US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
Deep down I'm very superficial
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles ... ican-power
Sometime in the last two years, American hegemony died. The age of U.S. dominance was a brief, heady era, about three decades marked by two moments, each a breakdown of sorts. It was born amid the collapse of the Berlin Wall, in 1989. The end, or really the beginning of the end, was another collapse, that of Iraq in 2003, and the slow unraveling since. But was the death of the United States’ extraordinary status a result of external causes, or did Washington accelerate its own demise through bad habits and bad behavior? That is a question that will be debated by historians for years to come. But at this point, we have enough time and perspective to make some preliminary observations.
ultracrepidarian
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
ultracrepidarian
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
True nuff.noddy wrote:https://nationalinterest.org/feature/tr ... rder-36177
It never really existed to begin with
"liberal" and "order" are two of those words whose desired definitions are extremely subjective, like "fair," "justice," "moral," "rich," etc. Alpha animal gets to define, other animals can decide to agree or not.
"Trump is not my preferred POTUS!" is synonimus with "Trump broke everything!"
Trying to "fix" in the international arena is entertaining, but very ephemeral.
The ancient saying of "All is flux." continues to ring true. Maybe AI can be used to fix humanity?
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
I have notice for the most part that everyone that is saying Trump is wrong on China have a vested interest in China.
Colonel Sun wrote:Spenglerman opines on the China - US trade war.
ATimes - Spenglerman | Art Laffer’s Chinese curve ball
Egged on by misguided advice, the Trump administration is bringing a knife to a gunfight in its competition with ChinaIf you want to compare the debt position of the United States and China, consider that the United States has run up US$21 trillion in government debt, and has nothing to show for it but future obligations to pay entitlements. China has run up a similar amount of debt but has used it to build infrastructure. It now has dozens of brand new cities designed for self-driving cars, 30,000 kilometers of high-speed trains, excellent roads, and brand new airports. The US has collapsing infrastructure, a rail system that is a national humiliation, and airports look like third-world leftovers.Also, China is indifferent to postmodernists issues such as intersectionality.All the other problems in the world are trivial next to the challenge of China. Russia has less than half of our population and a GDP the size of Italy [Mod. Australia]. The world’s jihadists are primitive barbarians who can annoy but not defeat us if we show a modicum of resolve.
"I fancied myself as some kind of god....It is a sort of disease when you consider yourself some kind of god, the creator of everything, but I feel comfortable about it now since I began to live it out.” -- George Soros
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
I've been watching this stuff Many videos of recent news to choose from:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... nic+missle
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... date+laser
"I fancied myself as some kind of god....It is a sort of disease when you consider yourself some kind of god, the creator of everything, but I feel comfortable about it now since I began to live it out.” -- George Soros
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
"Fools! They'll all be powerless against my virtual screed featuring the most powerful EMD (Emoji of Mass Destruction)!!!"Doc wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2019 9:18 amI've been watching this stuff Many videos of recent news to choose from:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... nic+missle
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... date+laser
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
I guess you never hear of my:Simple Minded wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2019 3:42 pm"Fools! They'll all be powerless against my virtual screed featuring the most powerful EMD (Emoji of Mass Destruction)!!!"Doc wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2019 9:18 amI've been watching this stuff Many videos of recent news to choose from:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... nic+missle
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... date+laser
"I fancied myself as some kind of god....It is a sort of disease when you consider yourself some kind of god, the creator of everything, but I feel comfortable about it now since I began to live it out.” -- George Soros
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
Yahoo News | In court filing, FBI accidentally reveals name of Saudi official suspected of directing support for 9/11 hijackers
With allies like these . . .“This shows there is a complete government cover-up of the Saudi involvement,” said Brett Eagleson, a spokesman for the 9/11 families whose father was killed in the attacks. “It demonstrates there was a hierarchy of command that’s coming from the Saudi Embassy to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs [in Los Angeles] to the hijackers.”
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
- NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8472
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
very tempted to put this in the political humor section:
some of the replies are great:
some of the replies are great:
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
in other news
https://www.news.com.au/finance/busines ... b1a134ca22
https://www.news.com.au/finance/busines ... b1a134ca22
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has warned that Victoria’s Belt and Road agreement with China, could see the US “simply disconnect” from Australia if it impacts telecommunications.
Victoria is in the final stages of finalising the controversial agreement with China, despite the Federal Government saying it is not in Australia’s best interests.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton on Thursday described China’s initiative as a “propaganda exercise”.
“Victoria needs to explain why it is really the only state in the country that has entered into this agreement,” Mr Dutton told 2GB.
Today Mr Pompeo has warned that the agreement increased the Chinese communist regime’s ability to do “harm”.
While he said he did not know of Victoria’s agreement, he warned it could impact the US’s Five Eyes partnership with Australia.
