Spy Chief Believes US Knows The Risks Involved With North Korea Meeting
A US intelligence director has defended President Donald Trump's decision to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The meeting, aimed at stabilizing the region around the Korean Peninsula, will be the first of its kind and comes after South Korea sent its own envoy to Pyongyang.
CIA director Mike Pompeo said that Mr. Trump knows the risks of going to this yet-to-be-arranged meeting. He also reiterated that the president "isn't doing this for theatre, he is going there to solve a problem."
Pompeo adds that the Trump administration has had its eyes "wide open" to the challenge of dealing with North Korea. He is also confident that the Kim is now coming to the table mainly because the US-led sanctions have battered his economy so badly.
The meeting, which Pyongyang has long desired, was previously thought possible if the North Koreans made huge concessions. However, after South Korea sent its own envoy and relayed an invitation to Mr. Trump, he accepted it on the spot to the surprise of his administration.
Nevertheless, critics have warned that such a meeting could go poorly and could leave the two nations in worse positions than before. Ever since the partition of Korea, no US president has ever a North Korean leader.
The meeting will certainly put to the test Mr. Trump's negotiating prowess, a skill he prides himself in. However, this is no "Art of the Deal" as this meeting doesn't involve the control of one building but the fates of millions of people and possibly the world.
Nevertheless, both sides are approaching this cautiously as there is a high level of distrust between the two countries. Despite the fortuitous results garnered by South Korea's envoy, the same cannot be guaranteed for Mr. Trump especially considering his, and Kim's, personality.
All in all, this meeting will certainly test Mr. Trump's ability as a dealmaker and could very well be the biggest deal of his life.
