Sanctions seems to be the word of the Trump administration…..we have imposed sanctions on Iran, China, Russia, Venezuela and several others…..sanctions are the only diplomatic tactic the president and his band of slow thinking slugs have in their book of “things to do”…..
Recently the Trump admin has issued more sanctions against Venezuela….because they are subverting democracy (at least that is the excuse….this time)……
Personally I do not believe that these sanctions will work without covert action by one of our shadowy groups…sanctions do not work as a sole penalty…..they are basically a feel good attempt to control another nation.
Economic sanctions are the penalties of choice for the start of hostilities with any given nation…..the US uses this penalty liberally (that is with a small “L”)……in recent history sanctions have been imposed in Iraq, Iran, Venezuela (most recently) and in all that time what has it accomplished?
Good question, right?
But what is included in “sanctions”?
The Council on Foreign Relations defines sanctions as “a lower-cost, lower-risk, middle course of action between diplomacy and war.” Money is that middle course, and economic sanctions are the means. Some of the most common punitive financial measures include:
Tariffs: Surcharges on imported goods, often imposed to aid domestic industries and markets.
Quotas: Limits on the number of goods that may be imported or exported.
Embargoes: Restrictions on or cessation of trading with a nation or bloc of nations. These can include limiting or banning travel by individuals to and from nations.
Non-tariff barriers: These are designed to make foreign goods more expensive by complying with onerous regulatory requirements.
Asset seizure/freeze: Capturing or holding the financial assets of nations, citizens, or preventing the sale or moving of those assets.
If the US is honest then they would also state that sanctions only work about 30% of the time…..that is not a good chance for success.
I am opposed to these types of punitive action because they seldom have the intended result of punishing the elites and leadership of any given nation instead the average person suffers far more than the intended targets.
Economic sanctions have long been used as a foreign policy tool, sometimes perceived as the tool of choice for nations where diplomacy has failed to yield desired results. Yet as widely used as they are, and despite the fact that some sanctions may remain in place for years, they generally fail to achieve their objectives. One of the most definitive studies on the effectiveness of sanctions — covering the period from 1915 to 2006 — has shown that comprehensive sanctions are effective at best 30 percent of the time, and that the more comprehensive the level of sanctions, the lower their degree of success. In spite of this, sanctions remain one of the few internationally accepted means (short of military conflict) of attempting to change the behavior of national leaders.
Again the people of the targeted nation suffer far more than the elites…..so the conclusion is that economic sanctions have a dismal record of success…….of course the establishment will point to the success of sanctions against South Africa in the 1980s…..they will ignore the failures like Iraq in the 1990s, Iran since 1979……
In short economic sanctions, in my opinion, are a worthless exercise that punish NO one but the people to the targeted nation……diplomacy is more effective (at least it was prior to the Trump presidency)……
While I was watching the Neocons go after Iran…….Venezuela appeared from behind the curtain…..
Before the US can move into violence mode they need to generate sympathy for such a move….we have done it for Iraq in 1991, Iraq in 2003, Libya, Syria, etc etc……
And now the US is got Venezuela in its sights….that is nothing new…they have been in those sights ever since the people of Venezuela elected Chavez as their leader.
Let me digress a bit…..we have this thing called the Monroe Doctrine…..a document that was released in 1823…. four basic points: (1) the United States would not interfere in the internal affairs of or the wars between European powers; (2) the United States recognized and would not interfere with existing colonies and dependencies in the Western Hemisphere; (3) the Western Hemisphere was closed to future colonization; and (4) any attempt by a European power to oppress or control any nation in the Western Hemisphere would be viewed as a hostile act against the United States.
Interesting and yet the US seems to be free to interfere any time they dislike the doings in the countries f the Western Hemisphere.
Okay digression is over……fast forward to the last couple of years….
Now that you are caught up…..after the most recent election in the country and the US has a message to the winner…..
