If several major war games were canceled for more than a year, the impact could be significant, the officials said.
“We’re generally fine to miss a single exercise, even one of this magnitude,” said Kathleen Hicks, a former senior Pentagon official in the Obama administration. “Strategically, however, it will worry Japan in particular and allies in Europe who will wonder what and how much we’re willing to give away.”
On Capitol Hill, some leading Republicans echoed that sentiment.
“You’ve got to give these negotiations every opportunity to succeed,” Representative Mac Thornberry, a Texas Republican who leads the House Armed Services Committee, told reporters this week.
“As long as the negotiations are being productive, these particular joint exercises that were planned for August, O.K., well, this is an opportunity to hold their feet to the fire and see if North Korea is serious about this,” Mr. Thornberry said. “If they’re not serious, then it’s pretty easy to say those joint exercises that were scheduled for August are now going to happen in September or October.”
Diplomats who have worked on North Korea said Mr. Trump’s new warmth toward Mr. Kim eased months of tension between the two leaders that, in the past, would have made negotiations all but impossible. But it also reduces the leverage that American negotiators have to pressure the North to give up its nuclear weapons.
In a new propaganda film, Pyongyang seized on the meeting to showcase the warm reception that the North Korean leader received in Singapore.
“The streets were overflowing with people adoring our great leader, who is driving complex international politics with supernormal political acumen,” said the 42-minute documentary, which was released by North Korea’s state broadcaster.
Source : Nytimes