“We will not take any risks to our telecommunications infrastructure, any risk to the national security elements of what we need to do with our Five Eyes partners,” he said.
“I don’t know the nature of those projects precisely. To the extent they have an adverse impact on our ability to protect telecommunications from our private citizens, or security networks for our defence and intelligence communities – we simply disconnect, we will simply separate.
ultracrepidarian
- NapLajoieonSteroids
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Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
After Canberra's participation in the coup attempt; I wonder how much the Trump administration actually trusts Australia? London is a different kettle of fish. As Mel Gibson has taught us, a duplicitous Albion is baked into the cake.
More intriguingly, what choice would they even have? Us Anglophones are in a stick together or hang separately scenario.
More intriguingly, what choice would they even have? Us Anglophones are in a stick together or hang separately scenario.
- NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8472
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
Secretary Pompeo is much more pro-conventional establishment policy than...ummm...Trumpian- just to put a broad strokes on it- for good&ill&all of that....
But there is something he brought up a few months ago which sort of went under the radar and worth a listen starting at about the 2:12 minute mark here:
g1BbswU3i10
China has the mojo and the money and the strategery to cultivate all sorts of relations to undermine Washington and Canberra and London and, and and....
I mean it is expected, standard stuff (and I'm not suggesting we start imagining the CCP under every rock) which countries do all the time to one another but the situation is a lot more complicated than playing knock-out games with Saddam Hussein and I'm not sure if any of our governments have a picture of what's what.
But there is something he brought up a few months ago which sort of went under the radar and worth a listen starting at about the 2:12 minute mark here:
g1BbswU3i10
China has the mojo and the money and the strategery to cultivate all sorts of relations to undermine Washington and Canberra and London and, and and....
I mean it is expected, standard stuff (and I'm not suggesting we start imagining the CCP under every rock) which countries do all the time to one another but the situation is a lot more complicated than playing knock-out games with Saddam Hussein and I'm not sure if any of our governments have a picture of what's what.
Last edited by NapLajoieonSteroids on Sun May 24, 2020 10:45 am, edited 3 times in total.
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
I dont think many Australians believe America would jump in and protect us from China anymore - Ive posted elsewhere on how the American control of the southern hemisphere has been abandoned for a long time now - it goes beyond Trump.
which isnt to say I agree with Victoria going all in on the Chinese but the ability for us to stand with one foot in each camp is fast fading and its not America thats next door, projecting power.
which isnt to say I agree with Victoria going all in on the Chinese but the ability for us to stand with one foot in each camp is fast fading and its not America thats next door, projecting power.
ultracrepidarian
- NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8472
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
Oh we get it; the first sign of trouble and the lot of you get up and leave.
-----------------
It's completely understandable and things can get very interesting here.
I mean it already is. The official response to the coronavirus seems to be solidifying into China purposefully exported it- whatever its origins- to share in the economic misery it produces.
That's- to me- getting close to war talk.
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It's completely understandable and things can get very interesting here.
I mean it already is. The official response to the coronavirus seems to be solidifying into China purposefully exported it- whatever its origins- to share in the economic misery it produces.
That's- to me- getting close to war talk.
- NapLajoieonSteroids
- Posts: 8472
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2011 7:04 pm
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
Then there are the long ties to China than America has.
One thing which made the Cold War easier to suss out was no one liked the Russians to begin with, , and never got to a point where they were tied together economically, politically. and for a non-zero sum of people; emotionally.
It's something beyond Mao-chic or the old pragmatic support the nationalists...it's this strange thread in the whole story if one goes back and reads old time accounts.
That being said, China messing with Australia or Japan, I still think would be a step too far for Americans.
One thing which made the Cold War easier to suss out was no one liked the Russians to begin with, , and never got to a point where they were tied together economically, politically. and for a non-zero sum of people; emotionally.
It's something beyond Mao-chic or the old pragmatic support the nationalists...it's this strange thread in the whole story if one goes back and reads old time accounts.
That being said, China messing with Australia or Japan, I still think would be a step too far for Americans.
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
I have no doubt that true, I just think its irrelevant - 2 nuclear powered countries cant go to hot war and once it comes to the southern hemisphere, you have already given up.
I documented some of it here
viewtopic.php?f=27&t=4137#p140289
nutshell, Japan and India are the only 2 in the Asian region which havent gone to the Chinese side - even our pissant neighbors like the Solomon Islands - which America saved during WW2 and usually line up with us, are now in the Chinese court
this all happened over the previous decade, its beyond Trump, or old alliances, its just the way it is, they threw cheap loans and infrastructure projects around and *we* (all the of the west) neglected them.
