North Korea’s Stopwatch: A Year to Denuclearise? The Hazy Truth
In a chill session at the ASPEN Security Forum in Colorado, Dan Coats, the mastermind behind U.S. intelligence (and your favourite hard‑knock defense guru), gave the lowdown on how likely it is for North Korea to ditch its nuclear arsenals in just 12 months.
Tech‑savvy Yes, Reality‑savvy No
Coats crunched the numbers and said, “It’s technically possible but probably not going to happen.” Think of it like this: it’s easier for a spaceship to land on Mars than for Pyongyang to say “Bye‑bye nukes.”
What the Experts Say
- Mike Pompeo, the State Secretary, cleared his chest and posted “Don’t sigh for future months. This is a long‑haul train that’s not getting any faster.”
- After a momentous summit in Singapore on June 12, which should have been the moment of truth, Pyongyang’s denuclearisation plans remain as chilled as a microwaved pizza.
- Pompeo’s July fly‑by to Pyongyang found little progress, just as they’d expected.
The Trump Connection
President Trump casually told reporters that there’s “no rush, no deadline.” That’s like saying our pizza meal timer can be left on the kitchen counter for whatever time it takes.
Coats on Strategy
Coats didn’t spare a single word about how to handle the situation, noting:
- “We get the truck of hard evidence that N.K. is still bragging about its nuke pot, and we’ll be sure the “proof, proof, proof” stands on solid ground.”
- He urged, “Don’t just trust them blindly but nail down civilian‑verified protocols.”
The Cold War 2.0: Sanctions Keep Knocking
Intelligence says the sanctions‑punch is still a full‑force strike, with China, Russia, and the rest of the globe at the bench. Pyongyang’s ability to make money is shrinking. If Kim doesn’t take a new direction, the economics could go on a complete downward spiral.
Even with those smug fuel smooches that slip under embargo lines, the commercial losses don’t feel like the bad‑luck moments on Wednesday. But it’s a clear message: “You can’t keep this up; you’ll be paying in NIKs.”
Bottom Line
There’s a chance, a whisper, that North Korea might ditch its nukes in a year. Popcorn ready? Because the road from possibility to real‑world clearance is long, dirty, and full of corporate jazz. The U.S. keeps its fingers on the pulse, while the world watches with bated breath — and hopefully a short supply of hot‑dog sandwiches.
