Mattis responds to Trump: US 'never out of diplomatic solutions' on North Korea

[DonViejo]

Source: The Hill




BY ELLEN MITCHELL - 08/30/17 11:29 AM EDT

Defense Secretary James Mattis on Wednesday sought to downplay President Trump’s earlier assertion that seemed to rule out a diplomatic solution to North Korea's ongoing missile tests.

"The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer!" Trump tweeted Wednesday morning. Mattis broke from that view, telling reporters asking about the tweet at the Pentagon, “We’re never out of diplomatic solutions.”

“We continue to work together, and the minister and I share responsibility to provide for the protection of our nation our populations and our interests, which is what we are here to discuss today,” Mattis said alongside South Korea Defense Minister Song Young-moo. “And look for all the areas we can collaborate — there is already very strong collaboration, we always look for more, we are never complacent.”

The defense chiefs also declined to discuss the additional U.S. military support South Korea might need to increase pressure on North Korea.

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/defense/348539-mattis-responds-to-trump-us-never-out-of-diplomatic-solutions-on-north-korea

[Eliot Rosewater]

1. Family coming to visit this weekend, good. May well be the last time I see them.

[vlyons]

2. Prez Asshole always, constantly screwing up

Permanent, never ending spews out chaos and upset. Total screw-up.

[Not Ruth]

3. What we need is a diplomatic presence in NK

A US Defense Secretary talking to a SK Defense Minister is not the same

[lark]

4. How weird is this when Secty of Defense contradicts the person in the WH?

I don't think I've ever seen that happen in my lifetime? Wonder if Drumpf is smart enough to get it or if Ivanka or Jared will mention it to him? Are they even smart enough to realize how unusual and frightening for our country this is? Drumpf is trying to start a war and Mattis is trying to stop one.

[riversedge]

7. I see it as a public smack down of Trump by Mattis!! very public.

[lark]

8. Exactly how I see it!

What I wonder is how is Drumpf tolerating this. It's a direct hit at him and his stupid bombastic threats. How are they stopping him from firing Mattis or at least going on a tweet storm about him? Maybe they've managed to keep this publication out of sight and it just hasn't been mentioned on Faux snooze when he's watching?

[Cirque du So-What]

5. Interesting

One would expect the SOS to make such a statement, but that's an outlandish expectation, considering Tillerson's worthlessness.

[procon]

6. Trump still brags he is the world's greatest negotiator, but he's clearly lying.

Maybe he was rich enough to hire top tier negotiators to make his deals and then he'd sweep in at the end for a photo op signing shindig. Trump obviously lacks the skills and temperament for anything more than acting like the embittered old koot he is, yelling at passersby to, "Get off my lawn!"

Thankfully where are still a few adults remaining, that Trump hasn't fired yet, trying to keep us out of a shoot war.