On a pragmatic level, its simpler than all that anyway - America and Europe are too far away and we are physically in Asia - Malaysia is almost as import a trade partner as the US.
https://tradingeconomics.com/australia/ ... by-country
their is no future in Australia not being Asian, it will only be delayed, it cant be avoided, its like you guys with Mexico, their aint no getting away from proximity.
it was good while it lasted that we could play both sides, It doesnt seem thats going to be much longer.
ultracrepidarian
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
Anglophones? Are those the successor to the iPhone X? Aren't they all made in China anyway?NapLajoieonSteroids wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2020 10:29 am After Canberra's participation in the coup attempt; I wonder how much the Trump administration actually trusts Australia? London is a different kettle of fish. As Mel Gibson has taught us, a duplicitous Albion is baked into the cake.
More intriguingly, what choice would they even have? Us Anglophones are in a stick together or hang separately scenario.
Anglophone would be a cool name for the next Android! Except the name is........... RACIST!
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
Maybe you guys should look to the past for solutions for the future. (tm)noddy wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2020 12:20 pm
their is no future in Australia not being Asian, it will only be delayed, it cant be avoided, its like you guys with Mexico, their aint no getting away from proximity.
it was good while it lasted that we could play both sides, It doesnt seem thats going to be much longer.
You know like when a French princess would marry an English prince to avoid future wars.
Kinda like cross pollination to diminish the lethality of the killer bees/Asian Murder Hornets.....
Based on all the pictures Colonel Sun post of hot Asian chics, Strine men would be getting the better of that deal.
It would be a great opportunity for you to screw them for a change...... literally and figuratively!
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
Simple Minded wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2020 1:36 pm
. . .
Based on all the pictures Colonel Sun post of hot Asian chics, Strine men would be getting the better of that deal.
It would be a great opportunity for you to screw them for a change...... literally and figuratively!
Decades ago, a Western gaijin [slang; foreigner] landing in Japan could, due to his rare and exotic nature, become instantly transformed into Charisma Man who would not lack for curious female company.
Today, thanks to inexpensive international travel [well, until recently] and changing perceptions of the West, this is no longer the case.
Same for the major cities in China.
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
To return to the topic.
Tablet | The China Question
Tablet | The China Question
In matters of trade and manufacturing, the United States has not been the naive victim of cunning Chinese masterminds.
We [the US] asked for this.
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
It would be a glorious thing indeed to witness the fat middle aged male politician declare that the new immigration policy was only for nubile young women and all the rest of their family could stay in their home country.Simple Minded wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2020 1:36 pmMaybe you guys should look to the past for solutions for the future. (tm)noddy wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2020 12:20 pm
their is no future in Australia not being Asian, it will only be delayed, it cant be avoided, its like you guys with Mexico, their aint no getting away from proximity.
it was good while it lasted that we could play both sides, It doesnt seem thats going to be much longer.
You know like when a French princess would marry an English prince to avoid future wars.
Kinda like cross pollination to diminish the lethality of the killer bees/Asian Murder Hornets.....
Based on all the pictures Colonel Sun post of hot Asian chics, Strine men would be getting the better of that deal.
It would be a great opportunity for you to screw them for a change...... literally and figuratively!
ultracrepidarian
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
America threatening us for trade with China, China threatening us for backing Trump.
https://www.news.com.au/world/north-ame ... 2e5de041e2
https://www.news.com.au/world/north-ame ... 2e5de041e2
maybe we should increase ties with India and Pakistan to round out the clusterfuck.The Chinese government has warned Australia to “distance” itself from the United States amid growing tensions between the two countries, saying it would be “extremely dangerous” for Canberra to get involved.
China is Australia’s largest trading partner, while the US is one of our key strategic allies. But Beijing says any show of support for the latter will deliver our economy a “fatal blow”.
“If the Trump administration plunges the world into a ‘new Cold War,’ forcing China to take countermeasures against the US and its allies, it would be extremely dangerous for Canberra to become a player in a diplomatic club led by the US, given Australia's high dependence on the Chinese economy,” an article in the Global Times said.
ultracrepidarian
Re: US Foreign Policy | Past and Present
I understand and appreciate the difficulty of your decision.NapLajoieonSteroids wrote: ↑Sun May 24, 2020 9:33 am very tempted to put this in the political humor section:
. . .
This reads as satire worthy of the Babylon Bee.
I'm gobsmacked that this article was written in earnest.
The nickname of the US State Dept is "Foggy Bottom" for a good reason.
One has to accord a certain respect to the former British Empire.
The British, unlike the Americans, had no interest in being liked, they expected to be obeyed.
The British also made an effort to understand the cultures of their colonies.
Who was fighting whom and why, which they used to great advantage by playing factions off of one another.
Nor did they harbour any illusions that "inside every wog was an Englishman dying to get out".
May the gods preserve and defend me from self-righteous altruists; I can defend myself from my enemies and my friends.