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the US is going to ignore Nicolas Maduro’s demand for all American diplomats to leave Venezuela within 72 hours—because the US no longer considers Maduro to be the president of Venezuela. Pompeo said in a statement after Maduro’s ultimatum that the US will conduct its affairs through Juan Guaido, who declared himself to be interim president on Wednesday. Reuters reports. “The United States does not recognize the Maduro regime as the government of Venezuela,” Pompeo said. “Accordingly the United States does not consider former president Nicolas Maduro to have the legal authority to break diplomatic relations.”
Maduro, who was inaugurated for a second term Jan. 10, said the opposition leader’s claim to the presidency was part of a US plot, the New York Times reports. “I am the only president of Venezuela,” Maduro said Wednesday. “We do not want to return to the 20th century of gringo interventions and coups d’état.” The US recognized Guaido as the troubled country’s new leader Wednesday, as did Canada and numerous Latin American countries, including neighbors Colombia and Brazil.
(Is the US using our diplomats as fodder against Maduro?)
The US says that Juan Gauido is the president of Venezuela……who?
Let’s meet “el presidente”…….
(GPA) — Now that the latest term of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has started and the western powers and their proxies refuse to recognize the Bolivarian government, the imperial states are in a mad dash to find a new face for the Venezuelan opposition. Now it seems that man has been found and the race is on, with state after state anointing the 35-year-old engineer Juan Guaidó.
Guaidó, now being called the “interim President” by everyone from Jair Bolsonaro, the Organization of American States (OAS), to Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau, is the current president of the Venezuelan National Assembly. However, according to the states looking for a regime change in Venezuela, Guaidó isn’t just head of the parliament but also the rightful leader of Venezuela.
Now that the US has chosen who will lead Venezuela they start with the chest thumping (a typical neocon tactic that Trump is embracing)……
It’s to the point where President Trump says “all options are on the table” against Maduro, with the immediate focus being some way to divert Venezuela’s money from oil exports to Guaido, instead of the Maduro government.
John Bolton was setting that out as a priority earlier in the week, though he conceded that officials weren’t clear yet how that would be accomplished. Citgo, Venezuela’s main foreign energy asset, is already gearing up for a fight, envisioning attempts at the company being taken over on behalf of the Guaido government, or otherwise trying to hijack their revenue stream before it gets back to Venezuela.
(antiwar.com)
Battle lines being drawn……a video is call for…..
But for real the battle lines are being drawn…..
Below is a summary of support for the rival leaders.
And to make this a neocon threat of regime change Trump has sent a Ultra warhawk as special envoy…..
Elliott Abrams, a controversial neoconservative figure who was entangled in the Iran-Contra affair, has been named as a Trump administration special envoy overseeing policy toward Venezuela, which has been rocked by a leadership crisis.
Abrams’ appointment, announced Friday by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, is something of a surprise — President Donald Trump nixed his 2017 bid to be deputy secretary of State after learning that Abrams had criticized him.
What gives the US the right to decide who leads a country in South America? The Monroe Doctrine has been used many times by the US for regime change….Guatemala, Cuba, Chile, Haiti, etc etc…….
The problem for the US is that other powerful country are not in the boat with the US……..Maduro still has the support of powerful countries including China, Turkey, Russia, and Iran, the AP reports. China urged the US to stay out of the crisis Thursday, saying it “opposes external intervention in Venezuela.”
All this faux bravado may be just idle words…..
Events in Venezuela shook the world on Wednesday, with many left wondering if January 23 was the beginning of the end for the government of President Nicolas Maduro and the beginning of a new chapter of U.S. interventionism.
Here are five reasons why it’s unlikely that this latest drama in the South American nation is the “endgame” that the mainstream media is hyping up.
But one cannot keep an accurate scorecard…..the players pro and con….
Below is a summary of support for the rival leaders.
MADURO
* The top brass of Venezuela’s military has shown no sign of leaving Maduro’s side. Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino reaffirmed his support in a Tweet on Wednesday, saying Venezuela’s armed forces disavowed any self-proclaimed president.
* The Supreme Court, stacked with Maduro loyalists, has remained solidly behind the socialist leader, ruling earlier this week that all actions taken by the congress – led by Guaido – are null and void.
