If statesman A keeps calling statesman B a “smart guy,” but the latter, instead of reciprocating, proceeds to praise person C, who is statesman A’s famous enemy, as “a shrewd and mature politician,” the message ought to be fairly obvious.
When Russian President Vladimir Putin heaped fulsome praise on his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un, whom US President Donald Trump derides as a “Little Rocket Man” with a “small button,” it is at once symbolic and meaningful for US-Russia ties as well.
At a meeting with top Russian editors last Thursday at the Kremlin, Putin had the following to say about Kim:
“I think that Kim Jong Un has obviously won this round. He has achieved his strategic goal. He has a nuclear warhead, and now he also has a missile with a global range of up to 13,000 kilometres, which can reach almost any part of the globe, at least in the territory of his potential adversary. And now he wants to clear up, smooth over or calm down the situation. He is a shrewd and mature politician.
“However, we should be realistic, and… act extremely carefully. If we want to achieve the difficult goal of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, we should do this through dialogue and talks… we can accomplish this mission if all parties, including North Koreans, become convinced that their security can be also guaranteed without nuclear weapons.”
Simply put, Putin congratulated Kim for leading Trump up the garden path while focusing single-mindedly on attaining the core objective of ‘mutually assured destruction’ (MAD) vis-à-vis the US. Kim now has his nuclear warhead and delivery system. Henceforth, denuclearization of North Korea can be possible only if the US and North Korea “become convinced that their security can also be guaranteed without nuclear weapons.”
Putin meant that small countries with an acute sense of vulnerability resort to the nuclear path as an asymmetrical response to perceived threats. His warning came on the eve of Trump’s momentous decision on Friday to keep the US in the Iran nuclear deal by waiving a raft of sanctions until May 12.
The similarities are striking. In both cases, there is really no military option open to the US except options that risk enormous destruction to its own assets and human lives.
Iran’s capacity to thwart US aggression is no smaller than North Korea’s. Both have felt compelled to embark on the path to nuclear mastery in light of the existential threat posed to them by the US. Nationalism has morphed into anti-Americanism and no amount of demonizing can hide that unpalatable truth.
The US risks bring marginalized. Putin underscored that Moscow sees through the western attempt to “destroy” Russia’s relations with Iran and Turkey, adding that “we will show solidarity with one another.” His remarks fly in the face of Trump’s four-month countdown on Iran.
Again, Russia is positioning itself to act if the talks between the two Koreas gain traction – by extending the Trans-Siberian railway line via North Korea to South Korea and also by building oil and gas pipelines connecting Siberia and the Russian Far East with Korean markets.
On a broader plane, Putin, without doubt, also had in mind the current Russian-American talks regarding a new START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty). In fact, he mentioned the talks as an addendum to his commendatory remarks on Kim’s strategic defiance of the US.
Washington insists that it reserves the right to unilaterally convert some of its delivery vehicles (aircraft and submarines) and silos, while Moscow maintains that the existing treaty specifically gives Russia the prerogative to verify any such conversions and satisfy itself that they involve no “breakout potential” – in other words, that silos, aircraft and submarines are not being adapted to launch nuclear weapons.
On the surface, Putin’s commendation of Kim’s smartness in outwitting the US is a statement of fact, but it also contains a broader message for the American elites. Putin effectively cited the examples of North Korea and Iran (and Turkey) to flag the geopolitical reality that the US will be countered in its attempt (as per Trump’s National Security Strategy 2017) to change the global strategic balance in its favor.
The broad thrust of Putin’s message was that it is about time the American elites got to realizing that it is not smart to seek “absolute security” in the emerging international system.
Russia, US, Iran, Korea should start fighting so that our crude oil price will rise as it happened during the Gulf War
Branka Alhamdy is that what you tell yourself? I am a Nigerian and I can say without fear of contradiction that our problems are entirely self-inflicted. Our complete inability to develop our own; the inordinate greed and constant pilferage of public resources by public office holders is the reason for our present state not some western colonialist that gave us the right to rule ourselves some more than half a century ago.
Ransford Amankwah Bolombo If Trump actually had his way, this wouldn’t be happening. The world went after the wrong man. The Democrats are your true enemy, he may say things you consider awful but he’s really harmless.
Danny Hall by the time the US stops playing the self-acclaimed policeman of the world, we’ll all have that convincing to stay out their business. Until then, the status quo remains.
Having said that, I’d like to know if the US could measure to our(Nigerian) standard in their 50 years after independence.
We’ve experienced military rules , civil war, insurgency, militancy, herdsmen attack, corruption, under-development – it shouldn’t be too difficult for you to know why we are here as a nation.
Instead of you to apologize to Africans for what your forefathers did by selling the wrong system to us, you’re blaming the victims.
Your IMF and world bank should stop defining poverty to us – we have our ways and culture. Tell them to stop selling destructive ideas to those stooges we have as leaders here; destructive ideas cloaked in roses.
I’m yet to see where your aid is put into anymeaningful developmental projects in Nigeria.
You’re just being mendacious by thinking our collective existence is tied to your conditional aids.
We are not where we’d want to be, but we are working to get there despite our numerous challenges.
Tell your government to repatriate our stolen funds stashed in various banks in your country. Your people abet corruption by creating room for corrupt officials to stash their stolen funds.
We can survive without your aids. America is not richer than Nigeria. What we lack is leadership.
Danny Hall you relied on what you were told by your government to say what you don’t know about Nigeria. Learn to think independently of your government’s lies and what the US media sells to you by investigating more.
The world has now evolved to a point where the US has to consider the consequences of its acts, something it never had to do before. It just did whatever it pleased. This was very unhealthy for the world and for US society as well.
Darwin is irrelevant in the world.
Danny Hall I beg to differ with you. Putin was spot on in his comments about Kim. Do you know how many Koreans were killed in the Korean war? This was all in the name of fighting communism just like in Vietnam. People make sacrifices and like Putin said N.Koreans will eat grass before giving up their Nukes, what do you suppose he meant by that comment?
best i would say keepin the new world order freaks at bay
How I love Putin and strategies. A fine politician
Stan Ebouka In answer to your question! (It wasn’t me) and just so you know my best friend in this world is a native of southern Cameroon! I don’t have any bad feelings or prejudice of Africans! I don’t judge anyone or hate anyone because of where they were born or their religion or the color of their skin! To me all men are brothers!
I respectfully disagree with PUTIN on that assessment! A dictator who holds his own people prisoner, and starves them not to mention forces them to witness the execution of anyone caught trying to escape is not a smart politician! He will die at his own people’s hands just like Sadam Hussein did! It’s just a matter of time! Open your eyes and read the testimony of the people who have escaped from North Korea!
Deeka Charles Ndeori I’m a bit curious! Maybe you can enlighten me ! Is the only reason for your love for the North Korean dictator who starves his own people! And expressed extreme hatred for all religions (especially Islam) due only to your hatred for USA? Good you think you know what other countries will do in any given situation! Also your insults only show your small mind!
If there’s something I have learnt in recent years. It’s owning up to whatsoever people say I am. If you call me a criminal well, prepare to be duped. If you see me as a friend, you will never walk alone. If you see me as a Snake, expect me to bite you in the end. I no longer have the strength in proving or changing what people "Think" about me because, most times the way people think can be so shallow..
Danny you westerners blab about how criminal minded African states are my question is WHO TAUGHT US?
Ransford Amankwah Bolombo In answer to your question! I hope not! But look at the bright side you can always get help from your good friends in North Korea and Russia! They have given you absolutely nothing so far! But keep the faith my friend !
According to his words and character, he needs close supervision