Pence Calls North Korea’s Failed Missile Launch A ‘Provocation’

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaks as his wife Karen Pence listens during a dinner with soldiers and family members after Easter Sunday church services at a military base in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, April 16, 2... U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaks as his wife Karen Pence listens during a dinner with soldiers and family members after Easter Sunday church services at a military base in Seoul, South Korea, Sunday, April 16, 2017. Pence arrived in South Korea on Sunday to begin a 10-day trip to Asia that comes amid turmoil on the Korean Peninsula over North Korea's threats to advance its nuclear and defense capabilities, and just after a failed missile launch by the North. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday described North Korea’s failure to launch a missile earlier the same day as a “provocation.”

“This morning’s provocation from the north is just the latest reminder of the risks each one of you face each and every day,” Pence said per a travel pool report, speaking at an Easter dinner at Yongsan military base in South Korea.

He said that the United States’ “resolve has never been stronger” than under President Donald Trump’s administration.

“Our commitment to this historic alliance with the courageous people of South Korea has never been stronger,” Pence said.

A North Korean missile exploded earlier Sunday during launch, according to U.S. and South Korean officials.

North Korea’s vice foreign minister on Friday said in an interview with the Associated Press that Trump’s tweets and remarks about North Korea are fueling a “vicious cycle” of tensions.

“We will go to war if they choose,” Vice Minister Han Song Ryol said.

Trump’s administration on Friday announced a strategy based on “maximum pressure and engagement” and cooperation with China to pressure North Korea to abandon its nuclear program.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. I’m pretty sure the military is not the least bit eager to play in the North Korean sandbox. Trump would have to issue some specific orders, not just give them authorization.

  2. Pence Calls North Korea’s Failed Missile Launch A ‘Provocation’

    Of course it’s a provocation, Indiana idiot. Now what’s your policy? Oh, that’s right, there is none, coz your boss is a know-nothing, the GOP only cares about tax cuts, and the SoS is an unqualified ex oilman who doesn’t like people looking at him and took the job coz his wife made him.

  3. This entire maladiministation is a provocation, dummy. It takes one unfit, incompetent lunatic to recognize another.

    “I’m pretty sure the military is not the least bit eager to play in the North Korean sandbox.”

    I don’t believe that at all. Not one bit. It is a fantasy to think the military, excuse me, his military will be a civilizing force against this domestic barbarism, any more than ICE agents will stop lurking around courthouses waiting to pounce on domestic violence victims to parade them to a detention center for deportation.

    While is it not unheard of, an item came out the other day that (alleged) St. Mattis already talked about a strike on NK with his English counterparts. He’s as hot in the ass to start shooting as much as anyone else is.

    Let’s face it folks, there are only two things saving everyone: the courts and protestors. The military has great contempt for both, especially the latter and this disgusting, filthy joke of an administration has already shown itself to be most venal and corrupt one ever in this nation’s history.

  4. Now, now … of course there’s a policy. They are going to be resolved, and I mean really resolved. Why, they may even take a picture of Trump or Pence sitting at their desks looking grim. That’s all you need, right?

    And if that fails, Trump can always tweet.

  5. That’s it, Distractor-in-chief-in-training. Throw a petulant-two-year-old’s tantrum, because you think it will distract everybody from the Russian Bear in the room for one more day. Give the Chinese another excuse to remind everybody of who the Adult is.
    Words fail.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

84 more replies

Participants

Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for old_curmudgeon Avatar for mattinpa Avatar for leftflank Avatar for bluestatedon Avatar for squirreltown Avatar for irasdad Avatar for ralph_vonholst Avatar for sonsofares Avatar for theghostofeustacetilley Avatar for ottnott Avatar for quax Avatar for tao Avatar for serendipitoussomnambulist Avatar for darrtown Avatar for tena Avatar for clauscph Avatar for antisachetdethe Avatar for tiowally Avatar for dannydorko Avatar for circusmax Avatar for centralasiaexpat Avatar for thinski Avatar for outsidertrading618

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: