Thread by @DavidNakamura

John Bolton at CSIS says North Korea "has not made a strategic decision to give up nuclear weapons. I think the contrary is true. The strategic decision Kim Jong Un has made is to do whatever he can to keep his nuclear weapon capability."

Bolton makes case that North Korea's tests of short-range missiles constitute ongoing violation of UN sanctions. Without naming Trump, he adds that suggesting otherwise gives signal to world U.S. doesn't care about UN related sanctions.

Bolton: "When you have asked for consistent behavior from others you have to demonstrate it yourself. When fail to do that, we open ourselves and our policy to failure."

Bolton says there are three things to look toward with North Korea: 1. Regime change; 2. Korean reunification under democratic system; 3. military force.

Bolton suggests NK could become a big provider of nuclear weapons to terrorist groups. The "Amazon or Wal-Mart" of nukes. Takes shot at Trump: "These are the questions that need to focus our attention -- not whether we can get another summit with Kim Jong Un."

Bolton ends keynote with forceful call for U.S. not to relinquish leadership role in global affairs: "This is not the time for U.S. disengagement and withdrawal. This is the time for more U.S. leadership in the Korean peninsula, Asia and the across the world."

After Bolton's pessimistic view of Kim Jong Un's intentions, @VictorDCha asks him if "bromance diplomacy" is the best way to deal with the North.
"I'm not going to comment on that," Bolton says, drawing laughs.

@VictorDCha Bolton declares, despite popular belief, he is not a neocon because he does not believe it is the job of the United States "to promote democracy around the world and impose it on other people."