Clinton warns of 'diplomatic danger' in N. Korea talks

[DonViejo]

Source: Agence France-Presse




10 MAR 2018

Hillary Clinton has warned that the Trump administration "was not recognising the danger" in discussing nuclear disarmament with Pyongyang, and said Washington lacked experienced diplomats to handle the talks.

"If you want to talk to Kim Jong Un about his nuclear weapons you need experienced diplomats," Clinton was quoted as telling Dutch tabloid Algemeen Dagblad in an interview published Saturday.

"These are people familiar with the dossiers and who know the North Koreans and their language," Trump's presidential rival said in an interview conducted in Amsterdam and published in Dutch.

The former secretary of state said however that the US State Department was "being eroded" and that experienced diplomats on the North Korean issue were in short supply, with many having left.

Read more: https://www.afp.com/en/news/826/clinton-warns-diplomatic-danger-n-korea-talks-doc-12a0pf1

[Still In Wisconsin]

1. I SO wish she was President in times like this- or at least still Secretary of State.

All of this would be handled by experienced, skilled diplomats, informed by the best available intelligence and projections available.

Instead, we get Mr. Shart of the Deal "winging it," "trusting his instincts," and "listening to his gut."

I can already imagine the tweet: "Great victory in my negotiations with Little Rocket Man! NK agrees to suspend nuclear tests for another two months, and Kim has to admit that my penis is bigger than his. All we give them is California, Hawaii, and Dennis Rodman. #MAGA!

[karynnj]

5. I would not wish being Trump's Secretary of State on anyone

Even if HRC were SoS, she likely would be as out of the loop as Tillerson - through no fault of hers. However, I think there is less risk in a summit, than in trading incendiary tweets.

As countless people have said, a summit is usually something that happens after a huge amount of work at a far lower level which identifies what the common ground is. The President essentially goes in to lend weight to a deal that has largely been crafted. I assume that if Clinton were President, that that is completely the model she would follow. In fact, it is big deal even when the Secretary of State is involved directly -- though that depends a lot on the SoS.

I suspect that this is a Trump attempt to change the conversation from Kushner's problems, Mueller, and Stormy. It also is likely an attempt to showcase him as a negotiator or deal maker -- even though he has no real background negotiating anything complicated.

[Still In Wisconsin]

6. I think it's just more of the "reality show presidency" myself.

It's all a big show. "Tune in this Saturday when mighty TRUMP faces down Little Rocket Man! Who will blink? Who will flinch? Find out on the next episode of The President!"

That and, as you said, distraction and showcasing his legendary Shart of the Deal skills.

[karynnj]

7. I agree -- and we will see when and if it happens -- if Trump can get people to believe that

he has made the problem better. In fact, because he and Kim exasperated the underlying problem, it is very easy for the two to declare that they will step back from the edge. This puts us just to where things were before the two had their war of words, but it will genuinely be an improvement.

Some analysts have suggested that NK might have completed all their current tests. If so, expect an announcement that they have agreed to no further tests. However, compare that result to the Iran deal that he calls the "worst deal ever". There are now the most intrusive inspections, they sent out about 97% of their enriched uranium, filled a plutoneum reactor with cement etc -- actually moving their program backwards with no ability while the deal continues to get back to where they were. One question is whether his deal will even match prior inadequate NK deals. Kerry and Moniz had the benefit of seeing where the NK deal needed stronger controls. Not to mention, in Kerry and Moniz, the US had two people who were long term friends, one a very skilled diplomat, the other a creative nuclear physist, who respected what the other brought to the table.

But ... Trump has reality TV where if he says something his followers believe it is true.

[keithbvadu2]

9. "listening to his gut."

"listening to his gut."

[FakeNoose]

2. We're looking at a disaster in the making

I'll bet good money that Putin is behind all of this too.
He's got his back channel to Kim Jong, and they've got this all out.

[NCjack]

3. McConnell and Ryan have the duty to act to protect USA. But, they have no guts.

[jpak]

4. It's a Trap

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[summer_in_TX]

8. The responsible thing was to give the warning, but

with Trump's animus towards all things Hillary, it's bound to be a red flag to a bull. Ugh.

I shudder to think of what may lie ahead for us in regard to NoKo, on top of everything else that's so terrifying about having a paranoid narcissistic sociopath in charge of ou country.