BREAKTHROUGH OR STALL? – NORTH KOREA SPEAKS – AT 10:38 A.M. ET:  A reported statement by North Korea has given hope that maybe the crisis with that country can be resolved peacefully.  Well, we've been here before, but not with a tough president and superb negotiator like Trump, who understands the use of power.  From Fox:

President Trump said on Tuesday the U.S. is "ready to go hard in either direction" after North Korea promised to not use nuclear or conventional weapons against Seoul and expressed a willingness to hold talks with the United States on denuclearization.

President Trump tweeted hours after South Korea’s presidential national security director Chung Eui-yong released a statement detailing his rare two-day visit to North Korea. He praised the "possible progress" but remained cautious.

“Possible progress being made in talks with North Korea. For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!” Trump tweeted.

The Hermit Kingdom added that it’s willing to give up its nuclear weapons if military threats against North Korea subsides, Chung said hours after leaving Pyongyang.

"The North side clearly affirmed its commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and said it would have no reason to possess nuclear weapons should the safety of its regime be guaranteed and military threats against North Korea removed," Chung said in a statement, according to Yonhap News Agency.

COMMENT:  The first thing we need to do is to verify what the North actually is saying.  The South Korean government is not necessarily the best source on these things, as it's run by a leftish leader who often has stars in his eyes.

If the North is serious, we'll soon know. 

The president's tone, reflecting Ronald Reagan's use of the Russian proverb, "Trust but verify," is exactly right.

March 6,  2018