Thread by @BonicMichael

The Elephant In Washington's Room

The ONLY security assurance DPRK has is its nuclear deterrence. The water level = extent of DPRK's nuclear program.

Empty glass = CVID
Full glass = maximum nuclear capability

I suggest finding the right balance, meeting in the middle,

https://twitter.com/BonicMichael/status/1281499779785043969

2/splitting the difference. Look at it from a logic perspective. The given conditions:

1) DPRK refuses total denuclearization. CVID/FFVD/Libya Model are permanently off the table

2) US refuses to accept DPRK maximizing it's nuclear capability

How do you solve the dilemma?

3/DPRK rejects the empty glass. US rejects the full glass. OK. Then splitting the difference is the glass full/empty. The same glass is half-full to DPRK and half-empty to the US. I propose that this is the ONLY way you'll get DPRK to negotiate their nuclear weapons. They'll

4/negotiate them to agreeing to permanently capping/freeing their nuclear/ICBM/SLBM programs in exchange for the US formally accepting the DPRK as a nuclear state. This satisfies their core requirement, it becomes an acceptable risk management for the US b/c a limit has been

5/placed on DPRK's nuclear capabilities. This would pave the way to normalization of relations b/t the US and DPRK, the lifting of sanctions and for DPRK's economy to grow exponentially once inter-Korean economic plans/projects take off.

Forget the pipe dream, then, of FFVD in

6/30 years and do a PRAGMATIC DEAL in 2021 that could set US-DPRK on the path of normalization in the near future. Let's go for what's within OUR reach and not kick the can down the road. At the least, make this offer to the DPRK leadership. Trump can write a letter, or invite

7/Kim Yo-jong to the White House. Then there can be open discussion/conversation that will be a milestone in US-DPRK relations. It'll be red meat to Kim Jong-un's people and to the American people. The US and North Korea are "working it out", building trust!!
@realDonaldTrump