Can strategic churlishness save the world?

Let me introduce you to the Trump Doctrine: Peace through jerkiness

Peace through jerkiness?
(Image credit: Illustrated | SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

President Trump deserves real credit for the thaw in North Korea — not sole credit, surely, but credit nonetheless. And he achieved this, in large part, by being a jerk.

Trump's jerkiness is hardly the only factor in this Korean spring. If former South Korean President Park Geun-hye hadn't imploded in a blaze of corruption, for instance, paving the way for the dovish President Moon Jae-in, Trump would likely still be at the mean-tweeting state of his relationship with North Korea's Kim Jong Un. But Moon was so unnerved by Trump's "fire and fury" bluster and talks of military strikes last year, he pursued an almost recklessly idealistic push for peace.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.