* Russia called Maduro the country’s legitimate president and accused the United States of trying to usurp power in Venezuela, warning Washington against military intervention.
* President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey stood by Maduro, urging him to “stand tall”, Erdogan’s spokesman said.
* China voiced support for Maduro, saying it opposed outside interference in Venezuela and backed efforts to protect its independence and stability.
* State oil company PDVSA [PDVSA.UL], which accounts for most of Venezuela’s export earnings, stood by Maduro. “We have no other president” besides Maduro, said PDVSA President and Oil Minister Manuel Quevedo, a career military officer.
* A few left-leaning governments in the region, including Cuba and Bolivia, continue to back Maduro. Mexico, where leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador took office last year, has dropped the previous government’s opposition to Maduro and said it will follow a policy of non-intervention.
* A diehard core of “Chavistas” in Venezuela, including armed gangs in poor urban areas, remain core to late leader Hugo Chavez’s exhortation to support Maduro come what may.
(ONe point “stacking the Supreme Court with loyalists…..is that not what the parties in this country do?)
GUAIDO
* The United States recognised Guaido shortly after he proclaimed himself president, saying it would use its “economic and diplomatic power” to restore democracy in Venezuela.
* Numerous right-leaning Latin American governments, including Brazil, Colombia and Argentina, also recognised Guaido.
* The European Union’s executive called for new elections but declined to explicitly recognise Guaido as president. An EU statement urged authorities to respect his “civil rights, freedom and safety” and allow Venezuelans to freely determine their future.
* French President Emmanuel Macron saluted the courage of Venezuelans marching for freedom and called Maduro’s 2018 election victory illegal.
* A spokesman for British Prime Minister Theresa May said Maduro’s election was neither free nor fair, and expressed support for Guaido as national assembly head.
* The German government said Venezuela’s parliament had “a special role” to play in securing Venezuela’s “free future”.
* There are some signs that support for the opposition is expanding beyond its traditional middle- and upper-class areas. Several protests against Maduro have broken out in working-class neighbourhoods and slums this week.
* Some low-ranking military officers have expressed discontent with the government. The government on Monday said it suppressed a military revolt after a group of officers stole weapons, kidnapped officers, and demanded Maduro’s removal.
Watch This Story! It will get worse before it gets better.
Our Dear Leader and his minions are making goddamn sure that the US must stand alone against most of the world….the games they are playing internationally benefits no one but the M-IC….the latest game being played by the “God Squad”…….
Three years ago, as Americans debated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran—popularly known as “the Iran deal”—I highlighted a troubling media trend on FAIR.org (8/20/15): “For nearly all commentators, regardless of their position, war is the only alternative to that position.”
In the months since US President Donald Trump tore up the JCPOA agreement, his administration has been trying to make good on corporate media’s collective prediction. Last week, John Bolton (BBC, 9/26/18), Trump’s national security advisor and chief warmonger, told Iran’s leaders and the world that there would be “hell to pay” if they dare to “cross us.”
Keep in mind how many countries we have taken to deciding who could lead…Iran, Guatemala and Chile come quickly to mind….these countries were chosen because corporate America wanted them to change.
In response to a UN court order that the US lift sanctions on Iran, the Trump administration said Wednesday it was terminating a decades-old treaty affirming friendly relations between the two countries. The move is a largely symbolic gesture that highlights deteriorating relations between Washington and Tehran, the AP reports. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said withdrawing from the 1955 Treaty of Amity was long overdue and followed Iran “groundlessly” bringing a complaint with the International Court of Justice challenging US sanctions on the basis that they were a violation of the pact. Meanwhile, national security adviser John Bolton said the administration also was pulling out of an amendment to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations that Iran or others, notably the Palestinians, could use to sue the US at The Hague-based tribunal. Bolton told reporters at the White House that the provision violates US sovereignty.
