the problem here, OUR credibility. The fact is, North Korea is led by a hellbent madman, and as we've learned, there is no amount of sanctions or pressure that will bring him to the table in good faith. Even China, which we assumed had influence, has all but given up.
But maybe if we talk nicely to him... please.
2
How about we agree to the Chinese proposal that we stop conducting provocative military exercises with the ROK in return for the DPRK discontinuing its missile and warhead tests? What do we have to lose? Shouldn't our goal be a trip to Geneva and a peace treaty in Korea? Will Kim get to keep his weapons? Maybe. I view him as much less of a threat than that man in Moscow with hundreds of nukes.
Isolation and blackmail are NK traditional strategies. That's how they have fiercely kept their independence. Stop isolating and blackmailing them. Time to stop barking like a mad dog. Offer them trade and engagement in all peaceful fronts. P.S. There are more pressing problems than this match of big egos. Rebuild the Caribbean and make these suffering islands resilient to further tragedy. Help Texas, Florida and Mexico. Listen to nature's warnings. Work for peace and survival.
3
Hooray, someone else who is reasonable
"Trump’s ignorant hate speech belongs in medieval times — not the 21st Century UN — unworthy of a reply."
This coming from the same country which chants "Death to America!" On a daily basis. This coming from a country which calls Israel "The Zionist Entity" while threatening to wipe it off the map and claiming that it has only 25 years left. Let's hope that the current Iranian regime won't be around for another 25 years.
1
Satire and Sarcasm. only certain religiious zealots in Iran do that; not most of the Iranians who are well-educated and admire the West. We can hardly complain as many supporters of the GOP are not much different than the religious zealots of other countries.
3
"Mr. Mattis...now says he is confident that there are military approaches that do not risk retaliation against Seoul. Reporters asked how that might be possible. New technology? A way of finding and silencing North Korea’s mortars? 'I won’t go into detail,' Mr. Mattis said."
Trump probably said he'll tell Mattis sometime within the next few weeks. "Believe me."
14
First of all, let's get one thing straight, Trump doesn't no a thing about the Iran Nuclear Deal except that Obama touched it and got his cooties all over it. That is the one and only reason he has a burr under his saddle regarding this accord. Secondly, there isn't an on/off switch to this deal because it was negotiated with 17 other countries who don't want to see Iran start up their nuclear program anytime soon and, I wouldn't be surprised, if those countries didn't respect Rouhani more than Trump at this point. Thirdly, any deviation from the deal sends a signal to enemies and allies alike that you can no longer trust any agreement entered into with America because those agreements are now subject to the whims of an unstable and unreliable madman who will treat you with the same disrespect he shows everything from the constitution to his staff of advisers.
38
I agree - many agree ...what do we do about the lunatic running the country?
The Republicans are ALL BETA and lessor dogs with their tails between their legs with TRUMP their ALPHA male. All this is so BARBARIC and ARCHAIC but we need the opposite side of politics to either vanish OR grow brains that ironically McCAIN may lose because he has one.
1
north korea is not going to negotiate with it's nuclear program. there is absolutely no motivation. kim didn't need to hear trump's un speech to know that.
5
I find it impossible to believe Trump has actually read the Iran agreement or that he has comprehended the true implications of cancelling it. He pays no attention to detail, ever, unless it's reviewing the quality of the bathrobes in his hotel.
We must understand that his desire to wipe out Obamacare and the Iran deal, along with hundreds of Obama-era regulations (or waiver of same), has *everything* to do with wiping out Obama's legacy - and *nothing* to do with the best interests of the United States. Trump is obsessed with Obama and in a very unhealthy way.
Trump knows that he will never obtain the popularity levels that Obama did and has, also, never forgotten Obama humiliating him at the WH Correspondents Dinner. He only knows revenge and if the world is brought to the precipice as a result then Trump could care less. There has never been a more dangerous president when it comes to his singular, narcissistic motivations.
237
I agree, totally. Something in the name Robert!
1
I second this - I've thought this exact thought all along. Trump has attacked Obama for years, but the level of animus to Obama's legacy begs an understanding of why - Trump overturns stuff that even conservatives think wise (evaluation of reconstruction in flood zones). There has to be a reason, and I am guessing its that dinner. Pathetic.
"(Donald Trump) told me he was going to spend the rest of his life destroying these five people."
