With regard to Trump’s blustering style, throwing up straw men and knocking them down—it’s all part of The Art Of The Deal. That’s what Alastair Crooke argues. Certainly that style works well in America, to a domestic audience. Trump is very good at constructing a narrative around himself. The story line is always that someone has screwed up, that some foreigners have taken advantage of our good nature, and here comes Trump to save the day—in 24 hours! I built umpteen hotels, I can do this.
Trump's been relatively quiet since he was elected. When he announces his cabinet and other picks on social media, he's less bombastic compared to past rhetoric.
I think he's doing a lot more preparation and planning than he did in his first term. He now has advisors he can trust. He appears to not be tipping his hand to his opponents via careless social media posts.
I welcome the change and hope that he sticks to a disciplined approach.
I wonder what Tom Luongo thinks of Trump’s tariffs? Seems like some sort of tax on the globe benefiting the hegemon. How does it effect US dollars globally and inflation, seems good for the domestic audience.
Tariffs probably hit low income people hardest, like any taxes. Historically it's been the way to grow your domestic economy, but it's a long road back once you've given the store away. Nothing's straight forward.
The issue isn't Ukraine, it's that US elites treat Russia and its officials like subhuman garbage. Mr. Putin could no longer tolerate that. He couldn't accept that his people would be so scorned for eternity, not even treated as fellow human beings, all because US taxpayers are forced to fund a predatory war machine gravy train. No other country has that advantage. In 1990s US robbed Yeltsin blind, laughed at him, left the country for dead, never expected Mr. Putin to bring his country back from death's door. The Russian people continue to view Mr. Putin very favorably per polls including the Levada poll. Levada was even funded by US regime change group NED in 2009 and NY Times speaks well of it. Even Levada has a hard time with Putin's good numbers, their text tries to tell you the sky is falling. US has tried to overthrow at least 57 foreign governments since WWII. Someone has got to stop the US. Mr. Putin and the Russian Federation are merely trying to save humanity.
Russia violated the INF in response to China. Everybody talks about Russian-US interactions like China doesn't exist. Like it's the 1970's or something. China is a much greater threat to Russia than the emasculated "powers" of Western Europe. Cancelling the INF allows for better preparations for dealing with China by both Russia and the U.S. America's current development of hypersonic weapons would have been prohibited under INF treaty.
That’s an eccentric take. I’ve seen or read nothing to indicate that China either poses or is perceived to pose any sort of threat to Russia. At all. In fact, the two have complementary strengths and are natural partners. Other than the brief Sino-Soviet split, which was an ideological (not territorial or military) conflict, the two countries have always been friendly.
And why do you disagree? Trump increased sanctions on Russia steeply and gave Ukraine weapons systems that Obama had refused--Trump has bragged about that. So why do you disagree?
Or forced him into unwise actions such as sending weapons to Ukraine and turning a blind eye to the corruption he knew was taking place. I think the Vindman accusations hamstrung him as intended and left him holding the bag so to speak.
But Trump professes to be proud of what he did. None of this is a badge of courage. And he continues to espouse the idea of flooding Ukraine with weapons, may have greenlit that to Mikey Johnson, rather than condemning what came before.
Trump had to get elected and not be successfully frozen as a Putin Puppet. Tulsi is being slimed as a Putin sympathizer. Many Dems still believe the Russian collusion was true.
The link I posted from his first term how congress forced his hand on sanctions.
And Trump is proud of almost everything he does. super positive way of thinking and acting. It’s him.
Trump's been relatively quiet since he was elected. When he announces his cabinet and other picks on social media, he's less bombastic compared to past rhetoric.
I think he's doing a lot more preparation and planning than he did in his first term. He now has advisors he can trust. He appears to not be tipping his hand to his opponents via careless social media posts.
I welcome the change and hope that he sticks to a disciplined approach.
I wonder what Tom Luongo thinks of Trump’s tariffs? Seems like some sort of tax on the globe benefiting the hegemon. How does it effect US dollars globally and inflation, seems good for the domestic audience.
Tariffs probably hit low income people hardest, like any taxes. Historically it's been the way to grow your domestic economy, but it's a long road back once you've given the store away. Nothing's straight forward.