“The United States will not sit idly by as baseless politicized claims are brought against us,” Bolton said. He cited a case brought to the court by the “so-called state of Palestine” challenging the move of the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as the main reason for withdrawing. Bolton, who last month unleashed a torrent of criticism against the International Criminal Court, noted that previous Republican administrations had pulled out of various international agreements and bodies over “politicized cases.” He said the administration would review all accords that might subject the US to prosecution by international courts or panels. Earlier, Pompeo denounced the Iranian case before the UN court as “meritless” and said the Treaty of Amity was meaningless and absurd. “The Iranians have been ignoring it for an awfully long time, we ought to have pulled out of it decades ago,” he told reporters at the State Department. Click for more on the little-known treaty and the UN ruling.
This is just yet another game being played by Trump’s Neocon butt boys….this will cost American lives in the long run.
But why? For what purpose?
We had a treaty with Iran…Our Dear Leader decided he would drop out of it and then decided to push for a nuke treaty….
The United States is seeking to negotiate a treaty with Iran to include Tehran’s ballistic missile programme and regional activity, the US special envoy for Iran said on Wednesday, ahead of UN meetings in New York next week.
Iran has rejected US attempts to hold high-level talks since President Donald Trump tore up a nuclear deal between Tehran and six world powers earlier this year.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo listed a dozen demands in May that he said could make up a new agreement, although envoy Brian Hook’s reference to a treaty, which would have to be approved by the US Senate, appears to be a new focus.
Seriously? Iran will probably tell the US and Trumpy to go crap in one hand and wish in the other and see which fills first.
This is just another pathetic game being played by a pathetic leader.
This is what we get for an uninformed electorate that turn over foreign policy to warmongering toads.
A closing thought——
Americans are right to want more prudent, realistic foreign policy. Such a policy would not sacrifice U.S. blood and treasure on wars intended to spread democracy and reorder societies rather than focus on defending Americans. It would not attempt to impose an external military solution on the internal political problems of other nations. It would not burden America’s military with tasks for which it is not designed and to which it is not suited.
But not happening as long as we have this batch of neocon zombies in control…..
Let me reiterate……Corporate America calling the shots….some things never change…they called the shots in Guatemala and Iran in the 50’s and Chile in the 70’s…..and they are still making decisions that involve our troops that will face death in their behalf. Time for that to change….permanently!
This is my small attempt at FYI on the Iranian situation…..the short videos will make it easier than reading a long dissertation on the US-Iran relations……
Some Americans hate Iran……but why? Is it a religious thing? Is it a ethnic thing? Or just because of ignorance?
The later makes more sense.
Most can only think in terms of 1979……there is so much more to be considered……let’s begin with generalities……
Right now with all the situations in the world the one that could be the most dangerous for the US…..there is a Middle East Cold War in the region and the US is a major player…..but let’s look at this situation….
Does anyone these days remember the “Axis Of Evil”? No? In 2002 it was Iran, Iraq and North Korea….and later that year under-secretary of state John Bolton added Libya, Cuba and Syria……well not much has changed since Bolton took over the reins of State as SecState……he now has his version of the “Axis” and he had to find a word to differentiate his from GW Bush’s….how does “troika” sound (side note…is that not a Russian word? Interesting choice of words.)?
Since he could not include North Korea because Our Dear Supreme Leader has made nice nice with their dictator and we have invaded and occupied Iraq….what was he to do…..and then he hit upon a region that has been largely forgotten since the 1980’s…….Central and South America…..
More than 16 years after arguing that George W. Bush should add Cuba, Syria, and Libya to Iran, Iraq, and North Korea in the “Axis of Evil,” John Bolton has coined a new term. In a policy speech at a conference in Miami, the national security adviser dubbed Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela the “Troika of Tyranny” in the western hemisphere, the Hill reports. “In Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, we see the perils of poisonous ideologies left unchecked, and the dangers of domination and suppression,” Bolton said. He referred to the leaders of the three countries as the “Three Stooges of socialism,” who are “true believers, but they worship a false god.”
