A milestone in diplomacy, leaving a host of questions

The much-heralded summit with North Korea has occurred, and amid all the bluster by our president prior to the meeting, what did we actually get? Promises by both leaders, each of whom has a reputation for repudiating what he had previously agreed upon.

It was a milestone in diplomatic relations, for which President Trump should be commended. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating. I have tremendous reservations about what will follow.

To some extent the United States got snookered. North Korea has achieved a major goal — a nation among nations, scoring a one-on-one meeting with the president of the United States. It gets recognition as a world power to be reckoned with.

Our president must watch his words, The military exercises with South Korea are not “war games.’’ Had Trump ever discussed this with the Pentagon, or is he shooting from the hip once again? A nuclear-free Korean peninsula? I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Both leaders head home congratulating themselves on their achievement. They will try to sell what transpired, to their respective countries, as a major victory due to their tremendous negotiating skills. We will just have to wait and see where we go from here. I’m hopeful, but pessimistic.

Irving Alpert

Canton

Trump is succeeding where past presidents have failed

The Globe’s coverage of the Singapore summit is all but laughable, throwing almost nothing but negativity at the first meeting of North Koreans and an American president.

When the CIA and other intelligence sources found that North Korea was spinning centrifuges and developing nuclear weapons, where were the Obama administration and the Globe?

Did past administrations put enough pressure on the Chinese to rectify the situation? Obviously not. Did past administrations impose strong enough sanctions to move North Korea to the bargaining table?

Did we want to give a few more billion dollars to the North Koreans, as the Clinton administration was willing to do, in hopes that they would act honorably?

Now we have a president who has created the climate so that the North Koreans want to sit down and negotiate. Neither the president nor the country has lost anything other than trying to solve an inherited problem that past presidents have been unwilling or unable to tackle.

Tom Schott

Lynnfield

President friendly with our foes, belligerent with our friends

President Trump has now formed personal and friendly relationships with dictators and human rights violators Kim Jong Un of North Korea, Xi Jinping of China, and Vladimir Putin of Russia.

Trump is at “war’’ with Justin Trudeau of Canada, Emmanuel Macron of France, Angela Merkel of Germany, and Theresa May of Britain.

It seems to me we have things backward. Where are the voices in Congress to right this situation? I hope that the people will make the necessary changes in the midterm election of Congress.

Stephen J. Feins

Salem