May 25, 2018

Trump's antagonists are enjoying themselves over the break in the momentum toward a North Korean deal.



But the process isn't over, and I assume it's a dealmaking dance in which breaks like this a part of the process. Isn't that what Trump wrote in "The Art of the Deal" and has talked about innumerable times? Trump haters shouldn't exult over his failure until they see how this ends. And maybe even then, they shouldn't exult. Don't we all want a better, safer world? Or is seeing Trump fail better?

459 comments:

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wildswan said...

And I was proud of Trump for pulling out when Kim got ugly. Previous leaders have sent pallets of cash and even whole countries like Czechoslovakia to dictators when the dictators got ugly. Trump just said the deal's off. And, we'll see.

Yancey Ward said...

While I have always doubted there is a deal to be made here, a preemptive cancelling of the summit by Trump isn't a bad strategy. Here is why: sometimes you have to walk away from the negotiating table, and the threat to do so must be believable before you sit down to negotiate. By doing this preemptively in response to the North Korea dictator's verbal jousts the last few days, Trump makes this threat believable for when and if there is a summit. North Korea's responses since last night suggest the strategy is working, but, again, there is literally no way of knowing if the North Koreans even want a real deal or not. Like I wrote yesterday, this jockeying, and I expect to see more of it before the two men sit down at a table.

Seeing Red said...

If Kim wanted to save face, then the representatives should have shown up to the meeting. He did it to himself.

Yes Alex, a lot of us know that.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Trump lowered the US status as a superpower, not just by this fiasco, but also with his pulling out of the Iran deal and by antagonizing much of Europe.

“The big picture: Gone is American credibility to manage complex global issues. In fact, rather than acting as the bulwark against dangers to world order, the U.S. is now seen as the country inflaming them.

Ironically, given how Trump has handled the two cases, the sympathy of our allies and the broader international community lies with Iran and North Korea. He has alienated U.S. allies just when he needs them most, to the benefit of geopolitical rivals: Much to Russia's delight, the demise of the Iran deal has created a rift between the U.S. and its European allies, while the collapse of the Trump–Kim summit has put the U.S. at odds with South Korea, which suits China.

The administration’s strategy can be boiled down to the hope that “maximum pressure” will compel Iran and North Korea to accept new deals. But why would they? The threat of maximum pressure rings hollow when there is scant support for it among U.S. allies. Nor is it convincing that the U.S. would be able to effectively apply maximum pressure on both Iran and North Korea at the same time.

The bottom line: The global expectation now is that Washington will fail. That does not bode well for U.S. foreign policy.”

Axios

Alex said...

Even South Koreans are heavily a shame-driven culture do NOT want Dotard telling them how to get peace in the region. SK would rather broker it with China, just them. To save face.

buwaya said...

"I bet not a single Dotard conservative on this site understand what 'face' means to a Chinese or Korean person."

Asian character here. "Face" is important. Its also negotiable and spinnable, fold and spindleable, give-awayable and regainable and negotiable.

Seeing Red said...

The President of the US should not have his or her schedule revolve around North Korea.

Original Mike said...

Blogger Inga said...”North Korea was never a superpower, but leave it to Trump, he can do anything.”

North Korea has, or is approaching, the wherewithal to kill 10s of millions of Americans with an EMP attack. And it wouldn’t be a quick death, merciful death.

But bitch about semantics if you want.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Khesanh 0802 said...
OT for ARM, Who was making relevant points about the price of oil after withdrawal from the wonderful Iran deal.


Too late. I was converted by all the cogent and well-sourced arguments for what a wonderful thing it was that oil prices were going up.

Drago said...

Inga: "North Korea was never a superpower, but leave it to Trump, he can do anything"

History began 5 minutes ago and Inga has already forgotten that the lefties claim NK is a superpower!

It's gotta be difficult for her. The whirling dervish spinning and obvious fatigue from one failed talking point campaign to another has clearly taken its toll.

Remember: Talking to NK represents failure for Trump; Not talking to NK represents a failure for Trump; Thinking about talking to NK is a failure for Trump; Not thinking about talking to NK is a failure for Trump; etc etc etc

Exhausting...but in a good "accomplished alot today" sort of way...

LOL

Matt Sablan said...