In a lunch conversation recalled by Richard Branson
https://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/meeting-donald-trump
"The Iran deal is not a permanent solution to the Iranian nuclear problem, they argue, but just a temporary fix. After 15 years, many of the limits on the production of nuclear material will be lifted, even if inspection requirements remain."....And Iran was 6 months to a year away from a bomb. Now they have given up all their accumulated fissile material, they can't start up production again for 15 years, and even then the on site inspections do not go away. Meanwhile, within Iran there is a tug of war between hardliners and moderates, with the moderates slowly gaining the upper hand. Then along comes Trump with his big mouth and not a clue toward a credible strategy. If there has ever been a bigger demonstration of ignorance by a public official, I can't think of what it was. His behavior is just plain STUPID!
25
N. Korea with the help of Pakistan and recently Ukraine have supplied the wherewithal to put N. Korea's nuclear missile arsenal together, and have place China and the US in a dangerous no win situation. N. Korea is going to play this controversy for all its worth. Trump hopefully will not do anything rash. Certainly George Bush's over simplistic unnecessary Axis of Evil speech did the world no good. On Iran, Trump and Nikki Haley have put together the dopey accusation that Iran is somehow an even more dangerous threat to the world minus nuclear weapons.
9
It's pretty simple. Trump's shocking idea is to have deals that don't simply strengthen "axis of evil" countries. Obama type deals allow these rogue nations to develop and keep nuclear ballistic missiles. In particular, the Iranian deal enables Iran to accelerate their nuclear and ballistic missile programs while removing sanctions that were working. On the other side of the world, NK has only been encouraged on its path to nuclear power by prior US administrations and the global diplomatic establishment. Trump recognizes past approaches have not worked, so he is stopping them.
2
But what is Trump's alternative to negotiation ?
As a non-American, can you understand that frankly I am as unnerved about the US being a nuclear power as I am about Iran and North Korea? Especially when your fellow countrymen show such a resounding lack of judgement as to make a profound imbecile your President?
30
Negotiation with nuclear-armed states is the opposite of "simple". Just because your president reduces complex issues to 140 characters does not make that an accurate depiction of the reality of the situation.
5
Unless its been summarized in a couple of sentences I doubt the clown prince has even set eyes on the Iran treaty.
66
Good point. And even if our esteemed Clown Prince of Empty Threats has seen it, I doubt he's capable of understanding it. His attention span is just too short.
7
Most likely Trump needs the Cliffs Notes version of the Cliffs Notes.
1
You are giving the clown prince too much credit. One sentence with easy words is about as much as he can handle.
1
Policies, doctrines, plans. Just stop. The Presidential Apprentice and his entire administration of incompetent sycophants are flying by the seat of their collective pants. There is ONLY one true Trump Doctrine: Trump can, and will, make anything WORSE. Anytime, anyplace. That's what HE DOES. He has a lifetime of experience. And now, Collaborators.
100
We have no leverage with North Korea as long as China supports them. If you would stop buying all unnecessary Chinese made goods and let China know what you are doing, then they will put a stop to their support. Write your congressperson about such a boycott. We can win as consumers here. It's important because Trump has a bomb proof shelter and I don't.
2
Well, so much for Mr. Trump's self announced and vaunted reputation as a "Great Negotiator and Deal Maker".
I don't see him making any brilliant moves that are going to solve these problems.
16
So far the great negotiator and deal make hasn't been able to carry out even one negotiation or deal.
6
Why would North Korea trust Trump on anything? Trump says one thing today and completely reverses himself the next day or at the next tweet.
The Iran deal was a framework that saved face for both Iran and the USA. It wasn't perfect but a very good road map for building trust among adversaries and for establishing more peaceful agreements in the future.
North Korea's actions are based on the USA's behavior and history in Middle East. The USA has invaded and toppled governments that were not nuclear armed. By Iran giving up its nuclear weapons development, this would have been a good chance for the USA to show that it would not invade an adversary country that was not nuclear armed. That proof would have gone a long way in showing North Korea that we would honor our agreements and promises.
Now we will have no agreement with Iran and no credibility for establishing an agreement with North Korea.
Bullying is not diplomacy.
8
What if everything Trump says is just a diversion from the acts of the people he has appointed to erode our natural resources, education system, healthcare system, civil rights, ability to vote, etc. He has been brilliant at distracting our press and the Democratic Party from what is actually happening to our country on a daily basis.
I certainly don't agree with him, but I am learning to respect his skill.
