Islam Times - Second Kim meeting: Trump’s perfect political distraction

Islam Times - A second summit between Chairman Kim Jong-un of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK aka North Korea) and President Donald Trump of the US is expected to be announced soon. Given the Trump initiated crises in the US surrounding the “trade war” with China, now held in abeyance, and the ongoing government shutdown, the US president is in desperate need of a foreign policy distraction. Another feel good summit with Kim Jong-un would be a welcome respite from the domestic turmoil that Trump is faced with.

Trump’s foreign policy however has faced blow back from deeply entrenched forces within the US military-industrial-congressional complex. His attempts to withdraw US troops from both Syria and Afghanistan have been met with resistance by the foreign policy establishment and have been largely scuttled.

Trump, faced with a recalcitrant opposition at home, has praised China as more amenable to dialogue than his Democratic critics. A second summit with Kim Jong-un would seem to a good means to divert attention away from his domestic woes.

But, Trump has already spent a lot of his political capital in his negotiations with Kim. The negotiations began after Kim made the first move and indicated his willingness to attend a summit with Trump, the first time the leaders of the two nations would meet. Kim’s pledge of denuclearization however has not been met with any meaningful concessions from the US side, such as a reduction, if not elimination, of US imposed economic sanctions.

On the other hand, both the DPRK and ROK (Republic of Korea, aka South Korea) have continued their rapprochement. President Moon Jae-in of the ROK has spoken in favor of a continued relaxation of tensions between the two Koreas. China has also voiced its support for the reconciliation process and the need for removal of US sanctions. The peace train on the Korean peninsula has already left the station and there is now no turning back. The major obstacle to the continuation of the peace process resides not in Seoul. Pyongyang or Beijing, but in Washington D.C.

The same applies to many other regions of the world. In the Middle East and the South China Sea, for example, US meddling has exacerbated tensions and thwarted attempts to resolve conflicts. It’s time for the US to stop interfering in other nations affairs and let them solve whatever conflicts arise themselves.