With the meeting between North Korean despot Kim Jong-Un and his would-be autocratic counterpart, serial liar and narcissist Donald "Rump" Trump scheduled for June 12 in Singapore, the expectation game has begun. But let's tally up what Kim has already achieved:
1) he's reached a technological level in his weapons and ballistic missile program that gives him confidence should he just decide to "freeze" those programs, and 2) he's gotten the ignorant and easily-played Rump to recognize him as an equal.There's also the rapprochement between North and South Korea, largely engineered by South Korean President Moon Jae-In, which made the invitation by Kim to meet with Rump possible. Expect Moon and Kim -- not bellicose, "fire and fury," treaty-shredding Rump -- to share Nobel honors if progress is made this year. There's also little doubt that North Korea's essential patron, China, had a major, behind the scenes role to play.
Kim may press Rump hard on removing all U.S. troops from South Korea before any reduction in his weapons stockpile, along with assurances that sanctions will be lifted and even economic assistance forthcoming. After seeing what happened in Libya and is happening in Iran, he won't be giving up the weapons they've worked decades to produce.
If Rump's minders are foolish enough to leave him alone with Kim, there's no telling what Rump will give up, just to lie and say he got a "win" (we wish that Rump would have the same attitude toward Special Counsel Mueller). On the other hand, if Kim shows him up and humiliates him, Rump's unstable recklessness could lead to dangerous consequences. That he's "negotiating" on behalf of us is deeply worrying.
(photo: It's like negotiating with yourself.)
