The Dummy and the Dotard

Washington (CNN)US Vice President Mike Pence warned North Korea that it could end up like Libya if it fails to make a nuclear deal with Washington.

"There was some talk about the Libyan model last week, and you know, as the President made clear, this will only end like the Libyan model ended if Kim Jong Un doesn't make a deal," Pence said Monday.

When it was noted that the comparison could be interpreted as a threat, Pence told Fox News: "Well, I think it's more of a fact."

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In response, North Korean Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Choe Son Hui said in a Thursday statement carried by state-run news agency KCNA that "as a person involved in the U.S. affairs, I cannot suppress my surprise at such ignorant and stupid remarks gushing out from the mouth of the U.S. vice-president."

"It will be proper for [Pence] to know even a little bit about the current state of global affairs and to sense to a certain degree the trends in dialogue and the climate of détente," Choe said on Thursday, implying that the U.S. politician should have refrained from Libya comparisons following Bolton's episode.

Calling Pence a "political dummy," Choe went on to say that Trump's second-in-command "should have seriously considered the terrible consequences of his words."

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In a letter addressed to Kim and released by the White House, Trump blamed the cancellation on the "tremendous anger and open hostility" in a recent statement by the North Koreans.

"I feel it is inappropriate, at this time, to have this long-planned meeting," he wrote.

"Therefore, please let this letter serve to represent that the Singapore summit, for the good of both parties, but to the detriment of the world, will not take place. You talk about you nuclear capabilities, but ours are so massive and powerful that I pray to God they will never be used," the president added.

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