8
Lying is not a skill.... in a democracy it's subterfuge.
5
Trump? Credibility??
11
Kim Jong-un has already seen Donald Trump turn on him. Prior to winning the election, Donald Trump praised North Korea's leader as "a pretty smart cookie." He said it was inevitable that North Korea would gain nuclear weapons and scoffed at efforts to prevent that circumstance. Japan, said Trump, should arm themselves with nuclear weapons, too, and assume primary responsibility for keeping their volatile neighbor from terrorising the world. Trump even chided Obama for not joining Dennis Rodman on his visits to the Dear Leader until Rodman asked Trump to make the trip, at which point Trump lost his nerve and never raised the idea again.
Despite all the tough talk, Kim knows Trump is backed into a corner by North Korea's neighbors: China and Russia in opposition to an American offensive, and South Korea and Japan as allies likely to be gravely damaged if America goes back to war on the Korean peninsula.
Trying to bluff when others can see your hand and know your style is not smart poker, but Trump has a long history of betting the house and coming up bankrupt. Unfortunately for the United States -- and many other countries -- he is not just playing with other people's money this time, he is playing with their lives and security.
6
What this administration chooses to forget is the constant negotiating and energy and time as well as full cooperation with our allies to at least begin, and I emphasize "begin, to rein in the threat that Iran's nuclear progress had on not only the region but also the world. This was a start, and a good start.
By pulling out of this deal, it most likely will assure that Iran will, too. Our European allies without Secretary Kerry and our then secretary of energy will not have the perseverance nor courage to persist. Then we will be left with a very determined Iran, and a silver platter to Kim, with a note saying, "Go, for it."
Finally, realizing that this is a subjective opinion, I believe this is all about demolishing the legacy of his predecessor rather than being beholden to Netanyahu. Trump's fragile ego can not handle the fact that someone is better politically, in leadership, and personally, than he.
16
This is really quite simple. Trump expects the world to bend to his will. That means (for example) NK and Iran abandoning nuke programs unconditionally. Short of that, Trump wants to be a war president. (And, he thinks of America's nuclear arsenal as a practical tool for winning wars, so expect his finger to be hovering over the button when the war starts.)
Why do media and pundits keep trying to look for some deeper strategy or purpose? Why point out contradictions and inconsistencies? These things are meaningless. Trump is quite simple (in more ways than one), even if his attempts to use words sometimes complicate things temporarily.
35
This is a nice point, but it holds purely academic interest, since Kim Jong un has not shown the slightest indication that he will agree to disarm.
Indeed, focusing on the supposed contradiction is actually worse than that. It is mischievous and irresponsible because it diverts attention from the real problem, which is what to do in face of Kim's implacable opposition to nuclear disarmament.
For too long, our Presidents and foreign policy elite have dangled the prospect of negotiations in front of us to excuse their failure to act decisively to stop the nuclearization of Korea. Every time, the North Koreans have used negotiations to string us along, while building their nuclear arsenal.
We all have a duty not to allow ourselves to be seduced again by the lie that we can negotiate our way out of this crisis. That is impossible without military intervention.
3
And, what would be the outcome of that military intervention, other than a nuclear attack by N. Korea on Japan, South Korea and, likely the U.S. mainland? Oh, and don't forget the flattening of Soul by the thousands of conventional artillery pieces that N. Korea has aimed at that city?
7
And why must the DPRK and Iran disarm while the US does not? Arguments like yours like a certain symmetry that is fundamental to negotiation. Just because George W. Bush branded certain countries as the "Axis of Evil" doesn't make them so?
Why do we choose to align with the Saudis whose efforts to spread its pernicious version of Sunni Islam motivated the 9/11 attackers? We have enough oil already now here in the US. Time to tell the House of Saud we're leaving. Yes, Islamic radicals in Iran took over the US Embassy and humiliated us. How many people died in that event? Only our own forces that Carter stupidly sent on a failed rescue mission. None of the captives were harmed.
How many people died on 9/11? About 3,000. Tell me again why the Iranians are our enemy, but the Saudis are not.
5
Get real. The outcome would be none of the above. How do we know that? Because Trump has promised that it would mean immediate retaliation by the US and Kim's death warrant.
Or maybe there is a 0.1% chance that Kim would prefer a fiery exit for himself and his regime. But then we have no choice but to take him out as soon as we can.