"Ironically, given how Trump has handled the two cases, the sympathy of our allies and the broader international community lies with Iran and North Korea."

-- If our allies would rather we give money to Iran, which is a rogue regime that supports terror networks, and that we allow North Korea to skip meetings to plan for peace talks, then... maybe our allies aren't the best allies in the world.

The Iran deal was a mess, and should never have happened, especially since Congress was illegally kept in the dark. If Obama had done it the right way, we'd have had less of a give-away to Iran, a stronger deal, and a legally binding one that Trump couldn't have just walked away from. Yet again, Obama's cavalier attitude towards the law bit his legacy in the ass.

Matt Sablan said...

"SK would rather broker it with China, just them."

-- If that were true, they would do so. I'm just sure it is a peace they would actually like.

Drago said...

ARM: "Too late. I was converted by all the cogent and well-sourced arguments for what a wonderful thing it was that oil prices were going up."

You have really hit rock bottom.

Which is sad, because unlike Inga, you know better. But then, #resistance requires total commitment.

Sort of like the Baader-Meinhof Red Army Faction.

Total Commitment.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Drago said...
You have really hit rock bottom.


I am hurt. You really don't know me at all. I can always go lower.

Drago said...

It sure sounded like those Naval Academy grads enjoyed Trump's speech. It is a most welcome change from the dems supporting Hamas.

I don't think that's going to help the dems increase their already woeful % of military voters...

LOL

Alex said...

Face is most South Koreans want US troops out of their country a long time ago. The last 60 years is a national humiliation for them. US never gave 'Sunshine' policy a chance, being the warmonger nation it is.

Seeing Red said...

Inga, I thought the goal of leading from behind and we're all equal is to NOT HAVE the US as a superpower.
Will you please make up your mind and stick to it?

It’s the Europeans, that’s about the euros. The Germans have a history of selling contraband to the ME. Don’t you remember Saddam and his big gun? It’s just going back to the default world. WWII is over. Because of their population mix they have different goals than we do.

Matt Sablan said...

(Honestly, Obama's inability to follow things through or follow proper, legal procedures, probably is the biggest problem in his legacy. He didn't follow-up on the stimulus to make it timely, targeted and temporary; he had such a poor grasp of how his administration was being run that major operations were news to him; he went with the easy method of pen-and-phone instead of the hard work of actually working with Congress, etc., etc. If he hadn't been so averse to doing things the long, hard way, he'd have been a better president.)

Drago said...

ARM: "I am hurt. You really don't know me at all. I can always go lower."

Nope. You won't. You could, but you know you just can't bring yourself to do it.

You'll continue to play your limited role for Team Dem, advancing the always changing and contradictory talking points.

You'll continue to wrap it in some tongue in cheek humor and self-deprecating comments (which never hurts).

Michael K said...

Inga, you know what brings our "allies" around?

He has alienated U.S. allies just when he needs them most, to the benefit of geopolitical rivals:

No, it's called "Show me the Money !"

Poor Inga. This is heavy stuff and you really need to read a couple of books.

Jim at said...

The bottom line: The global expectation now is that Washington will fail. That does not bode well for U.S. foreign policy.”

You spend way too much time being wrong.

buwaya said...

"by antagonizing much of Europe."

One thing the superpower does is to show the back of the hand to its allies who don't go along. Just as Eisenhower did by shutting down Britain and France at Suez in 1956, another one of those European consensus things.

A superpower leads, it does not follow.

Russia btw is NOT a superpower rival. Its trying to get a remunerative relationship with the likes of Iran, that is, make money off them. Likewise Europe.

As for Europe, the most anti-Russian parts of it are in Eastern Europe, which the EU is beginning to despise. If the EU were anti-Russian, it would be backing Poland to the hilt. But it isn't, its harassing its government in favor of a more pro-Russian opposition.

And if the EU were anti-Russian, the EU would be backing alternatives to natural-gas imports from Russia, but it is doing the opposite.

Consider why this is so.

Drago said...

Alex: "Face is most South Koreans want US troops out of their country a long time ago. The last 60 years is a national humiliation for them. US never gave 'Sunshine' policy a chance, being the warmonger nation it is."

LOL

Michael K said...

"Don’t you remember Saddam and his big gun?"

