Epstein Suicide

[Bert]

PBS News.

[Void]

On the N Korea thing - I'm a huge fan of making it harder for your enemies, particularly future generations of your enemies, to hate you. The reference towards Attila is an argument towards possessing material strength, rather than against trying to be peaceful imo, and you can very much do both at once. By all means, be strong enough to send Attila packing - anything less and he'll come after you - but once you are at that point then it is worth trying actions that might give future peace the best chance. In this instance, I think Bushwacker is right to suggest any kind of olive branch is worth a shot - which is worlds better than trying to cut them off and strangle them into concessions, which fosters and actively nourishes the regime's control while also making it painfully easy for their people to hate you, both now and generations from now.

Sure, it's scary when the country is one great big death cult, but it doesn't always have to be that way - and a dose of positive diplomacy seems like a worthy effort to at least try to get traction in that direction. The less isolated the people of N Korea are, the more the regime will ultimately wobble as one decade slips into another. Sabre-rattling - and there has been A LOT of sabre-rattling in recent years - just continues turning a wheel of fear and perceived slights that fans the very flames it is intended to control. Trump admitting it is both provocative and a pointless waste of money is actively encouraging in my book, and is at least a step towards stopping that wheel.

When the only real alternative is actual war, toppling the regime, then absolutely I think an earnest crack at diplomacy, playing the long game, is the way to go. Let globalization diffuse the situation over time, and the S Korean president could yet have his wish of a unified peninsula by 2045. I'll merrily pillory Trump about many things, but this is not one of them.

[Bert]

Perhaps Trump is playing the long game with North Korea. It's within the realm of possibility. But it would be the first time we've ever seen that type of strategic thinking from Trump on a policy matter. His pattern thus far has been to do the opposite of Obama at every opportunity, and to make rash decisions based on his gut. He distrusts the entire intelligence community, doesn't read briefing papers and ignores the State department. He has driven out or released every semi-capable cabinet member and replaced them with kooks, yes men and acting appointments who lack authority. The revolving door of White House appointments shows that no one can work with the man for long. Comments from former staff match up with accounts from Woodward's book, and reporting from multiple sources, of a chaotic White House led by a man with little understanding, curiosity or intelligence. Trump's business life was just a series of scams that worked until they didn't and were replaced with new ones.

Trump views the presidency as a reality TV show. He wants to be seen as winning, every day. The summits he held with Kim were massive ratings winners that splashed his name across every newspaper in the world. Now, does a man who keeps every magazine cover that he appears on, and placed framed copies of fake Time magazine covers in the club houses of his golf resorts, sound like a man in search of a daily rush, or a long term policy guy trying to solve an intractable problem? Occam's Razor suggests the former.

[Void]

Haha, indeed I don't have much confidence that his intentions or reasoning are quite so credible, but I'm at least on board with the action they led to here - and I'll not rule out that some amount of his reasoning might have been alright. You only have to look at his dealing with Iran to see what is essentially the opposite approach - so there isn't exactly a coherent, consistent game plan being carried out. Well, that's not entirely true... it actually is fairly consistent with trying to do the opposite of Obama, go figure.

But hey, in terms of judging the action itself, I'm okay with this one.

[tallyho]

BWB,
The edict is about calling EACH OTHER names. If anyone wants to say anything about a non board member, have at.

[Bert]

My eighth grade french teacher was a hag. Ahh, that felt good.

[bushwackerbob]

BWB,
The edict is about calling EACH OTHER names. If anyone wants to say anything about a non board member, have at.

Are we sure that Dazzle 1 is not Trump? Just kidding.

[Femina]

Perhaps Trump is playing the long game with North Korea. It's within the realm of possibility. But it would be the first time we've ever seen that type of strategic thinking from Trump on a policy matter. His pattern thus far has been to do the opposite of Obama at every opportunity, and to make rash decisions based on his gut. He distrusts the entire intelligence community, doesn't read briefing papers and ignores the State department. He has driven out or released every semi-capable cabinet member and replaced them with kooks, yes men and acting appointments who lack authority. The revolving door of White House appointments shows that no one can work with the man for long. Comments from former staff match up with accounts from Woodward's book, and reporting from multiple sources, of a chaotic White House led by a man with little understanding, curiosity or intelligence. Trump's business life was just a series of scams that worked until they didn't and were replaced with new ones.

Trump views the presidency as a reality TV show. He wants to be seen as winning, every day. The summits he held with Kim were massive ratings winners that splashed his name across every newspaper in the world. Now, does a man who keeps every magazine cover that he appears on, and placed framed copies of fake Time magazine covers in the club houses of his golf resorts, sound like a man in search of a daily rush, or a long term policy guy trying to solve an intractable problem? Occam's Razor suggests the former.

I don't think Trump has the patience to play the long game in ANY area of his life. He's like an ADD Only child who never grew up.

[Visitor]

At least we aren't paying N. Korea anymore, and we did get back some of our war heroes remains back. That is a lot better than the previous Presidents have done!

Appeasement doesn't work.

We got back 55 remains which represents about 3% of the estimated missing troops out of which only 3 were identified as US soldiers. After that nothing to show how Trump got played.

North Korea has expanded construction at the sites known to involve nuclear missile and has done more live testing of missiles.

You are right that appeasement doesn't work which is exactly what Trump is doing in order to look good.

[Femina]

I'd also like to point out that X would have been worse than Y as a full argument needs to be put down like Old Yeller.

It doesn't matter if Trump is 'at least doing better or worse than' other Presidents... He's still terrible. It doesn't matter if Hillary would have been worse, she's NOT the President we're dealing with.

What matters is that Trump is doing a terrible job and making America look like a joke of a country. THATS the only thing that matters. Not who he's better than, not who would have been worse, THOSE things aren't problems right now. We need to be dealing with the problem.

[Bert]

Well sure, but if he's successful in buying Greenland...that changes everything.

[DrDominator9]

Well sure, but if he's successful in buying Greenland...that changes everything.

It's not really green you know. It's a trick! And Iceland isn't really ice. Another trick! Those wily Europeans!

[Femina]

Well sure, but if he's successful in buying Greenland...that changes everything.

You mean the Island that the Norse were so desperate to leave they began raiding the English coastline?


What do we need Greenland for anyway? Does Trump think he might raid Fafnir's hoard for treasure? Or wait I know, he wants an army of Trolls!

[Bert]

Maybe a gift for his bestie Kim?

[bushwackerbob]

Trump at this moment is probably trying to figure out where in Greenland to put his new Trump hotel and golf course.

[tallyho]

Well sure, but if he's successful in buying Greenland...that changes everything.

It's not really green you know. It's a trick! And Iceland isn't really ice. Another trick! Those wily Europeans!

You"ll be saying England isnt really Eng next

[theScribbler]

Maybe a gift for his bestie Kim?

Don't tell Kanye!

Oh wait, you mean the other Kim.