Promising a “Christmas surprise,” 35-year-old North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un warned 73-year-old President Donald Trump that if progress wasn’t made on a peace deal by year’s end, all bets were off when it comes to nuclear missile tests. Kim hasn’t launched an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile [ICBM] since August 29, 2017 when he fired a Hawsong-12 ICBM over Japan. Since Trump engaged Kim in war of words in 2017, both leaders have met three times. Trump and Kim first met in Singapore, Malaysia June 12, 2018, agreeing to “denculearize” the Korean Peninsula. Both leaders met again in Hanoi, Vietnam Feb. 27-28, despite Trump walking out early because Kim reneged on disarming his nukes. Trump and Kim met briefly June 30 in the Demilitarized Zone [DMZ}, making Trump the first American president to cross into North Korea.
Former National Security Advisor John Bolton, fired by Trump Sept. 10, said Trump’s North Korea policy has “failed,” saying Trump was bluffing about getting Kim to disarm his nukes and ballistic missiles. “The idea that we are somehow exerting maximum pressure on North Korea is just unfortunately not true,” Bolton said, taking a swipe at his former boss. Bolton’s remarks show exactly why Trump fired him as National Security Adviser. Bolton used a sledgehammer when he needed a scalpel to deal with U.S. foreign policy. With North Korea, Iran, Russia, Venezuela or any other crisis point around the globe, Bolton urged Trump use the military. Trump said after dismissing Bolton he would have gotten the U.S. into multiple military adventures, something he’s committed to end. Since losing his job, Bolton’s been itching to slam Trump in the press.
Kim wanted sanctions relief before the end of the year or some movement toward a peace treaty. Since neither happened, he issued his “Christmas surprise” warning, prompting Bolton to speak out. North Korea called Bolton a “nasty troublemaker,” before Trump gave him the ax. Trump terminated Bolton because of his hawkish public remarks, antagonizing Russia, Iran and North Korea. Bolton talks about “maximum pressure,” but has no answer for what comes next after Kim launches more ICBMs or test nukes. Neither Trump nor South Korean President Moon Jae-inn are prepared for military confrontation with North Korea, knowing the kind of devastation to U.S. and South Korean interests. If Trump’s made any mistakes in North Korea, it’s not following up with a peace treaty. Denuclearization was always an unrealistic goal, given North Korea’s history with nukes and ICBMs.
Trump knows that Kim’s only leverage for maintaining power or going forward are his nukes and ballistic missiles. While it’s good that Kim stopped threats of nuclear war against the U.S., it’s unrealistic to think he’d disarm unilaterally. Kim’s put proposals out for the U.S. to remove its nukes and ICBMs from South Korea before discussing nuclear disarmament. “We’ve tried. The policy’s failed. Were going to go back now and make it clear that in a variety of steps, together with our allies, when we say it’s unacceptable, we’re going to demonstrate we will not accept it,” Bolton said. Bolton no longer speaks for the White House on U.S. foreign policy, especially on North Korea. Trump’s aim with Kim was always rapport-building, not necessarily nuclear disarmament. Talking to the anti-Trump media, Bolton’s now shooting off his mouth to get even.
Trump’s impeachment problems have thrown a monkey wrench into his foreign policy on a number of fronts, especially North Korea. Bolton left little to the imagination after losing his job. Sept. 10, urging Trump April 30 to send U.S. troops to Venezuela to topple the regime of Nicloas Maduro. Bolton knew that Putin had move Russian advisers into Caracas, yet still urged Trump to intervene militarily. Whether Bolton admits it or not, he lost confidence with Trump, showing incredibly bad judgment. U.S. keeps “High Levels of Readiness,” said Gen. Mark Miley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Bolton ripped Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun for saying North Korean missiles launches don’t advance peace on the Korean Peninsula. Bolton called Bieun’s remarks a “clear winner in the Understatement of the Year Award Contest,” a clearly sarcastic response.
Whether Kim launches a new ICBM or some other missile on Christmas Day is anyone’s guess. What’s known for sure is the 35-year-old dictator feels squeezed from Trump’s sanctions, looking for any progress on the good will from two summits and one impromptu meeting at the DMZ. Bolton’s hawkish approach of threatening North Korea only escalates tensions, something Trump has worked to avoid. “We’re now nearly three years into the administration with no visible progress toward getting North Korea to make the strategic decision to stop pursuing deliverable nuclear weapons,” Bolton said, now that he’s no longer part of Trump’s team. Instead of slamming Trump, Bolton should be touting Trump’s success in deescalating tensions between the U.S. and North Korea. Whether Trump has a nuke deal or not, Kim’s not threatening the U.S. with nuclear war.