Are you kidding ? Inga know something that her grandchildren don't know ?

Ask her about Gerard Bull, for example.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Drago said...
the always changing and contradictory talking points.


Like the goodness or badness of changing oil prices?

Bay Area Guy said...

@Alex,

Face is most South Koreans want US troops out of their country a long time ago. The last 60 years is a national humiliation for them. US never gave 'Sunshine' policy a chance, being the warmonger nation it is.

Out of curiosity, are you an American citizen?

Without those 60 years of American protection, the Norks woulda conquered South Korea, just as the North Vietnam conquered South Vietnam.

Michael K said...

And if the EU were anti-Russian, the EU would be backing alternatives to natural-gas imports from Russia, but it is doing the opposite.

They have no idea what you are talking about. They know Trump and some Europeans don't like him. That's enough.

They know nothing about the Soviet pipeline that Reagan blew up to keep Germany from getting dependent on Soviet gas.

History began this morning.

buwaya said...

"US never gave 'Sunshine' policy a chance, being the warmonger nation it is."

You used to be able to get SK characters saying that a decade or more ago, but its become a less popular opinion in SK. Anti-Americanism was a thing around about 2000-2008-ish, but its died down a lot.

Alex said...

The US has brought unspeakable horror onto the world since 1898.

Michael K said...

Blogger Alex said...
The US has brought unspeakable horror onto the world since 1898.


How are your plans going to leave before you are contaminated?

Seeing Red said...


Face is most South Koreans want US troops out of their country a long time ago. The last 60 years is a national humiliation for them. US never gave 'Sunshine' policy a chance, being the warmonger nation it is.

Yes Alex, because their history with China and Japan was so peaceful. It’s much better if we didn’t interfere. Then the Sorks would be as emaciated and have the stunted growth the NorKs have. My dry cleaner is South Korean. Have you looked at those physical stats since the countries were divided? When did Nixon go to China again?

Anonymous said...

@Inga You made the post without comment. One has to assume, in that case, that you agreed with the analysis. Does your current denial of NORKS superpower status indicate that you disagree with your earlier post?

Drago said...

ARM: "Like the goodness or badness of changing oil prices?"

Perfect example of the games you play.

The discussion revolved around why oil prices were rising and the many variables involved and how record and increasing US production plays a part.

But you knew that.

Drago said...

The most unspeakable horror the US has brought forth is clearly the Soy Burger.

Clearly.

Seeing Red said...

Facepalm out of everyone on this board, Inga should know or understand the best our history with Europe.

Bay Area Guy said...

@Alex,

"The US has brought unspeakable horror onto the world since 1898"

Does that include storming the beach at Normandy (June 1944) to rescue France and Europe from Nazi rule?

C'mon, humor me. Are you a confused leftist American or from a foreign country? That latter makes much more sense.

Anonymous said...

@Alex Right. It was the US Army that swept through Belgium in 1914; and the US Army that swept through the Ardennes in 1941; the US Marines that were guilty of the Rape of Nanking and, I suppose, the Marines can be blamed for the attacks on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines in '41/2; and of course the US 8th Army should be blamed for not being swept off the Korean peninsula in 1950.

Original Mike said...

”Face is most South Koreans want US troops out of their country a long time ago.”

Yeah? Let’s put it to a vote. A real, binding vote. I doubt the “leave” proposition would garner 10%.

Seeing Red said...

Alex you’re free to stop using antibiotics any time you wish. Bayer should be just fine. Also make sure your children don’t get polio shots. Also no blue jeans. Etc. But if I were you? I’d stay out of Pakistan.

Inga...Allie Oop said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Drago said...
The discussion revolved around why oil prices were rising and the many variables involved and how record and increasing US production plays a part.


You are too kind, to your fellow righties. Admittedly, you don't seem to invest a lot of time reading what they write.

Original Mike said...

”Trump haters shouldn't exult over his failure until they see how this ends. And maybe even then, they shouldn't exult. Don't we all want a better, safer world? Or is seeing Trump fail better?”

Some of these people haven’t thought things through. Some are mentally ill.

Inga...Allie Oop said...


Khesanh, please link to my statement in which I said North Korea was a superpower. Are you confusing me with John Pickering? If you had used some critical thinking when you read his post you would’ve understood what he meant by that.

