politics

Trump's North Korea threats leave Asia puzzled

33 Comments
By FOSTER KLUG

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Lankov said he expects North Korea to respond to Trump's threats with "equally powerful ... equally comical" and "probably more ridiculous rhetoric."

Finally, someone said something that makes sense !

9 ( +13 / -4 )

If the very people you are supposedly meant to be protecting are worried and confused by your behavior... well, QED.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Trump's speech in a nutshell: Countries* should follow what they perceive to be their own best interest.

*By "countries," Trump means "superpowers." Smaller, weaker nations will be crushed if they fall out of line.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

Trump's North Korea threats leave Asia puzzled

Seems to me that this is a major understatement here. Too much of what Trump says leaves the WORLD puzzled not just Asia!

11 ( +14 / -3 )

As crude as Trump's delivery can be, any country can sympathize with the current predicament of SK, Japan and America. After innumerable provocations, threats and weapons tests, you cannot expect the receiving sovereign nation to put up with this any longer, especially considering that the national objective of NK is to build an extinction level nuclear missile capability to threaten further.

You can be assured that there would have been shockingly violent warfare many years ago if NK were threatening China or Russia..

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

Nothing that comes out of Trump's mouth should be met with any surprise as to how stupid, vapid, and utterly hypocritical and destructive it is. I mean, the man literally followed his threats to destroy NK with, "If the UN could achieve peace our investment would be... worth it".

Only brown-nose Abe wasn't confused about it, because he knows the deal; he asked Trump to bring this up at the UN and give Abe more of a boost back home for "dealing with abduction", and later in return he'll have to buy mass weapons from the US when he unilaterally changes the Constitution.

2 ( +10 / -8 )

struggled Wednesday to parse U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to "totally destroy North Korea" if provoked.

President Trump actually said “If (we are) forced to defend ourselves or our allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.

What is it that folks wish he had said? "If attacked, we'll contact the UN for assistance\guidance" or "We'll continue to seek a diplomatic solution" or "We'll take immediate action to determine if DPRK actually meant to fire the missiles at us" Etc., etc.

To defend the US and its allies, after a DPRK attack, the president should opt for destruction of the attacker or something close to it.

1 ( +9 / -8 )

Asian is puzzled?

At least, Japan is welcome Trump' s speech, especially the fact that he mentioned Japanese abductees. Look at how pleased the parents of victims at Trump's speech.

Look at Japanese comments saying appreciation to Trump, and praising Abe's work to have Trump mention poor abducted girl.

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20170920-00000507-san-soci

What's really puzzling is South Korea , yet another statue next to comfort women, the men of forced labor during ww2 and they are gathered to demand further apology and compensation from Japan.

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20170919-00010004-nishinpc-int

This is what I call really puzzling.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

How will RocketMan respond, with more rockets? What a putsz.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Hachikou, a brief lesson in simple politics.

Every failing leadership that clamors for power resorts to fear mongering. This is tried and true method. Abe in the most grotesque display of leadership is using the kidnapped victims to play on people's emotions to score extra points for the snap elections meant for next year. It's really that simple. Just have to open eyes and mind to actually see him for what he is, a clueless, entitled snake oil salesman!!

5 ( +6 / -1 )

hachikou: "At least, Japan is welcome Trump' s speech, especially the fact that he mentioned Japanese abductees. Look at how pleased the parents of victims at Trump's speech."

Exactly! They don't care at all that Trump doesn't know who he's talking about, didn't care until Abe promised him something in return, and certainly won't care about it tomorrow -- people here just care if they are mentioned in passing. Hachikou, do you HONESTLY think Trump cares at all about Megumi Yokota, whom he could not even name? The only reason he cares is that now Abe owes him a favour. The only reason Abe cares is that it will make him more popular for the snap election.

If you think anything but more defiance from NK and less confusion as to why Japan is making a bilateral issue an international one, I have a unicorn to sell you.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

I mentioned above an encapsulation of Trump's world outlook: Countries should follow what they perceive to be their own best interest (if they're big 'n strong). What happens, though, when two big 'n strong countries find their interests clashing?

Trump doesn't care about Ukraine, for example - he'd just as soon leave all of it to Putin. But for some reason, he's fixated on NK, perhaps because Putin doesn't mind and it was high on Obama's radar (and Trumpism is best explained as reflexive anti-Obamaism). Problem here is that China seems to find its best interests to be allowing a crippled, albeit nuclear-armed, NK to limp along for the foreseeable future. That would be far better than having a US ally - or maybe even the US itself - on its border just across the Yalu. Mao Zedong's son died precisely to prevent such a scenario.

So according to Trump’s own logic, Beijing is making the correct choice by following its interests when it ignores Trump’s request to put more pressure on North Korea. Hmm. Seems like Trump didn't think this thing through. Not that that's unusual. He has set the United States up for an embarrassing climbdown, though.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

"We could obviously destroy North Korea with our arsenals..."

Wow. What a belligerent and crazed genocidal lunatic. His inflammatory rhetoric is only destabilising the situation further and taunting North Korea to continue development of their nuclear programme. Scary to think this man has the nuclear launch codes.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

America still can't get over losing the Korean War, just like Clinton can't get over the last election. Trump wants the rare metals and to control china, but china has been around for about 5000 years. White america....

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

Wallance Fred

smithinjapan

Politics, Manipulation all that, Japanese people are aware of it.

I am not a big fun of Abe, or Trump, but this is what many Japanese people feel.

 

A week ago, ex-German Chancellor Gerhard visited Korea and criticized Japan and called for apology.

