CIA report says North Korea won't denuclearize, but might open a burger joint

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Source: NBC News

CIA report says North Korea won't denuclearize, but might open a burger joint

Trump continues to pursue a summit with Kim Jong Un even though the CIA casts doubt on his stated goal for the meeting, eliminating North Korea's nukes.

by Courtney Kube, Ken Dilanian and Carol E. Lee / May.29.2018 / 4:52 PM ET

WASHINGTON — A new U.S. intelligence assessment has concluded that North Korea does not intend to give up its nuclear weapons any time soon, three U.S. officials told NBC News — a finding that conflicts with recent statements by President Donald Trump that Pyongyang intends to do so in the future.

President Trump is continuing to pursue a nuclear summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un even though the CIA analysis, which is consistent with other expert opinion, casts doubt on the viability of Trump's stated goal for the negotiations, the elimination of North Korea's nuclear weapons stockpile.

"Everybody knows they are not going to denuclearize," said one intelligence official who read the report, which was circulated earlier this month, days before Trump canceled the originally scheduled summit.

In an odd twist, a list of potential concessions by North Korea in the CIA analysis included the possibility that Kim Jong Un may consider offering to open a Western hamburger franchise in Pyongyang as a show of goodwill, according to three national security officials.


Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/north-korea/cia-report-says-north-korea-won-t-denuclearize-might-open-n878201

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

1. Don't forget all the Starbucks that will be opened.

I'm not sure if that's a show of goodwill or an effort to break their spirits.

[pangaia]

7. A Wegman's would be much better.

[global1]

2. I'm Still Thinking That At The Eleventh Hour - Kim Jong Un Will Send Trump A Letter.....

cancelling.

[monmouth4]

3. I've been thinking that along, would not surprise me a bit..n/t

[paleotn]

13. Yep. That may be how it plays out...

Or back channels, Dumpster gets word that denuclearization is a non-starter. Then Dumpster will pitch a fit again and call it off. At the end of the day, one thing is clear. Once you have them, it's damn near impossible to get rid of them.

[left-of-center2012]

16. Kim should Tweet the cancellation

[NickB79]

4. Bring on the Nobel Peace Prize!!!

LOL

[TomCADem]

21. Perhaps they can include it as a Happy Meal Prize!

That would seal the deal for Trump.

[tinrobot]

5. He negotiates for nukes, but gets Big Macs instead?

Oddly appropriate.

[old guy]

6. I'm just spitballin here but

NK is not going to agree to denuke. Not now not ever.

[Shipwack]

8. This is a very savvy move on Kim Jong Un's part...

There is a theory that no two countries have ever gone to war with each other when they both have a McDonald’s.

[jmowreader]

9. He seems to know the American president pretty well

"Big Mac, Mr. Trump?"

[DBoon]

10. I clicked this because I was sure it was Borowitz

Reality is stranger than satire

[ArizonaLib]

11. Our president is Barney Fife

"Get in the cell, Otis!!!"

[murielm99]

24. Nip it, nip it, nip it, nip it!

[ArizonaLib]

30. He's a NUT!

[TrollBuster9090]

12. Excellent. It will only take the average North Korean about a year

to save up enough money for a BIG MAC. But hey, it's the symbolism that counts, right.

We saw exactly the same thing happen when McDonalds first moved into Moscow after the fall of the Soviet Union. Eating lunch there cost the average Russian a week's pay. But they did it for the novelty factor. Eventually, however, the oligarchs became rich enough, from looting public resources, that it became viable. North Korea, by contrast, doesn't have any resources for them to plunder.


Personally, I think it's okay to make fat jokes about Kim. Normally it wouldn't be, but in his case I'd say it's appropriate, given that half the country is literally starving. Meanwhile, he's eating enough food to feed a small village. I'd gladly make fat jokes about him if it'll convince North Koreans to depose him.

[keithbvadu2]

14. Knowing the value of Dotard's word... can Kim trust giving up his only bargaining chips, his nukes?

[LiberalFighter]

15. They could offer to produce Rosanna Barr shows.

[flibbitygiblets]

17. Maybe NK will offer to sell Ivanka's shitty handbags to sweeten the deal?

Trump will get so hard thinking about all that money and his daughter, he'll forget all about those boring nukes.

[rpannier]

18. It'll be Lotteria before McDonald's or Burger King

KFC will come in just behind Lotteria and then 25 Starbucks will spring up within 8 city blocks of one another

[truthisfreedom]

19. Psst Kim, it's KFC, dude. The failing franchise.

[TomCADem]

20. This Would Be Hilarious if It Were a Movie.

However, as real life, not so much.

[AwakeAtLast]

22. I thought this was a Borowitz headline

We are truly in Bizarro world.

[murielm99]

23. When I heard that on the news today,

I did a double take. Was I watching the SNL news broadcast? Was this real?

[LiberalLovinLug]

25. Let me guess.....Trump Burgers

[mr_lebowski]

26. This is truly epic ... totally out-doing the troll-king himself

I dunno know about y'all, but the only time I kinda like trolling ... is when a troll I hate ... gets blown out of the water ...

The 'burger-joint' angle really seals it ...

[Docreed2003]

28. But who doesn't love some Micky D's???

I mean, yeah the nukes are bad and all, but nothing smells and tastes like freedom than some Miky D's fries and a Big Mac!!

[duforsure]

27. What will they name it?

Red Donnie's .

[underpants]

29. Burger Supreme Leader

Instead of Burger King