Anonymous said...

No ARM you were pissing and moaning about oil prices going up and quite proud of it. They just took a larger drop today than on the day you were showing your superior knowledge of the world.

Alex said...

Noam Chomsky:

If the Nuremberg laws were applied, then every post-war American president would have been hanged. By violation of the Nuremberg laws I mean the same kind of crimes for which people were hanged in Nuremberg.

Chomsky is the leading intellectual in American history, I think he's pretty much the authority on this subject. Not Dotards.

Seeing Red said...

And while I do get the timeline from the Curies to Lister, no bandages either. After all Nr. Johnson was an American. I also think you should start slicing your own bread. I met a relative of the inventor last year.

Drago said...

ARM: "You are too kind, to your fellow righties. Admittedly, you don't seem to invest a lot of time reading what they write."

And when called out and exposed you now invariably pull that. I guess that's going to be it from you from here on out.

Seeing Red said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

@ARM Please don't misquote me. I said "pissing and moaning" and I meant it.

Michael K said...


Drago said...
the always changing and contradictory talking points.

Like the goodness or badness of changing oil prices?


ARM, were you one of the Carter people saying there were oil tankers hiding offshore to get oil prices to go up ?

Asking for a friend.

Michael K said...

Chomsky is the leading Communist intellectual in American history, I think he's pretty much the authority on this subject. Not Dotards.

FIFY

Anonymous said...

@Alex Chomsky is your source? Wow! Isn't that lovely?

Bay Area Guy said...

Noam Chomsky:

If the Nuremberg laws were applied, then every post-war American president would have been hanged. By violation of the Nuremberg laws I mean the same kind of crimes for which people were hanged in Nuremberg.

Chomsky is the leading intellectual in American history, I think he's pretty much the authority on this subject. Not Dotards.

Chomsky thinks Dem Presidents Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy should be hanged as war criminals?

Are you a college kid, Alex?

Michael K said...

Chomsky is actually a pretty good linguist but I don't know anyone but a leftist idiot who would consider him a general intellectual.

Of course, many Marxists consider themselves "intellectuals."

buwaya said...

"The US has brought unspeakable horror onto the world since 1898."

It was indeed 1898 that brought the US on as a major geopolitical player. Just being there changed the path of all sorts of processes that had a direct bearing on great events. Who knows how many wars were created simply due to the fact of America. Deep history is the deep examination of contrafactuals.

On the other hand, going even deeper, it was the mere fact of the United States, its successful revolution, its constitution, its attraction to immigrants, had a perhaps even more profound effect on the world. Its a bit difficult to appreciate just how much that changed the intellectual climate everywhere. Its arguably the case that without a US revolution there would have been no French Revolution. And so down the chain. No George Washington, no Lenin and Stalin. What else would have happened instead is of course an interesting exercise.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Khesanh 0802 said...
No ARM you were pissing and moaning about oil prices going up and quite proud of it.


Pretty sure that linking to an article posted on Drudge doesn't count as 'pissing and moaning', at least for most people.

I actually had a broader point with Drudge, he seems to be off the Trump train. Not completely, he still hates the left, but not in love with Trump either.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Michael K said...
Asking for a friend.


Need evidence for the existence of this unicorn.

Michael said...

Ah, the "Asian character." It is common in Japanese business for the Japanese to hold long pauses after making a statement. To the western mind these pauses are intolerable, the silence a bomb going off in their ears. So they break the silence. Every time. Or most every time. I was in the office of the head man at a large trading company sitting in one of the chairs with the doilys on the arms, cold tea on the table in front of me. I told my colleague to keep his mouth sealed shut, no matter what happened. The head man made his utterance and I held my tongue. And held it. And held it. And held it. An eternity. Finally the head man broke the silence with a small smile, ordered fresh tea and we began what was a long and profitable relationship. A lot is said in those long uninterrupted silences. A lesson.

Bay Area Guy said...

@Doc K,

Chomsky is actually a pretty good linguist....

Ahah, good Doctor. See, Wolfe, Tom - Kingdom of Speech -- where Wolfe hammers Chomsky on linguistics (but gets hammered by Chomsky defenders)

Alex said...

