For now, Trump-Iran talks are about talking
by Rashmee
Posted on September 1, 2019 / The Arab Weekly
Chances are the Iranians won’t be as wily — and as smart — as North Korea, which has strung Trump along through three meetings and lots of “beautiful” letters from Kim but no change of behaviour. In September 2017, US President Donald Trump was vowing the “total destruction” of North Korea. Eight months later, he … Continue reading “For now, Trump-Iran talks are about talking”
Read MoreIf you doubted there’s no globocop any more, read this
by Rashmee
Posted on August 11, 2019
No one’s paying any particular attention to what the US says or thinks about anything very much any more. That’s good, I suppose, because the US is not saying anything worth anyone’s attention. Donald Trump’s America has nothing morally important to contribute to the global conversation, say about Kashmir, Crimea, Hong Kong, North Korean … Continue reading “If you doubted there’s no globocop any more, read this”
Read MoreJohn Bolton’s trip to Mongolia was not like being sent to the Gulag. Here’s why
by Rashmee
Posted on July 4, 2019
John Bolton, President Trump’s National Security Advisor, generally gets a bad press as a hawkish hardliner with a damn-diplomacy view of the world. But on Sunday, June 30, Mr Bolton was surprisingly doing something fairly diplomatic. He was visiting Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia, on a trip scheduled a month before Mr Trump suddenly decided to … Continue reading “John Bolton’s trip to Mongolia was not like being sent to the Gulag. Here’s why”
Read MoreWhat’s a tough guy like Donald Trump to do?
by Rashmee
Posted on May 13, 2019
North Korea, Iran and Venezuela are misbehaving – truly and terribly. Kim Jong Un, Hassan Rouhani and Nicolas Maduro aren’t sticking to the script one might have expected. Mr Kim should have been more grateful for President Donald Trump’s love and friendship. Messers Rouhani and Maduro should have been more fearful of President Trump’s ire. … Continue reading “What’s a tough guy like Donald Trump to do?”
Read MoreNearly half of North Korea’s population needs humanitarian aid. But the missile programme goes on
by Rashmee
Posted on March 8, 2019
How do we know North Korea had its worst food harvest in more than a decade? Well the United Nations’ Resident Coordinator in the North has told us. So, this is not some calculation from a distance. It comes from within North Korea. The UN’s Resident Coordinator, Tapan Mishra, has told the world North Korea … Continue reading “Nearly half of North Korea’s population needs humanitarian aid. But the missile programme goes on”
Read MoreThings Mr Trump and Mr Kim never discussed
by Rashmee
Posted on March 1, 2019
Even before Donald Trump met North Korea’s Kim Jong Un for the second time, it was clear what they wouldn’t be talking about. They wouldn’t discuss North Korea’s continued sale of arms and chemical weapons material around the world. They wouldn’t mention the United Nations report that recently described Pyongyang’s behaviour. As ‘Foreign Policy’ has … Continue reading “Things Mr Trump and Mr Kim never discussed”
Read MoreThe Trump-Kim Show, Season 2, Day 2
by Rashmee
Posted on February 28, 2019
What was the point of Donald Trump meeting Kim Jong Un twice in two years? What was the point of this two-day summit? Almost as soon Mr Trump said he planned to meet the North Korean dictator possibly in Vietnam, everyone knew Season 2 of the Trump-Kim Show would have to different from the first. … Continue reading “The Trump-Kim Show, Season 2, Day 2”
Read MoreA second Trump-Kim summit will only be worthwhile if it produces more than a Kodak moment
by Rashmee
Posted on January 23, 2019 / The National
The US president’s budding bromance with the North Korean leader has failed to produce concrete steps toward disarmament It is season two of the Trump show — that is to say, the second half of Donald Trump’s presidency. A second summit has been scheduled to take place next month between the US president and North Korean leader … Continue reading “A second Trump-Kim summit will only be worthwhile if it produces more than a Kodak moment”
Read MoreCould the Korean Peninsula blow up America’s legendary status as the essential nation?
by Rashmee
Posted on January 3, 2019
As of midnight December 31, 2018, here’s where things stood with respect to the Korean Peninsula: ** The 5-year US-South Korea agreement expired. The agreement covers Seoul’s substantial ($850 million) payment towards the cost of keeping 28,500 American troops on the Peninsula. ** The failure to replace the agreement speedily should be a cause for … Continue reading “Could the Korean Peninsula blow up America’s legendary status as the essential nation?”
Read MoreThe train to peace in the Koreas has left the station, no thanks to Donald Trump
by Rashmee
Posted on December 1, 2018
On November 30, a South Korean train with a sign reading ‘Seoul to Sinuiju’ crossed into the North, The Korea Times reported. Believe me, this is more important to prospects for world peace than Donald Trump’s showy, insubstantial summit with North Korea’s dictator earlier this year. For, the South Korean train has begun a simply … Continue reading “The train to peace in the Koreas has left the station, no thanks to Donald Trump”
Read MoreRashmee has lived and worked in several countries in the past decade, including Afghanistan, India, Haiti, Tunisia, the UAE, US and UK