Many readers might remember back in the summer 2017 (throughout July) when there were indications that President Trump, and allies, were positioning assets and drills for what appeared to be a strategic naval blockade. Well, today Reuters is reporting that South Korea has seized a second oil tanker, flagged under Panama, headed to North Korea.
The cost of smuggling oil into North Korea is getting very high. These oil tankers are very expensive and the cost of commerce in international ocean freight is underwritten by massive global insurance companies. Each of these interdictions’ makes the business end of smuggling much more unstable.  Additionally, each of these violations opens up the co-dependent enabler as a target for massive U.S. Treasury Sanctions previously established.

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean authorities have seized a Panama-flagged vessel suspected of transferring oil products to North Korea in violation of international sanctions, a customs official said on Sunday.
The seizure was the second to be revealed by South Korea within a few days, as the United Nations steps up efforts to squeeze essential oil supplies to the reclusive North following its nuclear or ballistic missile tests.

(more…)

A quarter billion here, a quarter billion there, and pretty soon we’re talking about Bigly money.  LOL  While T-Rex is achieving State Department spending reductions of 30%, Nikki Haley joins the ‘walking in a winner wonderland” party…

(USUN) Today, the United Nations agreed on a budget for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. ‎Among a host of other successes, the United States negotiated a reduction of over $285 million off the 2016-2017 final budget. In addition to these significant cost savings, we reduced the UN’s bloated management and support functions, bolstered support for key U.S. priorities throughout the world, and instilled more discipline and accountability throughout the UN system.

(more…)

Go ahead and mark the date on the calendar, you’ll remember this day. Earlier today the United Nations voted in favor of a nonbinding resolution declaring President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital “null and void.”
U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley delivered remarks noting the likely consequence prior to the vote taking place.  [Full transcript and video below] Believe me, this will not end well for the U.N:

.
The entire enterprise of the U.N. is supported by slightly less than half of all Americans. The modern irrelevance of (and general antagonism within) the U.N. has been a less visible but decades-long discussion throughout most political circles.
It is doubtful the U.N. realizes the consequential difference of this moment with President Donald Trump at the helm of commonsense U.S. foreign policy.
(more…)

Earlier today U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley defiantly exercised the United States’ veto power, shutting down a Security Council resolution that would “nullify” President Trump’s recent recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

…”no nation on earth has the power to dictate where the US places its embassies.”

.
[Full Transcript of Ambassador Haley Remarks] Thank you, Mr. President.
I have been the proud Representative of the United States at the United Nations for nearly a year now. This is the first time I have exercised the American right to veto a resolution in the Security Council. The exercise of the veto is not something the United States does often. We have not done it in more than six years. We do it with no joy, but we do it with no reluctance.
(more…)

Today Secretary of State Rex Tillerson went to the United Nations to deliver a strong diplomatic message to the North Korean regime about their ongoing nuclear ambitions.
President Trump and Secretary of State Tillerson are asking Chinese Chairman/President Xi Jinping to cut off the oil supply to the DPRK.
If you have not watched the prior ‘deep weeds discussion‘ by T-Rex on the specific reason why the U.S. cannot, ever, accept a DPRK with nuclear weapons, you should.  Two very specific reasons why also explain why traditional state adversaries China and Russia are willing to put aside their differences with the U.S. and work to denuclearize N-Korea:

• #1) The DPRK have stated, through actions and words, they intend to use nuclear weapons as a larger strategy, a shield per se’, toward advanced conventional military action in the region.  And more importantly…
• #2) The DPRK have stated, through actions and words, they intend to commercialize nuclear weapon manufacturing and distribution, thereby selling completed nuclear weaponry on the global market.

Given the unconscionable risk of having terror state actors gaining nuclear weapons for use against any nation, the threat of such a stunning and dangerous possibility can never be accepted.  Which leads to three important videos from today:

(TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE HERE)

(more…)

We are so fortunate to have Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.  Stunning mastery of global events, policy, strategy, and diplomatic nuance at both the big and granular levels.
During a keynote address, “Meeting the Foreign Policy Challenges of 2017 and Beyond” at the 2017 Atlantic Council – Korea Foundation Forum, Secretary Tillerson takes the opportunity to provide another eloquent “walk around the globe” outline of current foreign engagements and ongoing U.S. policy therein.  If you watched the first one, you’ll also enjoy this one.
The first 38 minutes consist of T-Rex taking a “jog”, as he put it, around the globe to help everyone understand “what’s going on”.   With simple note cards for reference Tillerson walks through the most important challenges in foreign policy.  The last 20 minutes of the video is also well worth watching because T-Rex goes into great detail on the subject of North Korea and how each angle of nuance plays a part of the larger dynamic.WATCH:

(FULL Transcipt is Available HERE)

(more…)

In a stunning display of international transparency, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley presents actual, physical, incontrovertible and, yes, uncomfortable, evidence of Iranian weapons that have been used by proxy fighters against allied nations.  The presentation takes place at joint base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, DC and consists of formerly classified intelligence gathering presented openly to the international community.
Ambassador Nikki Haley presents an assembly of actual Iranian missiles and weapons that have been fired against mid-east allies within the peace coalition.  After a brief speech outlining the material on display, Mrs. Haley takes questions from international media.

.
[Transcript] It’s really important that you be here today, because we have a story to tell, and the story is a very important one. And it’s not just important for the United States, it’s important for the entire international community. As President Trump announced on October 13, the United States is taking a new approach to Iran by focusing on all of the regime’s destabilizing behavior. That means we are focused not just on the nuclear program.
We’re also taking a hard look at Iran’s ballistic missile program, its arms exports, and its support for terrorists, proxy fighters, and dictators.
(more…)

The decision by President Trump to announce recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel was obviously a long planned strategy.   The U.S. State Department via Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley were seamlessly aligned with the White House on the initiative.  Ambassador Haley discusses the move below:

(more…)

During several months of discussions deep in the weeds of President Trump’s geopolitical strategy toward the North Korean nuclear missile crisis, CTH extensively outlined a particular economic approach that would likely surface ONLY AFTER President Trump, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley walked methodically through the sequential elements needed.
The most important part of that sequence involved getting China and Russia to accept the cornerstone of a denuclearized DPRK.  They did.  The “Unanimous” U.N. Security Council resolution against the DPRK was passed.

The next phase was to get the international community to agree to the strongest ever massive economic sanctions. They also did.  As this was occurring, Defense Secretary James Mattis positioned U.S. Navy assets forward into the region, and close-quarter drills began in South-East Asia ocean trade routes near merchant vessels.
Evolutionary talks between President Trump and the newly empowered Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping established the framework for President Trump’s zero-sum economic position; both President Trump and Chairman Xi were clear on the possibility.  Following their meeting, China sent an emissary to the DPRK and the U.S. State Dept. labeled North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism.
As anticipated, in the State Department response to the latest ICBM test, we now see the elements of a pending U.S. naval blockade.   [Paragraph #2, Sentence #3]

[…]  In addition to implementing all existing UN sanctions, the international community must take additional measures to enhance maritime security, including the right to interdict maritime traffic transporting goods to and from the D.P.R.K.…

(more…)

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Defense detected and tracked a single North Korea missile launch today at about 1:17 p.m. EST. Initial assessment indicates that this missile was an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled about 1000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). We are working with our interagency partners on a more detailed assessment of the launch.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) determined the missile launch from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America, our territories or our allies.
(more…)