Michael... the point is that Asian businessman was testing you American monkeys to see if you had the minimum amount of discipline to keep your fucking traps shut for even a minute. You see the difference - between human and monkey?

Jess said...

If the truth was completely known, I wouldn't be surprised to find China is irritated their neighbor is polluting with nuclear waste, and is "encouraging" North Korea to play ball, or find the rest of the world is like Mister Rogers compared to the wrath of China.

As far a Trump's upcoming visit, it will probably happen, North Korea will make some concessions, China will guarantee North Korea will stay in line for a few years, and the media will continue with hypoxic rants.

Michael said...

Alex!!
Sweet Jesus, stop. Just stop. Chomsky.
You are many many laps behind, dude. Many.

Nonapod said...

This should need to be said, but...

Any reasonably informed student of history and global politics knows that any great sin that could possibly be leveled against the US can almost always be leveled against most other nations, and usually ten fold at least. While far from perfect, the United States of America has far more often than not been a force for peace and prosperity throughout the world, a bulwark against authoritarian regimes (both theocratic and communist), warlords, and kleptocrats. The US has done far more good than harm.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...


"And I was proud of Trump for pulling out when Kim got ugly. Previous leaders have sent pallets of cash and even whole countries like Czechoslovakia to dictators when the dictators got ugly. Trump just said the deal's off. And, we'll see."

This. Apparently no Leftist understands how negotiation works. Trump does, and you're laughably naive if you don't think the President of the United States doesn't have a stack o' experts on North Korean thinking/behavior at his disposal. Alex's understanding of "face" sounds like it came from a Clavell novel.

Henry said...

Pretty tedious thread here.

Anyway, I think one of those established norms that Trump is violating is the establishment faith in sunk costs.

It appears that nothing is more important to U.S. diplomacy than the robotic adherence to failed policy. How else can we be trusted?

Michael said...

Alex
Why, I do. I do see the difference between humans and monkeys but I think your analogy, if that was what you were trying there, doesn't quite fit the story I told. But perhaps you could use your Chompskian linguistic skills to tell us about your business dealings in Asia.

And I presume you are a non American monkey. Inform us. Please.

Matt Sablan said...

"While far from perfect, the United States of America has far more often than not been a force for peace and prosperity throughout the world, a bulwark against authoritarian regimes (both theocratic and communist), warlords, and kleptocrats.'

-- America is also unique in that, as a country, we honestly attempt to redeem our mistakes. We have an entire room in the Holocaust museum of how America could have done more, for example.

Char Char Binks, Esq. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
rcocean said...

"It was indeed 1898 that brought the US on as a major geopolitical player."

That's where we went wrong and made our FIRST big international mistake.
We made the Philippines a colony because peeps like TR wanted to have colony too, like all the other Great powers. He and McKinley then doubled down and only purchased Guam from Spain, instead of the whole Marianas and Marshall Islands.

Oh, and we got Puerto Rico, which has been nothing but dead weight for 120 years.

Think of how much better life would be here if we hadn't been spending billions/Trillons overseas or on Military for the last 120 years!

But people love the bread and circuses. "Giddy Minds and foreign quarrels".

Drago said...

The Cracker Emcee Rampant: "Apparently no Leftist understands how negotiation works."

Nonsense.

Leftists understand perfectly well how negotiation works:

Step 1: Identify an enemy of America
Step 2: Give that enemy what they want
Step 3: ..............well, the leftists never really needed a Step 3......

Qwinn said...

Name another country in world history that, having gained enough power to dominate its neighbors militarily, never chose to conquer them.

The fact that Canada and Mexico, and Central America for that matter, didn't long ago become vassal states in the American Empire is the only argument one needs to disprove every bullshit word that comes out of America hating commies like Alex's mouth.

Then again, I've been here at althouse long enough to know that Alex is a moby against the lefties today, and he was a moby against the right yesterday, and he will be again tomorrow.

bagoh20 said...

All these assholes should take a few moments to enjoy themselves over all the previous failures which are now clear and confirmed before they jump on this new approach that has hardly even started yet and clearly baffles them despite it's obvious gamesmanship. After it succeeds, I'll be waiting for their apologies and that great moment when they take equal time
to publicly admit that they are fools and Trump has done an amazing thing to that proves that point.

