Abraham Lincoln statue on Carthage College?s campus.
Lest We Forget
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The highly publicized meeting between President Donald Trump of the United States and leader Kim Jong-un of North Korea, in Hanoi Vietnam is significant in terms of history and policy. However, emphasis on nuclear weapons overlooks economics, including North Korea’s extreme weakness and South Korea’s economic and political success.

The abrupt unscheduled end of the “summit” between the two colorful national leaders really is no surprise. As with their first meeting, this one was scheduled but not seriously planned. True summit meetings reflect careful preparation, and any important concluding agreement results from lengthy negotiation by experienced diplomats and other skilled professionals.

American impatience can complicate diplomacy, especially in Asia, but our economic strength nonetheless provides key influence. In November 2017, Trump made an extensive trip through East Asia, including China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. Stops included the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit held in Danang, Vietnam.

The traditional spelling of this third largest city in the nation is Da Nang, just as the traditional spelling of Vietnam is Viet Nam.

Americans do not like empty spaces. We turn unused real estate into productive enterprises. Getting rid of spaces between words speeds up pronunciation. After all, time is money – preferably dollars.

The fast-moving, fast-talking technocrats who dominated policy in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations reflected that perspective. One result was the disastrous Vietnam War. Impatient Americans easily overlook powerful Asia traditions of endurance, stoicism and the long view.

Reliance on dead bodies, enemy weapons and weight of documents captured were not accurate indicators of progress. Given the enormous scale of American firepower, increasing totals meant mainly that the enemy was growing more numerous.

By contrast, quantitative measures are central in the tough tangible world of commerce, trade and investment. Over time, doing business mitigates inherent cultural conflict and fosters understanding.

APEC is today perhaps the most important intergovernmental network in Asia to promote those activities. President George H.W. Bush and Secretary of State James Baker deserve great credit for making APEC a firm reality. Australia Prime Minister Bob Hawke conceived the organization.

This organization and others in the Pacific region mean that the vast area is developing the same sorts of durable institutions, based on self-interest as well as wider community that have characterized the Atlantic region since World War II.

The overall umbrella for this activity is the United Nations, created and announced during the darkest period in World War II by Britain’s Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Their conference off Newfoundland in August 1941 was a brilliant success.

The global organization includes vital economic institutions – the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the World Trade Organization. Regional counterparts include the European Union as well as the NATO alliance, and now APEC

For many years, American diplomacy and principal security concerns focused on Europe, but since the mid-1980s, U.S. trade with Asia has surpassed that with Europe. The rise of Japan and now China as global economic powers is dramatic.

South Korea today is an economic powerhouse in Asia and globally, as well as a functioning political democracy. The contrast with North Korea is stark, and provides Kim and associates strong incentive to recognize reality, work with the U.S. and develop their desolate economy.

North Korea’s economic isolation is less and less tenable, and current international sanctions increase the pressure. U.S. advantage should increase over time. We can achieve success with Pyongyang – with patience.