The issue isn't Ukraine, it's that US elites treat Russia and its officials like subhuman garbage. Mr. Putin could no longer tolerate that. He couldn't accept that his people would be so scorned for eternity, not even treated as fellow human beings, all because US taxpayers are forced to fund a predatory war machine gravy train. No other country has that advantage. In 1990s US robbed Yeltsin blind, laughed at him, left the country for dead, never expected Mr. Putin to bring his country back from death's door. The Russian people continue to view Mr. Putin very favorably per polls including the Levada poll. Levada was even funded by US regime change group NED in 2009 and NY Times speaks well of it. Even Levada has a hard time with Putin's good numbers, their text tries to tell you the sky is falling. US has tried to overthrow at least 57 foreign governments since WWII. Someone has got to stop the US. Mr. Putin and the Russian Federation are merely trying to save humanity.
Russia violated the INF in response to China. Everybody talks about Russian-US interactions like China doesn't exist. Like it's the 1970's or something. China is a much greater threat to Russia than the emasculated "powers" of Western Europe. Cancelling the INF allows for better preparations for dealing with China by both Russia and the U.S. America's current development of hypersonic weapons would have been prohibited under INF treaty.
That’s an eccentric take. I’ve seen or read nothing to indicate that China either poses or is perceived to pose any sort of threat to Russia. At all. In fact, the two have complementary strengths and are natural partners. Other than the brief Sino-Soviet split, which was an ideological (not territorial or military) conflict, the two countries have always been friendly.
I agree with Crooke and Wauck in that
A. Russia does Not Care What America Barks because:
i) it often is not truthful, ii) it has a short life span when it is,
iii) they do not need to - Russia is in the driver seat
so Minsk Merkel recent history etc.
It is not that EUSAI EU US Israel failed militarily eg: in Ukraine,
it is that Russia is so technologically advanced, playing on home field, etc etc.
B. If Trump comes in politely with an inquiry and positive suggestion
on how to move forward regarding nuclear and other programs
then Russia may or might listen probably not
Minsk Merkel recent history etc.
C. If Trump comes in politely and talks about UpLifting and UpHolding
the UN
Now we are talking. Now we are getting somewhere.
Russia China Iran The Rest of the World, want the UN upheld
If the US does not do it now, the way down, which is the direction they
are headed could be most unpleasant
you get treated on the way down the way you treated others when
you were at the top
The best thing in the world Trump could do right now
is start backing UN resolutions and ' playing by the book '
Biden made errors, Biden administration were fools, that was all Biden
this is a New US I am leading it in an entirely new direction
unfortunately that is unlikely so no
Putin will keep going until Ukraine capitulates
Putin and Xi will support Iran
that's that.
.
“The question is, how far will that get him with foreign leaders?”
With Putin, it will get him nowhere.
And why do you disagree? Trump increased sanctions on Russia steeply and gave Ukraine weapons systems that Obama had refused--Trump has bragged about that. So why do you disagree?
Trumps guilt is minor compared to the other players. Plus Russiagate and allegations of being Putin’s puppet restricted his actions.
Or forced him into unwise actions such as sending weapons to Ukraine and turning a blind eye to the corruption he knew was taking place. I think the Vindman accusations hamstrung him as intended and left him holding the bag so to speak.
Or how Congress forced his hands bipartisanly on sanctions:
https://www.ft.com/content/dbb3dbc0-7791-11e7-90c0-90a9d1bc9691
That's how it was presented to us by the media and congress, but didn't he have a veto pen?
My gut feeling is if he would Have vetoed it, he just would have been impeached earlier about Ukraine, and it would have been over ridden by Congress.
This was in the middle of the Russiagate Hysteria and the Mueller star chamber.
But Trump professes to be proud of what he did. None of this is a badge of courage. And he continues to espouse the idea of flooding Ukraine with weapons, may have greenlit that to Mikey Johnson, rather than condemning what came before.
Trump had to get elected and not be successfully frozen as a Putin Puppet. Tulsi is being slimed as a Putin sympathizer. Many Dems still believe the Russian collusion was true.
The link I posted from his first term how congress forced his hand on sanctions.
And Trump is proud of almost everything he does. super positive way of thinking and acting. It’s him.
Because there was a negotiated treaty between Putin and Zelensky but the Biden administration said no and stopped it. In comes Boris Johnson.
And the rest is history .....
He also cancelled the INF treaty and immediately entered into a deal to locate nuclear missiles in Germany. Very threatening.
No wars? Tell that to Soleimani. What was going on in Afghanistan and Syria?
I enthusiastically voted for Trump. But that doesn’t mean I consider him above criticism or that the man can do no wrong.
That's non-responsive.
Note that Trump worked with Speaker Johnson to get the latest Ukraine aid passed - over $50B.