Keith Ellison, the deputy chair of the DNC, thinks that Kim Jong-un is acting more responsibly than President Trump. The man providing frequent provocations by launching missiles toward Japan or the United States is responsible while the man telling him to knock it off or there will be serious consequences is irresponsible. Ellison wants a president who brings calm. The last president brought plenty of calm and we have a nuclear power with steadily improving missile technology. North Korea is a basket case of a country that survives by extorting benefits in exchange for stopping its nuclear program. It is amazing how few recall that President Clinton pursued the Agreed Framework that was supposed to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. How did that work? Failed. President George W. Bush included them in the Axis of Evil but mostly left them to stew while he sought to nation build in the Middle East. President Obama spoke loudly and carried no stick at all.
"North Korea will not be accepted as a nuclear power." John Kerry, Secretary of State
What does that even mean?
We've had nothing but calm presidents and the situation has grown worse. Twenty years ago, the Hermit Kingdom had no nukes. Today, it has some that may be small enough to mount on an ICBM. Kicking the can down the road has been a disaster. It should be noted that President Obama had the equivalent of the Agreed Framework with Iran so we can expect this same situation to arise with the Iranians in 10 to 20 years.
An attack on the United States by North Korea will end the regime. Kim may be a nut but he is aware of this. His father and grandfather knew this too. However, they have gamed a restart of the Korean War to extort their neighbors. Sure, if the war were to restart, North Korea would end but isn't it cheaper to just pay them to calm down? Trump appears to be not so keen on playing this game and is calling the bluff. That's brinksmanship but it doesn't make Kim the more responsible person.
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