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"The Clinton administration, even the Bush administration got played in the past. We offered concessions to the North Korean regime in exchange to the promises to end up the nuclear weapons program only to see them break those promises and abandon them," Pence said in an interview with Fox News' Martha MacCallum on Monday. "It would be a great mistake for Kim Jong-un to think he could play Donald Trump," Pence said.
Conte, who was born in the southern province of Foggia and has never been elected to parliament, comes from the M5S side of the coalition.From The Duran:
The now-likely coalition government in Rome made up of the M5S and League parties is on a possible collision course with other EU member states after it announced spending plans likely to increase the country's already towering public debt.
What is in the coalition deal? The two parties agreed to give monthly payments of at least โฌ780 ($920) to Italians living below the poverty line. The deal also foresees a maximum individual tax rate of 15 percent, while business would pay 20 percent at most. The platform includes the introduction of tougher rules on deporting migrants and calls for fostering dialogue with Russia on economic and foreign policy matters.
Why is the EU concerned? Italy is the third-largest economy in the EU, but is running public debt of more than 130 percent of GDP- second only to Greece. Economists and EU policymakers worry that the spending plans contained in the coalition's program will increase the country's debt burden still further. The coalition is also at odds with the EU over its pro-Russian stance and over its euroskeptic attitude, reflected in League leader Matteo Salvini's "Italians First" motto.
In response to the bloc's concerns, M5S's Di Maio said "first let us govern, then you can legitimately criticize us."
The nomination presents yet another area in which to worry about possible dissension, as popular sentiment, as well as Italian public policy, are increasingly viewing the EU with a degree of distrust. With disparities in economic, security and foreign policy interests, Italy and the EU sit on opposing sides of the table.
The EU worries that Italy could be the next Greece, with threats of an EU exit or default on their debt, together with a refusal to abide by the bloc's policies on numerous issues, Italy acts as yet another centrifugal force within Western Europe.
Comment: The mouthy Trump gang is a wild fire out of control. Good luck with that 'dis-plomacy' thing and making the world a safer place...