Even if Trump fails, his approach is much wiser than trying the samed failed method one more time with much higher stakes. The past naive approaches that put us in the situation where NorKo can now nuke American territory. We can prevent it one way or another, and now due to past geniuses and can kickers, we have to.

PackerBronco said...

Silly Trump. Why doesn't he do what his brilliant predecessor would do and get them back to table by giving them hundreds of millions of dollars and releasing some terrorists?

AlbertAnonymous said...

Inga, cutting and pasting with approval at 12:04:

“The bungling of the U.S. President, who has elevated the North Korean dictatorship to equal status with the world's greatest superpower, is likely to result...”

Inga at 1:03:

“Who said North Korea is a superpower?”

Achilles said...

Alex said...
Face is most South Koreans want US troops out of their country a long time ago. The last 60 years is a national humiliation for them. US never gave 'Sunshine' policy a chance, being the warmonger nation it is.

This is the left today.

South Korea and North Korea from space.

Support MS-13.

Support Hamas.

Support North Korea.

Support Iran.

Support Repealing the first amendment.

Support repealing the second amendment.

Support repealing the 4th amendment.

Pretty much just want to burn the bill of rights.

Support spying on political opponents.

You are disgusting people.

Seeing Red said...

There are always Lenins and Stalins and Maos and Castros and Pol Pots and Chavez’ and Maduros.

walter said...

This must "fail" so Alex can save face..

Michael K said...

Blogger Bay Area Guy said...
@Doc K,

Chomsky is actually a pretty good linguist....

Ahah, good Doctor. See, Wolfe, Tom - Kingdom of Speech -


I tend to follow Stephen Pinker more than Tom Wolfe on linguistics.

Alex is either a Marxist high school student or is a doing a parody of a leftist fool.

The world, certainly Europe, was destroyed by World War I. I am currently reading The Sleepwalkers, which is an interminable history of why the war happened.

Nothing has been the same since. The French Revolution is the more remote cause but one could even say the Peace of Westphalia was at fault as it established the European states.

France is much more culpable for WWI than most assume. The Germans, of course, acted like Germans. The Pat Buchanan book is a pretty good source of alternate theories. He blames Grey and Churchill but France was definitely not innocent.

The level of ignorance in some comments can be frustrating, Henry, I agree.

Still we do have some fun if we can scroll quickly past a few commenters.

sakredkow said...

"Trump's antagonists are enjoying themselves" - what bs. It's sickening to see what our great nation has become.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Albert Sweetie, how difficult is this to you? That was a quote from another commenter and if you too had read John Pickering comment with some critical thought you would have understood what he meant. Sheesh, such literal dummies.

bagoh20 said...

Name another country in world history that, having gained enough power to dominate its neighbors militarily, never chose to conquer them.

Or one which also has the special history of conquering its enimies in self defense, and then freeing them and building them into the most prosperous, stable, and peaceful nations in the world. The best thing that can happen to a nation is to be defeated by the U.S. in war. I expect the same will happen to North Korea one way or another.

The powerful thing is that the prospect of what a peaceful open relationship with the U.S.could do for North Korea, it's people, and it's leaders is an incredible carrot and the stick can be avoided if Kim will just let it. I think this is what the Trump people are selling to them. China hasn't done them much good, becuase that's not what they do. We are the bet that wins. We build great nations if they let us.

Rusty said...

Alex said...
"Face is most South Koreans want US troops out of their country a long time ago. The last 60 years is a national humiliation for them. US never gave 'Sunshine' policy a chance, being the warmonger nation it is."

Alex. We're still at war with N Korea. Trump will bring peace to the peninsula.

walter said...

Carrot, stick...and yesterday's smack with a rolled up newspaper.

Fabi said...

"Chomsky is the leading intellectual in American history, I think he's pretty much the authority on this subject."

I laughed so hard it startled my dog.

Rusty said...



Blogger Fabi said...
"Chomsky is the leading intellectual in American history, I think he's pretty much the authority on this subject."
Farmers gonna be pissed.

Achilles said...

The deal has already been made.

Trump and Xi are just working out the details.

