Pompeo: U.S. hopes to have N Korea as 'close partner' not enemy

Since Trump announced plans to hold a summit with Kim, questions have been raised continually about whether the two leaders have the same objective in mind when they speak about "denuclearization." To the U.S., that means the North giving up the nuclear weapons it has already built. But North Korea has said it's willing to talk now because it's already succeeded in becoming a nuclear-armed state, fueling skepticism that the North would truly being willing to give those weapons up.

Already planting the seeds of doubt on whether or not this summit will actually achieve anything of substance.

I find it hard to believe that Kim will give up his biggest bargaining chip, just to help the people of NK.

The United States aspires to have North Korea as a "close partner" and not an enemy, 

Let me be clear: As long as North Korea is run by Kim Jon-un, that ain't gonna happen.

The US is has never and never will work with Communist dictators.

The US is has never and never will work with Communist dictators.

The American have been and will continue to work with whatever and whomever that will further and strengthen its own interest.

US interests is to not work with Communist Dictators. You either get that, or you are a movement Conservative.

BTW, the context here is clear: 'Work with" = close partner.

If the communist dictator of North Korea says flattering things to the Orange Chimp of the US, “Oooo! Big hands!” the US will work with a communist dictator; the Cheeto is more concerned with his own ego than anything else in the world.

I trust Kim about as far as I can throw him, but I'm interested to see how this plays out before I start in on the 'will they/won't they' talk. We've never gotten this far before, I'm going to be optimistic.

when you don't have weapon of mass of destruction, you are an enemy subject to 'regime change'

when you do, you are a partner

Pompeo: U.S. hopes to have N. Korea as 'close partner' not enemy

Close partner? The Trump White House and N. Korea?

Yeah, sure. Why not? Trump loves dictatorships more than he does democracies. He could have a pool party for dictators like Duterte, Putin & Kim Jong UN in the Rose Garden. They'd probably get along famously. They could give Trump pointers on how to deal with a free press.

The US is has never and never will work with Communist dictators.

The Communist bit apparently sticks in the throat, the dictator bit doesn't seem to be a problem.

The CIA fully supported the S Korean dictator Park Chung-Hee, who imposed martial law on the country in the 1960s.

The US gave financial and military aid to Islam Karimov, dictator of Uzbekistan until 2006 while he engaged in acts of torture directed at the Muslim community in particular - including boiling dissidents alive

US support for the despotic House of Saud is well known. They do have lots of oil.

The US let Manuel Noriega get away with all kinds of stuff in Panama, and gave him money and men to do it with, before they decided he was no longer useful.

Not to mention the two dozen or so dictatorships that received US military sales deliveries in 2015.

But hey, none of them were Communist.

America has worked with communists, Dictators, financed, supported, and armed many I recall a certain Oliver North supplying Iran with weapons financed buy CIA drug profits. So the prospect of being bestie buddy with NK is quite possible.

Sounds nice but it really depends on North Korea's relationship with China.

Sounds nice but it really depends on North Korea's relationship with China.

China's relationship with North Korea and also China's desire to keep trade open with the US are both part of the dynamic moving things forward.

I'm just happy things have gone this far. Hats off to all involved in trying to achieve better relationships.

It’s not rocket science. NK should just give all its nukes to Iran. USA, SK, japan and China will all be happy, no nukes in our hood.

The US is has never and never will work with Communist dictators.

They work with Vietnam. Had a port visit the other day. Vietnam is now a valued partner.

Still a communist country, but certainly they don't commit the scale of nasty that China does. They don't have the money to do what China does at scale.

noting that the U.S. has often in history become good friends with former adversaries.

True enough. Vietnam, Japan, Germany. All former foes.

The Communist bit apparently sticks in the throat, the dictator bit doesn't seem to be a problem

Yes, that is correct. I'm not saying I endorse it. I am saying it is a fact.

The US will never be close partners with communists. Ever.

America has worked with communists, 

You really should study your history. You missed the Big One: Stalin. The US did not, as I qualified, work with Stalin as "close partners." You really should study your history. I have.

Pompeo's stance in a radical departure from reality, one that will correct itself mighty fast.

And we will now in a short time that I am right. And you are wrong.

Viet Nam is communist like the LDP is liberal, democratic, and a party. Like Trump University is a University. Seeing how gullible all of you are makes me happy that US foreign policy is not dependent on your votes.

And like I say, we will know in s short that I am right. And you are wrong.

Trump has demonstrated his naives over North Korea or Asian countries. But  this is good,  America will pay a high price for their mistakes. Just like he repeal the Obama's deal with the Iranian nuclear project! Trump is talking diplomacy like talking business with business partners!  A tragedy is upcoming!

