Can everyone hear me . Id like to go ahead and get started. Good morning and thank you all for coming. My name is george bebe, im the vicepresident and director of studies here at the center of the National Interest. I want to welcome you and thank you all for coming to this Conference Today on north korea. As we think about what might be coming down the road on the Korean Peninsula and the broader region, its very easy, i think, to succumb to the temptation to be pessimistic. In fact, as we sit here in washington today, it seems like theres all kinds of reasons to be pessimistic. We seem to be facing on the home front a variety of challenges. Were in the midst of a wrenching president ial impeachment process. The broader country seems to have some deep cleavages societally. We have a big problem with mutual distrust in the country. When we look abroad, internationally, the headlines were reading this morning suggest we might be on the brink of a very dangerous war with iran. We last w
president, world leaders, other partners around the globe. of course japan and south korea face a particular threat because of their proximity in the region. china, their leader will not be at the u.n. general assembly. of course they ve a big stake in what happens with north korea, as just about their only partner in the economic and regional politics. so that is one of the challenges that will come this week. without the chinese president there, what the other countries discuss, how much effect it will have, but expect that to be a big topic. alex. all right, kelly o donnell, thank you so much from somerset with that preview of what s coming this week at well. joining me now, adam mounting, senior fellow at the center for american progress, a progressive think tank. adam, with a welcome to you, what do you make of the president s rocket man tweet? you know, i don t think that s particularly helpful. there are very serious problems here with respect to u.s./south korea alliance