Thread by @DrDenaGrayson

🇰🇵WAG THE JONG🇰🇵

THREAD: My thoughts on #NorthKorea’s “offer.”

DPRK has made similar overtures before, but no POTUS took the bait. Kim Jong Un has NO intention of giving up his nukes. What he wants is to be treated as an equal on the world stage.🤨1/
washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pac…

Although #NorthKorea tried for DECADES to meet w/the US, no POTUS (R or D) agreed.🤔

Why not? B/c a bilateral meeting of both leaders signifies that we are EQUALS, thereby *validating* DPRK’s whole strategy of using nukes to get “respect” globally.🤨 2/

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🇨🇳CHINA🇨🇳

When analyzing #NorthKorea, we must also consider China.🤔

Why? Because ~90% of North Korea’s trade (imports AND exports) is w/China. So if the world wants to do ANYTHING about NoKo, CHINA must be on board.

We know this, and so does Kim Jong Un‼️ 3/

So by agreeing to meet DIRECTLY with Kim Jong Un, Trump essentially is fulfilling #NorthKorea’s goal👉🏼using nukes to get credibility on the world stage‼️

And you can bet that #China is in on this.🤨 4/

So why on earth would Trump meet w/#NorthKorea, thereby validating their whole Nukes-For-Respect plan⁉️

Because Trump is DESPERATE and easily manipulated (of course).🙄 5/

Earlier today, Rexxon Tillerson said that we are “a long ways from negotiations” with #NorthKorea.🤨

So clearly, this “offer” should be considered VERY SHADY‼️ 6/

google.com/amp/s/www.poli…

Although I fully support peaceful approaches to curtailing #NorthKorea’s nuke program, I am HIGHLY dubious of this “offer”:

👉🏼timing vis à vis Trump’s #SteelTariff (impacts #China)
👉🏼Trump’s need to deflect from #TrumpRussia🇷🇺
👉🏼NO ONE on Team Trump saw this coming

7/

Thus, I view this whole #NorthKorea “offer” as a “Wag the Jong.”🤨

👉🏼timely distraction for Trump to DEFLECT #TrumpRussia🇷🇺
👉🏼potential cover for Trump to relent on “being tough” (tariffs) against #China

8/

If Trump does “anything,” it will NOT be good for the US (of course).🙄

He may:
👉🏼inflate #NorthKorea’s standing globally by meeting
👉🏼generate an “excuse” to go easy on #China on trade issues (hint: see the #SteeleDossier)
👉🏼attempt to deflect from #Mueller’s probe

9/

BOTTOM LINE:

*Yet another* attempt by Trump to use US foreign policy to help HIMSELF (or his spawn/Kush).🤬

WORST thing is that Trump may lend credibility to Kim Jong Un, which could validate the “nukes = credibility” edict.😐

NOTHING is good here, unfortunately.🤬

/end

PS: although #Russia🇷🇺 is a factor when it comes to #NorthKorea, CHINA🇨🇳 is a FAR bigger player👉🏼~90% of DPRK’s trade is w/China.🤨

Hint: #SteeleDossier warned that Russia was merely a smokescreen for #Trump’s dirty dealings in China & elsewhere.😉

cc @911CORLEBRA777