Well claiming to be right and everyone else is wrong using typing errors, does not make a strong argument. As for Stalin in your studies did that include the Lend Lease program? Sandinistas, Juntas, Israel, Apartheid America will support anyone if they get a dollar out of it. Saddam was given the keys of Texas by Dick Channey. The Teliban were welcomed pre 9/11. Now that was a press conference.

The LDP is Japan's Communist Hereditary Party so your right there.

Viet Nam is communist like the LDP is liberal, democratic, and a party.

Bit of a slippery argument this one. I’ve been told many times there has never been a true ‘communist’ system anywhere.

So I suppose you could argue the US has never worked with a ‘communist’ government.

The US is has never and never will work with Communist dictators.

Chairman Xi?

Same slimy talk given to gaddafi before. We all know how that ended. Historical track record dictates that americas word doesn't amount to much in the long run. I hope Kim's smart enough not to fall for the snake oil.

China, Vietnam, Putin but not Cuba. Never really understood the American obsession with "communism and socialism".

They don’t, but we do.

Secretary of State stated America willing to give "big money" in return for denuclearization. Disposal of atomic bombs don't happen over night.

No, but you have to start somewhere, so it’s a good incentive if it is done seriously.

“the U.S. is willing to help the impoverished nation boost its economy and living stands to levels like those in prosperous South Korea.”

Yup...... because capitalism is way better than communism. Heck, maybe in a a few years ordinary North Koreans can own vehicles. Maybe in a decade, they’ll even be able to travel abroad.

So he has nukes and he’s looking to get paid for them. Let’s see what they are asking for.

"If North Korea takes bold action to quickly denuclearize, the United States is prepared to work with North Korea to achieve prosperity on the par with our South Korean friends," he said.

Ah yes....the old dangling the carrot approach to "reward" N Korea to denuclearize. But how do we know N Korea will really denuclearize and the economic aid will be used to improve the people's standards of living and not diverted toward fattening up Kim and modernizing his conventional military power?

Yup...... because capitalism is way better than communism. Heck, maybe in a a few years ordinary North Koreans can own vehicles. Maybe in a decade, they’ll even be able to travel abroad.

Capitalism has done far better for S Korea than communism has for N. Korea. (But the leftists here will never admit that.)

However, I doubt that N Korea will fully convert toward democratic/capitalist system.....unless the DPRK is eliminated, which is highly unlikely. But perhaps we may see a moderation of the rigid DPRK ideology toward a hybrid form of communist-capitalist government much like China, thus setting the stage for a future unification with S Korea.

But what gets me is that U.S. will be paying for this "rehabilitation" rather than through China's Silk Road economic program. Very smart of China......let the U.S. expend resources to build up N Korea prosperity and in return China will get a much stronger ally.

Well claiming to be right and everyone else is wrong using typing errors, does not make a strong argument.

This is the comment section, not the argument section. I don't argue online, because no one, not a single person on this planet, has ever changed his or her mind by arguing online. Ever.

I'll repeat that, 'cause its important: No one ever changes their mind by arguing online.

People do, of course, discuss things. I usually don't. Because the comment section is primarily about arguing. And quote mining.

Or argument mining, for the more sophisticated, honest, or simply curious. Ideologues and dupes never arguing in good faith. Ever.

What I am doing here then? I also care about Japan and politics. I've been at JT since the beginning. ( I used to argue; no longer. See above) Regarding the latter, I read and update insightful and good posts. There are quite a few smart, observant and honorable posters here.. For the former, for those who care, about Japan and politics, I post. I post primarily to offer arguments needed to fight the noise. If you find my posts useful, good; if not, good. While the ultimate point is to persuade, I cannot persuade a man or a woman out of something if they really want to see something another way.

Here, with North Korea I am right. Kim is trying to turn the lemon of his collapsed nuclear site at Mantapsan into lemonade. If you don't understand that last sentence, please read here:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/04/25/north-koreas-mountain-mystery-is-punggye-ri-nuclear-test-site-still-functional/?utm_term=.b8d6f68d4658

So, Kim is trying to turn the lemon of his collapsed nuclear site at Mantapsan into lemonade. That is an important idea rooted in two facts: 1) the site is now useless. 2) Kim wants to horse-trade. There is nothing wrong with that. That's rational.

What is not rational is for the US, ROK and Japan to give him too much for what is in reality a pig in a poke. Trump seems so needy to get a Win, he's gonna lie and try to pass this off as if he made the North bend to his knee. Laughable, yes. But it will work, because propaganda works.

Finally, it is crazy for Trump in his desperation for a photo op that will change nothing to to work towards the erosion of the US Japan and US ROK relationship. And that is exactly what is happening with a bilateral summit.

@Jimizo

So I suppose you could argue the US has never [closely] worked with a ‘communist’ government

With my added parenthesis, yes. That is right. Not because the US stands for freedom; because the US stands for capitalism.

The big question is when will Trump build a hotel in Pyongyang?