It is a rare event that occasions a Postscript to a post in this blog, but here 'tis. The blogger is going to give credit to a man the blogger hates as much as anything, but T. Bonehead (Boone to his admirers) Pickens offered a succinct verdict on The Singapore Nothingburger that the current occupant of the Oval Office is attempting to currently peddle to the gullible: "Negotiating Advice 101 — When you want to make a deal real bad you will make a really bad deal. #SingaporeSummit." And, there you have it, folks, from a "deal-maker" (Pickens) who failed to consummate hostile takeovers, but made a lot of money destroying the likes of Gulf Oil to a failed deal-maker whose name rhymes with "Chump," If this is the (fair & balanced) assessment of a failed deal-maker judging a current phony deal-maker, so be it.
The big "news" from Singapore earlier this week brought a scene from "Seinfeld" when Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld) and George (Jason Alexander) pitch a proposed TV comedy show to NBC executives. When asked what the show would be about, George blurted: "It's a show about Nothing!" And that summed up the recent "summit conference" — it was a reality TV show about NOTHING. If this is the (fair & balanced) unvarnished truth, so be it.
[x Salon]
Joint statement By President Donald Trump And Kim Jong Un At Singapore Summit
By The Salon Staff
Joint Statement of President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea at the Singapore Summit
President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) held a first, historic summit in Singapore on June 12, 2018.
President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un conducted a comprehensive, in-depth, and sincere exchange of opinions on the issues related to the establishment of new U.S.–DPRK relations and the building of a lasting and robust peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. President Trump committed to provide security guarantees to the DPRK, and Chairman Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his firm and unwavering commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
Convinced that the establishment of new U.S.–DPRK relations will contribute to the peace and prosperity of the Korean Peninsula and of the world, and recognizing that mutual confidence building can promote the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un state the following:
The United States and the DPRK commit to establish new U.S.–DPRK relations in accordance with the desire of the peoples of the two countries for peace and prosperity.
The United States and the DPRK will join their efforts to build a lasting and stable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.
Reaffirming the April 27, 2018 Panmunjom Declaration, the DPRK commits to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
The United States and the DPRK commit to recovering POW/MIA remains, including the immediate repatriation of those already identified.
Having acknowledged that the U.S.–DPRK summit—the first in history—was an epochal event of great significance in overcoming decades of tensions and hostilities between the two countries and for the opening up of a new future, President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un commit to implement the stipulations in this joint statement fully and expeditiously. The United States and the DPRK commit to hold follow-on negotiations, led by the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and a relevant high-level DPRK official, at the earliest possible date, to implement the outcomes of the U.S.–DPRK summit.
President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have committed to cooperate for the development of new U.S.–DPRK relations and for the promotion of peace, prosperity, and security of the Korean Peninsula and of the world.
[Signed]
DONALD J. TRUMP
President of the United States of America
KIM JONG UN
Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