 

http://www.dw.com/en/ex-german-chancellor-schr%C3%B6ders-comfort-women-visit-angers-japan-conservatives/a-40465191

The number of comfort woman statue is growing, not just Korea but US, Europe,and Australia  world wide. In Korea now statue is inside the public bus and school not just in front of Japanese embassy, and another statue of Korean men for labory during WW2, demanding apology and compensation although the apology from Murayama PM and compensation during Abe administration etc...

Besides Korea, China,whose military fighter jet flying over Senkan-island, and Russia, which still possess Japanese northern territorial islands and start to build a base or resident to ensure they belong to Russia. Japanese neighrbor are not reliable.

 

Japan whose population is decreasing and losing its power facing uncertainty, people are worried and wondering,

Who is it to bring us a justice?

Which path we should take so that all our daily hard work pays off?

 

Japanese people feel they need a strong alley, 

Someone (or some country) they are happy to give away money to and in return they get protected and bring justice for them.

Someone, who is committed,not change of heart, but take affirmative actions without intimidating.

I can see many comments thank you! thank you!ありがとう Mr Trump comments from Japanese people.

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/cm/main?d=20170919-00000569-san-n_ame

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

USA Defense Budget was announced. $700 billion. Within that, $640 billion goes Pentagon for purchase of weapons. Others will be used for Afghanistan, etc.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The abductions of Japanese civilians by North Korea is not a bilateral issue between the two countries. To date, North Korea is believed to have abducted civilians of 12 nationalities, the largest number being South Koreans. There are also suspected cases including an American in 2004.

The Trump administration is currently working to put North Korea back on the Terrorist Sponsor list and the abduction issue is coming to the forefront.

http://www.sukuukai.jp/narkn/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/would-north-korea-have-abducted-an-american-in-2004--to-teach-kim-english/2016/09/15/5a3b404e-743e-11e6-9781-49e591781754_story.html?utm_term=.137742941fae

4 ( +4 / -0 )

what is confusing? there is a psychopath tyrant threatening to invade, south Korea, sink Japan and burn America to the ground. threats backed up by lobbying missiles over the islands of Japan, a country the US has, stated has full protection. trump made it clear, north Korea, will be, wiped out should it try to make good on it's own threats. not only is that generally the policy for decades, China recently stated if North Korea does in fact attack the, US or it's, allies, China, will stand aside for the inevitable response, which is, wiping out north Korea. the only confused people, are left, singers with their doublethink goggles on who think north Korean threats are peaceful and, reasonable and the response should be to placate in the hope he doesn't nuke anyone

2 ( +4 / -2 )

They will treat Trump like a hurricane -- board everything up and then wait for him to pass on by. Kim, on the other hand, will be around long after Trump has gone.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Trump is off his rocker, an American term for crazy. He is impulsive and emotionally unstable. We must find ways to legally, properly, and non-violently rid the world of this danger.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Trump apparently has no intention of any diplomacy at all regarding either Koreas.

Can anyone tell us the name of the person Trump nominated as ambassador to South Korea?

You can't because he hasn't nominated anyone.

He doesn't give a crap about any country or anyone except his own inflated Twitterized ego.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

what is confusing?

That liberal peppering of gratuitous commas and apostrophes is pretty confusing.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@Goodlucktoyou

America still can't get over losing the Korean War, just like Clinton can't get over the last election. Trump wants the rare metals and to control china, but china has been around for about 5000 years. White america....

Yeah, Goodlucktoyou too.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Relax, Japan and USA . Kim's missiles are really aimed at China.

That's the simple reason why Beijing can no longer influence Pyongyang and is unable to stop the economic and oil supply to North Korea.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Well, I kind of wished there'd be more opinions of other Asian nations in this article in regards to NK.....

But why do I get the feeling that Japan is the only one that's outwardly supportive of Trump? Speaks volumes.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

ThePBotToday  02:28 am JST

But why do I get the feeling that Japan is the only one that's outwardly supportive of Trump? Speaks volumes.

Japan is supportive of the United States, regardless of who is President at the time as the US-Japan Mutual Defense Treaty is what compensates for for paragraph 1 of article 9 of their constitution. That's all there is to it. Doesn't speak "volumes" of anything.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Japan today is still a hostage of the USA .

Thus Shinzo is suffering from stage 4 Stockholm Syndrome which incapacitates him from invoking a Japan First Policy.

This is the reason why PM Abe could not go to Pyongyang and instead sent Antonio Inoki to deliver a message to KJU.

It's then obliquely stated by Pyongyang that their missiles are actually aimed at the PRC just in case Xi heeds Trumps command to stop all economic and energy aid to NK.

Thus Beijing is really also a hostage of Pyongyang .

This is the reason why Antonio was grinning from ear to ear upon arrival in Tokyo.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Hiro S NobumasaToday 04:22 am JSTJapan today is still a hostage of the USA .

It's then obliquely stated by Pyongyang that their missiles are actually aimed at the PRC just in case Xi heeds Trumps command to stop all economic and energy aid to NK.

Thus Beijing is really also a hostage of Pyongyang .

Can you provide any links to support this claim?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Hello OssanAmerica!

Hope this link will do. The other one with the missile camera facing the Liaodong peninsula and Dalian is 'strangely ' gone with the wind!

https://asia.nikkei.com/Features/China-up-close/Pyongyang-missile-footage-is-a-dagger-to-Xi-s-throat?page=2

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Thanks for the link. Confirms my suspicions regarding Jang Song Thaek and Kim Jong Nam.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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