Bolton jabbed at the previous administration’s policies, saying the Trump administration is concerned with “sanctions, not selfies.” “Under this administration, we will no longer appease dictators and despots near our shores in this hemisphere,” said Bolton. “We will not reward firing squads, torturers, and murderers.” He praised the election of right-wing leaders in Latin America, including Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil. Bolton announced new sanctions on Venezuela and Cuba, including a ban on American citizens trading in Venezuelan gold, and said Nicaragua would “feel the full weight of America’s robust sanctions” until it allows free and fair elections to take place, the Guardian reports. (A source says President Trump discussed an invasion of Venezuela last year.)
Now that the world knows for certain that the Saudis are responsible for the assassination of a WaPo journalist they have hit the airwaves to show how little they care about the world’s opinion……
Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat said Saturday that the global outcry and media focus on the killing of a Saudi journalist earlier this month has become “hysterical” as he urged the public to wait for the results of an investigation before ascribing blame to the kingdom’s top leadership, the AP reports. Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist critical of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed by Saudi agents at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. “This issue has become fairly hysterical,” Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said. “I think people have assigned blame to Saudi Arabia with such certainty before the investigation is complete.” Some of those implicated in Khashoggi’s killing are close to Prince Mohammed, who is the kingdom’s heir apparent.
His condemnation of the killing as “heinous” and “painful” has so far failed to ease suspicions that such a high-level operation could have been carried out without his knowledge. Al-Jubeir addressed the mounting skepticism around the crown prince’s alleged involvement. He was speaking in response to questions from Western journalists at an annual conference of international officials, including US Defense Secretary James Mattis, in Bahrain. “We have made clear that we are going to have a full and transparent investigation, the results of which will be released,” he said, adding that the kingdom has also put in place mechanisms to ensure this does not happen again. “We know that people exceeded their authority and we know that we’re investigating them,” he said
They tried to get a chuckle and to make light of the assassination.
To counter their barbarity they use Iran as an example……
Saudi Arabia and key ally Bahrain said on Saturday that Gulf states are playing a critical role in maintaining stability in the Middle East by combating Iran’s “vision of darkness”, as Riyadh faces its worst political crisis in decades, reports Reuters.
Saudi Arabia is the lynchpin of a US-backed regional bloc against growing Iranian influence in the Middle East but the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at its consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. has prompted a global outcry and strained Riyadh’s ties with the West.
“We are now dealing with two visions in the Middle East. One is a (Saudi) vision of light … One is an (Iranian) vision of darkness which seeks to spread sectarianism throughout the region,” Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told a security summit in Bahrain.
I need to apologize for my internet is spotty at best today….I am posting in between brown outs and such…..hopefully these toads will get it right some time today.
Now for the news of the day (well yesterday)……
We have been waiting for all the information to trickle into the White House so that Our Dear Supreme Leader can flex American muscle and make the Saudis pay for the gruesome murder of a WaPo journalist, Jamal Khashoggi.
After all the semi-tough talk from Trumpy Boy (I could not use “Trumpy Bear for it is a registered trademark) Trump has decided and Pompeo stepped forward and as usual gave his limp dick verdict.
The Trump administration revoked the visas Tuesday of some Saudi officials implicated in the killing of writer Jamal Khashoggi in its first punitive measure against its longtime Middle East partner, as President Donald Trump denounced the kingdom for one of the “worst cover-ups in the history of cover-ups.” Shortly after Trump made the comment, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the administration was moving to revoke the visas of Saudi government and intelligence agents suspected of involvement in the death of Khashoggi. Visa records are confidential and Pompeo was not more specific about who the revocations would affect, but the State Department later said 21 “Saudi suspects” would have visas revoked or would be declared ineligible to enter the US, the AP reports.
Revoking thew visas of minor Saudi players that were working under orders….cannot get more Limp Dick than that.
To be honest Pompeo did say that there is the possibility of further consequences…….
