Haumana wrote: ↑Sun May 27, 2018 12:58 am
BjornP wrote: ↑Sun May 27, 2018 12:13 am
NK's nuclear program quite literally collapsed so loudly even state propaganda couldn't disguise the fact. Interestingly the first one's to report on their failure was the Chinese, who probably are tired of their antics, too. Kim's not the clueless dictator type. He may strap his own family to cannons and shoot their torsoes off, but he ain't stupid or ignorant. He was in good when he could deliver a nuclear deterrant, but I think if the top military brass and the top party officials start to see (but obviously don't publicly voice) him as a failure, as less of a guarentee against instability... he may face a coup. Which is not to mean change of system, or a re-unification with SK. Maybe put his sister on the "throne", if they want to preserve the weird hereditary "Juche" thing they got going on.
And I expect the same thing of Trump that I did during the campaign. That he's a weak-willed idiot who will be
handled by more intelligent people able to take advantage of his insecurities. I've not been wrong so far. That
has been pop-corn worthy. It's like an episode of "The Tudors", only with a more clueless king and more sycophants.
Now there is some speculation. Any link to actual evidence that he strapped family to cannons and shot their torsos off? 2nd or 3rd hand offerings are what I remember about the ordeal. How much of the monster is just hype?
So you totally expected that weak-willed idiot to win the Presidency because he was handled by more intelligent people who took advantage of his insecurities? You haven't been wrong yet. Did you also expect that there would potentially be a historic face to face meeting between NK and the US? What if Kim Un just wants an out? Has that factored into your calculus? He basically grew up in Europe.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2969176/k ... e-reports/
Ok, anti-aircraft gun.. not cannon.
Don't think I bothered predicting who won at the time. I just said he was the "Hope and Change"'y president for the US right, and that once he'd be sitting in the president's seat, not only would he abandon his major promises, but his absolute cluelessness about the world and insecure narcisstic personality would mean that he'd be easily manipulated. Like GWB, just more stupid and less aware of it.
There hasn't been a face to face meeting between the leaders of the US and NK yet, but being photographed while being in the same room as the NK leadership isn't my idea of "historic", really. Maybe I just need to set my standards
really low. If the US and NK sign a peace deal, and NK definitively abandons its nuclear program, instead of simply putting it on hold... then it will be historic. I have absolutely no expectation of that happening, but I'm prepared to be positively surprised. South Korea has been aggressively pursuing peace, so if they manage to bring NK to the table, it would look odd for the US to not be there, too.
As for the latest Kim. Sure, he got a Western education. Getting a Western education doesn't mean he ever showed any respect for any Western ideals of liberty or democracy. How he runs his country kinda, oughtta, be a clue there. But sure, he might want an out. Not because of any European/Western sympathies, but simply for the stability of his country's (his regime's) sake.
Fame is not flattery. Respect is not agreement.