I have mixed feelings about the White House’s decision, Tuesday, to rule out a presidential visit to the South-North Korea demilitarized zone, next week.
On the negative side, while I recognize that the logistical, political and security challenges of a DMZ visit are considerable, Trump had an opportunity to follow in his predecessors’ footsteps and go eye-to-eye with the North Korea. That would have sent a message of deterrent resolve in a manner that mitigated the risk of escalation.
It won’t be possible for the president to send the same message when he meets with U.S. and South Korean forces at a military base.
Still, on the positive side, this decision proves that the president is not the crazed warmonger that some have presumed. Indeed, based on the president’s previously aggressive rhetoric towards North Korea and its “rocket man” leader, it seems likely that he would have wanted to visit the DMZ. By not doing so, Trump thus shows his willingness to listen to advisers and extends an olive branch without sacrificing any U.S. interests.
Let us hope that Kim Jong Un responds in kind.