Remember that the US's ability to defend its allies credibly will only last another year or two, because Americans won't have the stomach to defend Korea and Japan when Kim has missiles that can reach Omaha or Brooklyn. Are you willing to accept what will follow?
Unfortunately for us, Trump is more of a salesman than a statesman. We will be fortunate if we escape with our country intact and no nuclear cloud of radiation over the U.S. and North snd South Korea, and, even, the rest of the world. Sleep soundly, America. This could be the end..........
7
Are we saying he has "policies"? That's very generous.
47
hahaha..this had me laugh out loud. How easy is it to miss the obvious...that word "policies" in the headline does not fit!
For the first in the history of the United States there is a sitting president who does not have the best interest of the United States first. This is a man who has no honor, faith or trust for anyone not name trump. It is time for him to be removed from office. TODAY!
59
Headline poses a good question. But even asking it requires reasoning and critical thinking skills that our president lacks.
5
Pure speculation mixed with conjecture masquerading as real news with the intent of subverting the president. Sad.
1
Nonsense. Trump is perfectly capable of subverting himself and often does.
8
You all can talk smack about Trump, but maybe North Korea might look at how the previous administration handled another nuclear deal in considering what happens when one gives up nukes: Libya. Thanks for that one Hillary.
2
That's a very stupid understanding of how Libya revolted against Quadaffi, became a land of warlords controlling immigration into Southern Europe, and Hillary became the scapegoat for Putin's leverage over Trump. Can you define "that one" for us?
6
You're overlooking Iran, towards which Trump is being very bellicose.
2
Scott Everson, Qaddaf gave up his nukes while Condi was SOS. Hillary was SOS when the Libyans themselves revolted and we joined in later after Arab Nations and European ones joined the fight. Get your facts straight.
3
When the Iran deal was made, the U.S. had NO credibility. A deal is made between Nations; not Presidents. Once our government's credibility, integrity and efficacy have been restored, the World will look upon America as the most noble and trusted country on Earth. This specious and contrived argument by the feckless Democrats and the biased media is asinine, illogical and unworthy of the slightest consideration.
1
Dudley Cobb, the Iranian deal aided our perception by other countries and is a smart deal. For 10-15 years we do not have to worry about them blackmailing the world with a nuclear weapon. Everything you say is a bald-faced lie. If you voted for Trump, you have been pathetically conned.
1
If innocent civilians in the Koreas and Japan die as a result of our foolish belligerence, the US will become a pariah on the world stage. Moreso if clouds of nuclear fallout start wafting over the globe.
Few people outside the US consider us "noble and trusted" now, especially after we took it upon ourselves to launch an illegal invasion of Iraq just a few years back. They certainly won't be thinking us noble and trusted after Donald Trump is through destroying our image around the world.
3
"Once our government's credibility, integrity and efficacy have been restored, the World will look upon America as the most noble and trusted country on Earth."
And you're expecting this to happen when exactly?
2
This is proof of how much thought (none) Trump puts into his protean pronouncements. He's living proof that one need not be poor to be a loser.
10
Trump is a poor winner, worse by miles than a poor loser.
We spent years negotiating a complex Iran nuclear agreement with the major players in the world. We simply can't tear it up any time our political winds change. It destroys credibility on any other international diplomacy we attempt. If Tillerson and other supposed leaders and advisors don't understand this and can't develop a joint effort to at least slow Trump down they are basically worthless.
249
The Iranian "deal" was worked out by more than just America. Has trump ever explained WHY he thinks the Iranian deal is so terrible for America but not for any of the other major players who helped work it out?
7
It depends on whether you think "we" negotiated the Iran deal. Clearly many R's never considered Obama a legitimate President, and would never say "we" negotiated that deal. From the start, they considered the Iran deal worthless, something Obama negotiated without their consent, and thus ripe for shredding. It doesn't help that Iran gloats about the deal, accelerated their ICBM's, and is waiting a few years to deploy nuclear warheads. Now many D's return the favor, imagining Trump will be thrown from office. Quick poll: how many commentators here consider Trump a legitimate President? Does anyone seriously think at least 100 million Americans won't consider "illegitimate" the President we elect in 2020?
Puppets never argue with the puppet master. If they appear to do so, it is all part of the act.
Why does one person get to decide whether or not we stay in an agreement that hundreds of people were involved in making? Don't presidents usually support all the agreements that previous presidents have made including treaties and agreements? Does he think he's a king? Congress needs to make a new law limiting This president's power..