Xi has been trying to push Trump. Trump just yanked the ground out from under him. If Trump closes the NAFTA loop holes on Chinese auto parts shit is going to get real in China. Their banking system is far more unstable than ours. China pushed way too much capital into steel and aluminum production. They have to sell some of their overproduction. If Trump starts taking a percentage out of those products there is no where else to go.

The fact Xi sent Fat Boy groveling after less than 24 hours after Trump pulled out shows you who has hand in this situation.

The Norks collapsed the tunnels to keep the radiation from leaking out as much. Xi told Fat Boy if he turns into more of a problem he is going to start removing body parts. They were going to do this regardless of whether or not there was a deal. Their nuclear program is a fiasco and if shit goes south in NK it is going to be a massive problem for China.

The US economy unfettered by DC will be just fine without trade with China. We will start producing stuff here again. It will be more expensive but we will have more jobs. Most Americans are starting to wake up to the truth of globalism as we watch manufacturing jobs flood back into our country.

The Chinese economy will collapse and implode without trade with the US. People will accept a lack of political freedom if they can make money. The Chinese regime will fall if their economy collapses. Their system has lower taxes, but they have the hidden tax of corruption and it is costly.

Achilles said...

Inga said...
Albert Sweetie, how difficult is this to you? That was a quote from another commenter and if you too had read John Pickering comment with some critical thought you would have understood what he meant. Sheesh, such literal dummies.

It is interesting to watch people use phrases and words they read from others.

Phrases and words they don't understand.

The last 24 hours have been so humiliating for Inga she has to ignore the world in front of her.

bagoh20 said...

Hey Kim, How would you like to be leader of a nation like Japan, Germany, or South Korea? They have internet, cable TV, running water, and food, but no nukes. You can't eat a nuke unless it's force fed. This is something we know about.

Michael K said...

"Sheesh, such literal dummies."

Projection again. Inga, read a book.

Not a cookbook, either.

HT said...

What a doof he is.

walter said...

Achilles said...shows you who has hand in this situation.
--
Maybe you left out a "the"?
Regardless..I like the use of "hand" as contrast to "face".
As in "hand" Trumps "face".

Dude1394 said...

Trump literally got the democrat media party to support North Korea and MS13 over the American people in one week. Damn

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Literally.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Projection again. Inga, read a book.

Not a cookbook, either.”

Oh now now there, can’t hide your sexism at your ripe old age? You’re not back in your glory days barking orders to nurses, lol.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Michael K you made think of Trump. When was the last time Trump read a book? Did he ever read a book? Maybe you could send him your reading list.

Gretchen said...

"“If he cured cancer they would say he put millions of health care makers and wig manufacturers out of work.”

We used to say this about Obama.

Obama couldn't run a falafel stand without a $2 million/yr Federal grant."


Obama is too lazy to apply for a federal grant. He was going to stop the sea from rising, but possessed enough humility to admit laziness.

What did Obama do exactly?

Gahrie said...

The most unspeakable horror the US has brought forth is clearly the Soy Burger.

I vote for rap.

eddie willers said...

Chomsky the linguist is aging as well as Freud the psychologist.

Achilles said...

walter said...
Achilles said...shows you who has hand in this situation.
--
Maybe you left out a "the"?
Regardless..I like the use of "hand" as contrast to "face".
As in "hand" Trumps "face".


Seinfeld properly described the concept of hand in an episode.

An interestingly prescient episode that described exactly what Trump did here.

The media is completely ignoring Fat Boy crawling back to Trump on his belly groveling.

I wonder how long Xi will let Fat Boy screw this up before he steps in overtly.

Achilles said...

Gahrie said...
The most unspeakable horror the US has brought forth is clearly the Soy Burger.

I vote for rap.

If we could claim racist preferences as a unique American concept I would put that right up there with "Hip Hop" culture.

We might only be responsible for naming it Affirmative Action though.

buwaya said...

"When was the last time Trump read a book? "

Charlemagne was illiterate.

n.n said...

