Today American centrists (who only get to call themselves that because plutocratic media control has made Orwellian neoliberal neoconservatism the dominant ideology in the US) are deeply, profoundly concerned that Donald fucking Trump is insufficiently hawkish.
This would be the same Donald Trump whose administration just facilitated the bombing of Yemen's new cholera treatment center. The same Donald Trump who has increased US troops in Afghanistan, Somalia and Syria. The same Donald Trump who is openly pursuing regime change in Iran. The same Donald Trump whose administration committed war crimes in Raqqa. The same Donald Trump who has made many dangerous cold war escalations against Russia. The same Donald Trump whose administration has voiced a goal of regime change in Damascus and the intention of remaining in Syria indefinitely. The same Donald Trump whose air strikes are killing far more civilians than the drone king Obama's did.
Centrist pundits and politicians on both sides of the aisle are saying that this very man is being too soft and cuddly toward North Korea. These would be the same centrist pundits and politicians who loudly cheered both of the times this administration bombed the Syrian government, effectively sending the message that the only way this narcissistic president can win praise by the manufacturers of the mainstream narrative is by rejecting peace and embracing war. Thanks guys.
In addition to bipartisan freak-outs from the punditry of the DC orthodoxy, Democratic leaders in both the House and the Senate have released statements criticizing the administration for not making more demands of Kim Jong-Un in this first extremely rudimentary initial meeting. To their credit, fifteen more progress-minded House Democrats signed a statement addressed to the president diverging from the mainstream position of their party and expressing concern that "some, from both parties and inside and outside of your administration, seek to scuttle progress by attempting to limit the parameters of the talks, including by insisting on full and immediate denuclearization or other unrealistic commitments by North Korea at an early date."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer would be one such voice, again repeating his previous demands for the "complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, nothing less” in a press conference today.
This is plainly insane. Demanding that North Korea immediately disarm as a condition of further peace talks will immediately end those peace talks, since North Korea has no reason to disarm at this time, or at any time in the foreseeable future. Insisting on an immediate and completely illogical capitulation from Pyongyang is the very kind of demand which has prevented these peace talks from happening in the past, and if Trump made them he would be ensuring a return to previous tensions.
North Korea is highly unlikely to ever denuclearize as long as the world geopolitical landscape remains as it is. The only way that would happen would be if Pyongyang decided to allow the DPRK to be fully absorbed into the blob of the US-centralized imperial alliance like Japan, and it has no good reason to do so at this time. The best way to ensure peace is to work toward making changes which shift North Korea's standing to that of any other non-US-aligned nuclear power, and ideally that would include the US and China getting out of the way as soon as possible to allow the North and the South to conduct their own diplomacy.
But by far the most common concerns being expressed about the Singapore summit are based not on a fear of this administration making insufficiently aggressive demands of Pyongyang, but on pure ridiculous nonsense.
"President Trump seems to have given away two or three of the major things that Kim Jong-Un wanted," Schumer complained at the aforementioned press conference. "A meeting. The flags next to each other. Now a delay of exercises with South Korea, without getting anything in return."
Huh? A meeting? Flags next to each other? I can kinda-sorta-almost see into Schumer's twisted reality tunnel when it comes to temporarily suspending military drills along the DPRK's border as an act of good faith, but on what planet is having a meeting or putting two flags next to each other a win of any kind?
Well, going by the outcry I'm seeing from Twitter pundits, the concern appears to be that it "legitimizes" Kim Jong-Un. What exactly that means is hard to fathom in terms of actual, tangible reality, but for years that term has been passed around like it has as much relevance as war or starvation sanctions. This imaginary product of "legitimacy" is, according to influential mainstream political commentators, meant to be withheld from Kim until he gives up everything he has and grovels on his belly begging for it.
This just shows you the power of narrative, where repeating some meaningless placeholder syllables over and over again can create the illusion that a purely mental construct is as relevant in peace negotiations as nuclear warheads. It isn't hard to see through for anyone who doesn't have a vested interest in subscribing to that narrative, though, and Pyongyang certainly has no such interest.
There are many, many perfectly valid things to criticize the Trump administration for. Opening up peace talks with North Korea is not one of them, and anyone who says it is is not a friend of humanity. The fact that nobody on either side of the aisle seems to have their foot anywhere near the brake pedal when it comes to war should concern us all, and we need to do something about it.
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They are all just propaganda pushing self-interest groups who shuffle wealth amongst each other. War makes them money, while it decimates it's own population with over inflated budgets. The bed-time stories are a necessary part of their game.✌
I don't think this political theater is necessary. Democrats are dropping their mask and letting everyone know that they're opposed to peace. It's a fact that the party supports war, but they'd do better electorally if they hid this. Lefties are still mad about the 2016 elections, the rigged primaries for Clinton and the resulting loss to Trump, so Democrats pushing lefties away by opposing peace is just adding insult to injury. This is self-sabotage, they're spitting in the face of their voting base with shit like this.
One can only hope that Trump's military escalations are designed to end the conflicts, rather than prolong them. Not saying that's what they are. Hoping that's what they are.
As for the Democrats, they can be relied on to criticize anything Trump does, carte blanche. Especially if he happens to be doing something right. Most of them are secretly just as hawkish as the Republicans anyway.
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I am appreciative of Trump's efforts to restrain our interventionist complex. He does not have a perfect record in this regard, but considering the alternatives, I think his work has been promising.
I am just confused at why he doesn't feel like he is being played by an insane dictator, why he is praising Russia as it constantly fucks with his power grid, and WTF he is thinking punishing Canada for being a solid trade partner for the automotive industry with metal that doesn't have to travel by sea to get to USA.
What the shining hell is going on?
Trump is the wild card alright! Nobody quite knows which way he will duck or dive. Driven by a large ego, political inexperience, complete distrust for those around him (and can we blame him for this?), a hostile media unprecedented for a President and all whilst trying to clear the swamp and put America first all at the same time. George Carlin would have loved him!!
You have to start somewhere, we can think of the past brutality of this regime or we can move forward in hopes NK can offer a better country for their people. I am not worried a whole lot about it, like I've stated previously...there's no way Kim agreed to this without China's reassurance it will protect them, China does not want a democracy sitting at it's door step.
It's not about Trump or the other politicians. That's just a fake puppet show to keep people locked in the political and economical paradigm, while having no idea who they are really up against.