Page 387 - Predecessors News Today

Determin determined through the national security and intelligence community. >> the president has said that his predecessors have mishandled this. why can he be so confident this is the right move when just in october he was telling his own secretary of state it would be a waste of time? >> i think its clear they misplayed it or we wouldnt be in the position were in. the president wouldnt be having to clean up the mistake of the previous three administrations. the president is getting promises ...

Be able to extract whatever concessions he wants. that probably doesnt scaquare with the reality of the situation. its worth considering as were asking the question does this meeting happen, we have seen that trump is very stubborn. when he sets his mind to something, he likes follow through. he wont listen to critics. thats one reason this might happen. >> he brags all the time that as president hell do things that his predecessors wouldnt do. listen to this. >> were going to be so far ahead of...

President has done more than his predecessors as far as north korea is concerned? >> i think thats true. one of the things i learned as an undercover officer in the cia and back alley of places like afghanistan and pakistan is be nice with nice guys and tough with tough guys. that tough rhetoric, making sure people realize we are willing to use our stick has been important getting people to negotiating table. but we also have to remember the diplomatic effort of making sure china and all of our ...

>> as i said, i dont think this meeting was produced by economic sanctions. it was produced because unlike barack obama when donald trump says im prepared to look at military force, hes serious. he doesnt want to use military force. nobody does. but unlike obama and some of the other predecessors, hes not afraid to use it. the north koreans have figured that out. the chances of a diplomatic solution of giving up nuclear weapons are remote. but they increase in direct proportion to their fear tha...

Will meet with north korean leader kim jong-un. around the same time, south korean president, moon jae-in, discussed the planned meeting at a reception for the paralympic games saying, vote, denuclearization and peace on the korean peninsula are beginning to be realized. the news was previewed when the president popped into the white house press room last night saying a major announcement was coming. this is a sharp reversal of the administrations previous positions, from the fire to fury commen...

>> are you aware of where he would make his decision beforehand? >> he had conversations last night and today. this is something that all these countries have been working together on. and something were going to continue to work with our allies on. >> was secretary of state aware? >> the deputy secretary of state was in the room. its absurd to pretend they werent part of this process. jeff? >> to follow what peter was asking, howl the president and the united states be able to verify this befor...

Defenses at the continental level are only about 50% effective. once that thing is in the air, thats it. >> you have been watching this play out for some time. how is this president doing compared to his predecessors with tackling north korea? >> i think both north korean and chinese believe that the use of military force is credible. they believe him that he will not accept a north korea with a fully functional nuclear program. two things i want to mention as well, north koreans still holding t...

Are so close to succeeding and getting deliverable nuclear weapons that they want to get across the finish line by distracting us. theyve done it countless times before, its always worked for them. they hope the state department will prevail and it will work for them again. i think they underestimated trump severely. >> laura: so youre saying that donald trump sounding sort of cautiously optimistic there is not correct then, because this might just give them the time they need, little heat off t...

>> the thing is we need to be clear-eyed going because north korea is trying to divide us from our allies and south korea and try to get sanctioned eased or not have new sanctions applied or weaken our resolve to stand up to them. put it on the table as far as exactly what they will do and make them do it. dont ease sanctions just so that they will come to the table and start talking. thats the tactic theyve used over the years to great effect. >> sandra: its interesting because the president se...

Are so close to succeeding and getting deliverable nuclear weapons that they want to get across the finish line by distracting us. theyve done it countless times before, its always worked for them. they hope the state department will prevail and it will work for them again. i think they underestimated trump severely. >> laura: so youre saying that donald trump sounding sort of cautiously optimistic there is not correct then, because this might just give them the time they need, little heat off t...