I'm a lifetime confirmed non-smoker, but if they passed me the peace pipe I would take a puff. If Trump initiated the salute, that's real bad. But RETURNING the salute during a peace summit is not bad in my book. It says, "I'd love to bury the hatchet and you become an ally." Trump has now established diplomatic relations with NK, and while technically we don't have an embassy there yet nor they here, it would have been unkind and boorish to embarrass the man, likely the highest ranking officer in NK.
A simple handshake, like nearly every other President does towards soldiers of a foreign army, would suffice.
The proof is in the pictures. Look how he is so lit up and nobody else is. That means he has a light shining directly on him. So they have a general walk up to him, some guy snaps on some really bright lights next to Trump and instinctively he raises his hand to block it while the planted photographer is ready with his camera and boom, there is your new headline.
...why did you think that clarification was necessary? Foreign soldiers salute the US President all the time. The US President does not return that salute to foreign soldiers. Nevermind. I think I misread your intent.
I have a lot of complaints about Obama, but I also remember what happened here. Castro grabbed his hand and lifted it up. Obama obviously didn't want to comply. The optics would have looked even worse if he had held his hand up and went along with it.
I'm not sure what alternate reality you got that idea from, but it looks an awful lot to everyone else that Castro was trying to go for an iconic photo to imply some kind of solidarity between the two of them and Obama didn't go for it. If you think that Castro didn't want to be seen shaking hands with him, why did he grab his hand and try to pose for the cameras? That's the oddest way anyone in history has ever tried to "avoid being seen." Did he think he was invisible or something and was just smiling and staring at the cameras because he suddenly remembered a funny choke and forgot they were there?
People don't use left hand to shake hands. Obama was turning away when Castro grabbed his left hand. Castro wanted the moment to continue. Only thugs would yank their hand away
Steve N agreed with Spooky that Trump was shielding his eyes from the light so that is enough to draw any conclusion, a like is as good as a nod/agreement
I once got in trouble in tech school for not shielding my eyes from light when an officer walked past me.
Look how you see them using lights on the set of the lunar landing. You can clearly see a reflection of an overhead light and remember, this picture was taken while the astronaut was facing away from the lander. There should be nothing in that reflection other than his buddy walking away from him.
Until Ronald Reagan established a new tradition, no American president ever saluted anyone or anything, US or foreign. Reagan insisted that he was CIC and civilian clothing was his uniform, and thus began the tradition.
The video shows Trump reaching out for a handshake and at the same time the NK salutes. Then Trump returns the salute while the NK reaches out for a handshake. And then they both shake hands. I'm glad that I was able to clear that up for ya! NEXT!
The Korean 4-star wasn't an enemy. If he were an enemy, and he is likely a 7th dan martial artist in his position, the president could not have been allowed to go near him.
Yeah except there is not proof that Obama never did or never would have done the so-called licking of feet.