“These penalties will not be the last word on this matter,” Pompeo told reporters at the State Department. The administration “will continue to hold those responsible accountable. We’re making very clear that the United States does not tolerate this kind of ruthless action to silence Mr. Khashoggi, a journalist, with violence. Neither the president or I am happy with this situation.” Members of Congress have demanded that sanctions be imposed on Saudi Arabia. Trump has resisted calls thus far to cut off arms sales to the kingdom and Pompeo stressed the strategic importance of the US-Saudi relationship. But in his remarks to reporters at the White House, Trump derided the initial Saudi denial of any wrongdoing and efforts to conceal what happened to Khashoggi. “They had a very bad original concept,” he said. “It was carried out poorly and the cover-up was one of the worst cover-ups in the history of cover-ups. Somebody really messed up and they had the worst cover-up ever.”
It should be very telling when further penalties are announced ….if ever.
How about putting some teeth in this decision…..first, an international investigation for the Saudis will do nothing and Turkey is probably up to something….second, NATO should expel Saudi ambassadors….third suspend arms sales (do not believe the hype they will continue to buy our weapons they have a war in Yemen that needs the armament)…these would be the bare minimum of penalties for now.
But as was predicted the Saudis will get a free ride for their actions.
A closing statement…..Khashoggi’s bodily remains may have been located….
Three weeks after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, and never emerged, Turkish officials are reporting that journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s body and personal effects have finally been found. The circumstances once again support the idea that a Saudi kill-team that arrived at the consulate at the same time indeed killed and attempted to dispose of him.
This all supports the audio recording of Khashoggi’s murder, in which the then-consule general objected to the kill-team killing and cutting up Khashoggi in the consulate, saying he’d “get in trouble.” He’s been fired, and recalled to Saudi Arabia for an investigation.
(antiwar.com)
Now ask yourself why are we not more strict on the Saudis? It is not the oil for we have more than they do and we could make up any short fall if they, Saudis, want to retaliate……arms deals? They need us more than we need them they will continue to buy our implements of destruction….so just what is the reason that we feel we must continuously give them oral sex?
Sanctions have been in place against Russia since Obama’s days….part of the problem, legal problems, with the 2016 election is that Trump organization may have been working to throw out the sanctions…….and then once everyone, except Trump, agreed that Russia interfered with the 2016 elections more sanctions were imposed.
But first a working definition of sanctions…..Sanctions are an important tool of governance in the global financial industry. Most countries have used sanctions or had sanctions placed against either them or their citizens. States increasingly use sanctions to fight economically, rather than physically, and as such, sanctions have become a common tool in foreign relations, peacekeeping and conflict resolution. Given their prevalence, everybody in the financial industry should have a good understanding of what sanctions are, how they work, and why they are used.
This is all information that most international relations wonks know….but now I would like to know…just what these sanctions are actually doing?
On September 20, Washington’s announced new sanctions on 33 Russian individuals or entities for election interference. In addition, America’s November deadline is approaching for Russia to meet Washington’s demands for international inspections and guarantees that Moscow will never use chemical weapons again. Assistant Secretary of State Manisha Singh warned during testimony to Congress on September 13, that without compliance a “severe” “second tranche of sanctions” will be imposed. It is not clear what sanctions are meant to accomplish or whether they are working.
For instance, the September 20 sanctions were a part of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). They are meant “to impose costs on Russia in response to its interference in the United States election process, its unacceptable behavior in eastern Ukraine, and other malign activities.” Also, the November deadline and demands were made on August 27 after Russia used the Novichok nerve agent in an attempted assassination of former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia, in the United Kingdom. In that case, U.S. anti-biochemical weapons lawrequired a response.
I am still working on just what these sanctions do.
Are they, the sanctions, working? What damage are they actually doing? Were they really intended to do any damage to Russia or was it just a show of force…a toothless attempt.
I have always heard people say that the US was the “purveyor of peace”….of course it is total bullsh*t for if a nation was truly dedicated to peace it would not go around the planet looking for a fight.
Recently Our Dear Leader held a “summit”(I think the idea that this meeting was a stretch of the use of the term) with North Korea’s Kim and has proclaimed that NK will get rid of all their nukes and the Peninsula will become a haven for peace…..