62
I suspect it's because the agreement is not an official treaty, which would have required Senate approval and thus more legal standing. Such approval would likely not have happened in the on-going Republican majority Senate.
1
A man who has a video hitting Ms Clinton with a golf ball should be by now taken out of his position as President of the US (forget all Russian connections!). How we keep being serious and talking about what He, the Supreme says either at Mar-a-Lago (by the way a Spanish grammatically non-sense but fitted name for its owner), at the Oval Office or, at the United Nations General Assembly.
36
There are examples in the press about the way Trump has "renegotiated" leases in his buildings. Shortly after a lease is commenced, he has been known to demand a renegotiation, and to threaten to cut off agreed upon tenant services if the tenant fails to renegotiate.
If you know that about the man, why would anybody even enter into an agreement with him in the first place? He does not even honor deals he has negotiated.
Apparently, the multilateral agreement with Iran is terrible because it was negotiated under the Obama Administration.
The six time bankrupt self-proclaimed "great businessman" does not have the capacity to negotiate his way out of a wet paper bag. What a total embarrassment he is.
In my opinion, the expectations for this administration are quite low, and I doubt Trump will even meet those.
Are we winning yet?
214
But Benjamin Netanyahu says it is a bad deal so the US must obey, right?
68
I believe it best that no nation have nuclear weapons. This is a moral principle.
What is the legal basis for condemning North Korea for possessing nuclear weapons? It, like India - Israel - Pakistan, is not a party to the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Has any US administration seriously attempted to de-nuclearize any of the three?
What was the original source of Israel's weapons grade nuclear fuel? How was it stolen from NUMEC in Apollo, Pennsylvania? Has any US administration made an issue of this breach of national territory and sovereignty?
I am coming to believe that there is a real cultural basis in the present confrontation. Mr. Kim is no more irrational than Mr. Trump (perhaps that's the problem) and yet no one seriously claims that the US should disarm because of unbalanced leadership.
Is there a sense in all of this hat the lesser nations should I believe it best that no nation have nuclear weapons. This is a moral principle.
What is the legal basis for condemning North Korea for possessing nuclear weapons? It, like India - Israel - Pakistan, is not a party to the Nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Has any US administration seriously attempted to de-nuclearize any of the three?
There is a growing sense in all of this that the dominant cultures believe that they have a right to things (nuclear weapons) that need be denied their inferiors . The discussion is filtered through the lens of cultural imperialism.
I think it has more to do with opposition from the Saudis.
If The Donald weren't so busy smooching Putin's posterior he might have even more time to smooch Bibi's.
2
If this so-called President reneges on the Multi-National Iran Nuclear Deal, No Country in the World will value the US Commitment to Any Deal. The US will have Returned to its dark History of Double-crossing Native Americans & Cheating them of their Centuries-old Lands & Rights by breaking its Solemn Word & Promises to them, again & again. Donald Trump has forgotten who lost the Vietnam War.
117
surprised? The impact of the war in Vietnam was a visit to the doctor's about purported bone spurs - how spurious.
Trump has boosted his appeal to some in this country, and Israel, by attacking Iran and the agreement it signed with 6 major powers to halt nuclear research (while allowing a nearly relentless inspection schedule).
Is he right about this agreement? He would have to understand it first, which would require both reading it and comprehending previous protocol for inspection of Iran's uranium enrichment sites. If he had an advanced degree in particle physics, so much the better. Many thoughtful people think he is wrong. For those who want to tear the treaty to pieces, this UN speech must have seemed fabulous. But the opponents of the treaty are hiding a facet of their thinking that needs exposure.
What a John Bolton wants is for Iran to be humiliated, or better still, punished with bombing (sorry about those dead civilians). How many nations have suffered so badly as Iran did in the war of 1980 - 88? Some, but not many. The Us helped bankroll that war, and provided radar guidance for Iran's protagonist, Saddam Hussein. Given this history, we might better understand the antagonism of past Iranian leaders. What, by all that is reasonable, explains the hatred of Iran by reactionary US ideologues?
90
President Trump (still doesn't sound right) is an embarrassment. Lets just hope whatever damages he does regarding Iran and North Korea can be repaired when we get a real president.
35
" U.S. credibility will be shot.”
That actually happened on 20 January 2017.
171
Both the idea of irrational contradiction and diplomacy are unknown to DT and marginally known to Tillerson. The latter should know better; the former cannot be taught.
68