Kim Jong Un: The Hardest Intelligence Target

North Korea lit some nasty fireworks on July 4th, successfully testing a long-range missile capable of hitting Alaska. The test sent jitters up the spines of American national security officials—for good reason.


The Hermit Kingdom hasn’t yet been able to put a nuclear warhead atop an intercontinental ballistic missile, but it is getting there faster than intelligence analysts expected. All the trend lines are bad. Yields from North Korea’s nuclear tests are getting larger. Its arsenal is too, with an estimated 20-25 weapons already, and enough fissile material to crank out a new nuke about every two months.

 Meanwhile, launch times are getting shorter and missiles are flying longer—much longer. Not all rocket science is rocket science. Even CNN and Breitbart agree that Kim Jong Un is blowing past “nuclear breakout” with breakneck speed.
The big question is what the North Korean leader intends to do.
Think about that for a minute. The most dangerous nuclear threat to the United States requires understanding the intentions of just one man.

Here in Silicon Valley, we are used to believing that engineering can solve the toughest problems and that computers are better than humans at just about everything—from recommending books you might like to conducting complex mathematical calculations, playing chess, or even driving a car. 

(Okay, I admit that being better than human drivers is no great shakes—my 95-year-old grandmother used to head down one-way streets in Miami the wrong way, claiming, “It’s okay, honey, I’m allowed.”)  As one tech executive told me, soon machines will be better at understanding us than us. Companies are racing to create products that can automatically answer emails just like we would and that can anticipate what we want before we even know it.  

Google already remembers my favorite brands better than I do. We hear it everywhere: Phones are smart. Intelligence is artificial. Crowds are wise.
But not in Pyongyang. Penetrating the inner workings of Kim Jong Un’s mind is an old-school challenge, not a high-tech one. North Korea’s nuclear program is a terrifying reminder that technology can only go so far; that human intentions can be unfathomable, even to ourselves; and that divining them is an art, not a science.

Is Kim Jong Un crazy or hyper-rational? Is he bent on destroying America or deterring America? Is his model Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, who averted nuclear war by building a large arsenal and threatening to use it? Or is Kim looking at the cautionary tales of Muammar Qaddafi and Saddam Hussein—two men who lost their power and their lives because American presidents either didn’t believe or didn’t care that they had given up their nuclear weapons programs?
Nobody knows.

Understanding the intentions of adversaries has always been fraught. Wars often occur because one side miscalculates the other’s willingness to fight. But North Korea has long been in a league of its own. Back in the 1990s, American officials lamented that Pyongyang was the “hardest of hard intelligence targets.”

As late as 2009, the CIA was compiling its dossier of Kim Jong Un, then the heir apparent, based on secondhand reports from a sushi chef. When junior took the Hermit Kingdom helm in 2011, experts were all over the map. Some saw Kim Jong-un’s early moves—including public statements about ending “belt tightening” and rumored plans to start decollectivizing farms—as a sign that North Korea might be moving toward Chinese-style economic reforms.

A few thought that political liberalization might not be so far-fetched. Others were more skeptical, warning that Kim was no reformer, despite his love of professional basketball and pizza. About the only points of agreement among Korea watchers in those days were that Kim liked Disney characters and dour, throwback haircuts. But even on this last point, it’s still unclear whether Kim’s dress is for show or for real—is it a deliberate ploy to make himself look like his popular grandfather? Or is that just the North Korean strongman uniform?

The Trump administration has to figure out what Kim Jong Un wants, how he sees the world, and how the United States can signal its intentions to defend itself and advance our vital interests without fighting a war that Secretary of Defense James Mattis recently said could be “catastrophic.” There is no algorithm for that. - The Atlantic

'I'd go through a wall for Jose'

New Manchester United signing Romelu Lukaku has declared himself ready to "go through a brick wall" for Jose Mourinho.

Lukaku trained for the first time with his new team-mates at UCLA in Los Angeles on Monday following his £90m transfer from Everton.
It marks the second time Lukaku has worked under Mourinho, with the pair enjoying a somewhat uneven relationship when the 24-year-old was trying to break into the first team at Chelsea.

The United boss questioned Lukaku's mentality when he chose to leave for Everton rather than stay and compete for a place at Chelsea but the striker has insisted the pair have since moved on, in an interview with NBC's Beyond The Pitch.
When asked if Mourinho was a big factor in his decision to join United, Lukaku replied: "Yeah, he was. To be fair, when I was starting to learn stuff about the game I knew that he was the manager I wanted to play for if I ever had the chance.

"I had the opportunity to work under him when I was 20 at Chelsea. It didn't go how I expected it to happen but we have moved on from there.
"We have a brilliant relationship. He knows that I will go through a brick wall for him.
"I am really excited to work under him and to improve. I want to challenge for trophies and be in the dressing room with great players but also great characters. It is something that I wanted and it is going to help me to get better."

Lukaku was widely expected to leave Everton this summer after turning down a new contract but it was assumed by most that Chelsea, not United, were in pole position to sign him.
But the Belgian striker indicated in an interview last month while on international duty that his future had already been decided and he says he was already planning to sign for United at that point.