Moon was very frank about this, saying “what I want to achieve is peace. Not a tentative change which could be volatile dependent on international situation, but irreversible, permanent, and unwavering peace, regardless of what might happen on the global area.”
That’s likely to be difficult, with the Trump Administration having made clear repeatedly in recent months that they aren’t willing to reach a peace deal yet, and are intending to hold that out as something North Korea can only get after years of additional concessions.
North Korea has resisted giving up any more without being certain they’ll get a peace deal, ending the Korean War that began in 1950. Likewise, South Korea’s President Moon has set himself up as wanting such a deal, with or without US endorsement.
This risks a split between the US and South Korea, as the two sides have seen differences shaping up in the past several months on how to approach North Korea diplomacy, and the US has increasingly chosen to negotiate independent of the wishes of its long-time allies in South Korea.
(antiwar.com)
This is where I am on this….any peace should be between the two Koreas….the US should facilitate but any peace agreement should be between the two Asian nations.
The M-IC will not allow a peace deal….after all a war footing makes for good business…..there is no profit in peace.
Turn The Page!
After writing this draft more news from the Korean Peninsula has broken…..
The leaders of the two Koreas have signed what President Trump calls a “very exciting” agreement on the second day of a three-day summit in Pyongyang. South Korean President Moon Jae-in announced in a joint press conference with Kim Jong Un that they had agreed to turn the peninsula into a “land of peace without nuclear weapons,” the Guardian reports. Moon said Kim had agreed to permanently close the Tongchang-ri missile launch facility in the presence of international experts, reports the BBC. The Yongbyon nuclear site could also be closed, depending on “reciprocal action” from the US. The leaders also agreed to file a joint bid to host the 2032 Summer Olympics.
Trump praised the agreement in a tweet. Kim has “agreed to allow Nuclear inspections, subject to final negotiations, and to permanently dismantle a test site and launch pad in the presence of international experts,” he said. “In the meantime there will be no Rocket or Nuclear testing. Hero remains to continue being returned home to the United States.” Analysts described the agreement as a small step in the right direction. “Remember that North Korea is still taking baby steps,” Melissa Hanham at the James Martin Centre for Nonproliferation Studies tells Reuters. “We don’t have a timeline, and we also don’t have any guarantees about the larger nuclear and missile programs.”
Looks like the 2 Koreas are making head way……how long before the US craps on this progress?
“NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE,” he wrote. “WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!”
That Tweet was this past Sunday….apparently Our Dear Leader is using the technique he used with North Korea…..
After a virtual yelling tantrum aimed at Iran….Our Dear Leader found his calmer voice two days later……below was verbal not a thumb cramp for Twitter….possibly after a cold shower…..
During his speech in Kansas City on Tuesday, President Trump said he is “ready to make a real deal” with Iran, adding that “Iran is not the same country anymore.” He also said this new deal would not be like the “disaster” deal made by the Obama Administration.
The statement comes just two days after President Trump’s bellicose Tweet threatening Iran with “consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before.” Speculation was that this was an attempt to replicate the US strategy in North Korea, where threats were followed with successful diplomacy.
Yet Iran and North Korea are clearly dramatically different situations, not the least of which because Iran doesn’t have nuclear weapons, or a nuclear arms program to dismantle. Willingness to negotiate at all with Iran is a substantial difference in Trump Administration position, however.
Trump’s position that Iran is “not the same country anymore” is also a significant one, even if he didn’t elaborate in this speech. In previous comments, Trump has suggested Iran shows the US more respect since he withdrew from the P5+1 nuclear deal.
This could be a significant long-term aspect of Trump’s position on Iran, if he feels that presenting Iran’s behavior as improving is important to defending his decision to withdraw from the nuclear deal. When the president feels that a deal would vindicate his past policies, he seems much more eager to make such deals.
(antiwar.com)
As a foreign policy wonk I am seeing a new style of international relations……this calmer and milder Trump is a break from the strong words of Pompeo, Pence and others…..confuse them with bovine fecal matter then anything after looks like genius….