When asked about those comments, Lukaku revealed: "Yeah, at that time I knew. I knew about United's interest for about a year, a year and a half.
"I have spoken to the manager plenty of times and I knew what to expect. To be part of the biggest club in the world and hopefully to be able to challenge for trophies - that is a dream of mine.

"I am really grateful to have the chance to be part of this club and I am going to give everything every single day to make sure it gets back the glory that it had in the past."

Arsenal increasingly confident of keeping Oxlade-Chamberlain

Arsenal are growing increasingly confident of keeping Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain at the club amid interest from fellow Premier League clubs, according to the Daily Mail.

The 23-year-old has just one year remaining on his current deal and has been the subject of interest from Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has struggled to nail down a starting position at Arsenal and has grown increasingly frustrated with the situation.

He, however, was one of The Gunners shining lights at the back end of last season and performed magnificently in Arsene Wenger’s tactical switch to a 3-4-3 formation in the right wing back role.
Arsenal have already offered Oxlade-Chamberlain a new improved deal but an agreement has yet to be reached.

He has travelled to Australia for their pre-season tour of the East which sees them play two matches Down Under before heading off to China.
Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil have still yet to sign new deals. - Reading Sport

Wenger: Nobody can say they're not interested in Mbappe

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits he is interested in Kylian Mbappe, but accepts the Monaco star can choose where he wants to go.


Mbappe, 18, is wanted by numerous clubs after scoring 26 goals in all competitions last season.
Arsenal and Real Madrid are among those reportedly interested, but it is expected only a world-record fee would secure the forward.
Speaking in Sydney on Tuesday, Wenger said France international Mbappe had the luxury of choosing his next destination.

"He's a player who just when he gets up in the morning can choose where he wants to go," he said.
"There's not many players who have that kind of luck because he's 18 years of age and has a red carpet open for him."

Asked if Arsenal were among those clubs, Wenger said: "I believe nobody can say they are not interested in a player of that calibre."
Mbappe helped Monaco to the Ligue 1 title in 2016-17 and is contracted until mid-2019.

Manchester United's Jose Mourinho exchanges jerseys with Draymond Green

Jose Mourinho's motivational powers may have had an impact on Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green.

Fresh off winning the NBA title for the second time, Green exchanged kits with Manchester United manager Mourinho.
The two were pictured holding the United and Warriors jerseys with "Green 23" on the back of each.

But, strangely, it comes a year after Green was seen wearing a Paris Saint-Germain kit.
Mourinho is known for his prowess in motivating players, so perhaps he managed to convince an NBA star to swap the club he supports?

'He's a player we've looked at' - Wenger replies to Lemar reports as Arsenal transfer hunt continues

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is open to making further signings as he admitted to keeping an eye on Monaco star Thomas Lemar.

Alexandre Lacazette and Sead Kolasinac are Arsenal's two additions this window as Wenger's side search for an improvement on last season's fifth-place finish.
Lemar and Monaco team-mate Kylian Mbappe are among the players the Premier League side have been linked to.

Asked about Lemar at a news conference on Tuesday amid reports Arsenal have made numerous bids for the 21-year-old, Wenger said he had monitored the midfielder.
"That's all speculation at the moment, there is nothing really concrete about any signing," he said. "He's a player that we have looked at, but the rest is only speculation."

France international Lemar, 21, impressed last season, contributing nine goals and 10 assists to help Monaco to the Ligue 1 title.
Wenger said he would consider further additions to his squad, who are in Sydney to begin their pre-season tour.

"I am open to get some more signings, but it is not easy to find the players who can strengthen our squad, because we have top-quality players," he said.


"There are two ways to improve always: analyse what we did well last season and what we did not so well and improve that, and then you can bring new players in.
"But at the moment, because we are in pre-season, it is very important for us to analyse well what happened last season and where we can improve.

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"We have top quality in our squad, and at the moment I focus on that." - Goal

Video : Paul Pogba pushes journalist into swimming pool after he and Romelu Lukaku beat her in rock, paper, scissors game

It's no secret Paul Pogba likes to have fun.
Manchester United's record £89million signing takes every opportunity to dance on camera and have the time of his life.

So a journalist should have known better when opting to interview the France international next to a swimming pool in LA.
Pogba, along with Man United's new £75million signing Romelu Lukaku, have been doing a series of interviews with ESPN.

And it seems the France midfielder has become a little too comfortable with the recent presence of journalists in the vicinity.

So much so that he couldn't help himself seizing an opportunity for some fun.
As the above video shows, Pogba and Lukaku decide to have a quick game of rock, paper, scissors with a journalist.

After counting to three, the duo both opt to present a pair of scissors, while the reporter makes the paper symbol with her hand.
The two Red Devils stars therefore win outright, which you'd think would be enough.
But no, to celebrate his victory, Pogba suddenly launches the journalist towards the pool and pushes her in.

He then takes great pleasure in laughing at the soaked woman while Lukaku looks altogether a bit more shocked.

Welcome to Man United, Lukaku. - Mirror