Obama saved and redistributed the war in Iraq. He backed a conflict with a real world and nuclear power in Ukraine, and would have forced a full-blown refugee crisis. Also, he was a principal in the Libya-ISIS Affair, that included sodomy and abortion of the government and our own people, and opened abortion fields, literally globally. He was, of course, a first-order forcing of catastrophic anthropogenic immigration reform (a.k.a. refugee crises) and trail of tears. He forced a monopoly in the medical sector that progressed and redistributed the cost of medical care, and borrowed liberally from Medicare, for a short-term illusion of affordability. With liberal abandon, he rewarded the Iranian regime, while their proxies were running amuck through the Middle East. He doubled our national debt, with its progressive consequences. Oh, he established and celebrated political congruence ("=") or selective exclusion.

Then there is Water Closet... Obama spied, Clinton colluded, DNC denied, and the affiliated press covered it up.

Gahrie said...

When was the last time Trump read a book?

The left has said this about every single Republican president going back at least as far as Eisenhower.

Gahrie said...

Again, I can't wait until 2032 when the Left is proclaiming how evil the current Republican is compared to that nice guy Trump.

AllenS said...

An enormous about of bullshit being thrown around by the usual commenters that the world hates America, and Americans. I'm a Vietnam War veteran, and I can't tell you how many Vietnam veterans that I know, have made the trip back to the "old country" (Vietnam), and I've told me that they love Americans, and hate the Russians.

Scott M said...

Then South Korea goes forward as a Chinese client.

Yeah...no. Not going to happen.

tcrosse said...

"When was the last time Trump read a book? "

Did Hillary or Obama ever read the books they which bear their by-lines ?

Drago said...

Inga: "When was the last time Trump read a book?"

This one again. Every single time.

Trump graduated from an Ivy League school. You figure it out.

bagoh20 said...

""When was the last time Trump read a book? "

He's been busy writing the new book of politics and leadership since he announced his candidacy. He's not going for one of those presidential participation trophies like Obama earned himself.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

AllenS said...
they love Americans, and hate the Russians


Everyone hates the Russians, except you know who.

etbass said...

wildswan said

"So I wonder what South Korea gets out of this deal they supposedly want to make?"

What about freedom from the threat of invasion and nuclear attack? Is that worth anything?

Francisco D said...

Alex said: ... "Dotards don't understand you can't make Chinese/Korean people lose face and hope for any peaceful resolution. Dotards apparently want war."

How does the second sentence follow logically from the first?

Oh. It's lefty speak for "I feel" this way.

Alex, you might want to sit at the children's table. The adults are trying to have a conversation.

n.n said...

Short of a social justice adventure, reconciliation is not a progressive (i.e. monotonic) process. It is evolutionary or chaotic a la life. The momentum is there, directed, but it's difficult to character in the midst of an elevated noise floor established by the antagonistic press.

Bay Area Guy said...

Everyone hates the Russians, except you know who.

Funny, during the 44 years of the Cold War, 1945- 1989, I got the impression that many folks didn't hate the Russians, but hated the folks who were highly critical of the Russians.

Memory lapse, Mr. ARM?

Achilles said...

Inga said...
When was the last time Trump read a book? Did he ever read a book? Maybe you could send him your reading list.

Trump is smarter than you are.

Trump is smarter than any of the leftists on this board.

Trump is smarter than Obama.

Trump is smarter than Hillary.

Reality is humiliating the leftists.

Achilles said...

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Everyone hates the Russians, except you know who.

The 80's called. They want their foreign policy back.

*hehehehe* *snicker* *snicker*

Can you be any more of an idiot?

How does it feel to watch Trump solve problems BushClintonBushObama spent 30 years fucking up?

ISIS apparently was the JV team. It just took Trump to take them out.

sakredkow said...

Yes, Communists didn't hate the Russians during the Cold War, 1945 (well before then actually) to 1989.

Who's sucking Putin's dick now on behalf of United States of America? AND Kim's dick. And Ji's. And Duterte's.

What a disgrace for our poor country. We used to at least try to stand up for what was right and what was moral. Yes, there were lapses: Chile, Gulf of Tonkin, Cambodia and Laos...but overall we kept a standard that made people look up to us. Particularly oppressed people. People who wanted freedom.

Now they've just shat all over our institutions, our values. "ME ME ME ME."

sakredkow said...

Worst generation to come out of America. Ever.

Achilles said...

Democrats have always wanted Russia to help them.

walter said...

sakredkow prefers to view all through a funhouse mirror.

traditionalguy said...

The history of the USA's intervention in Korea was Truman fighting back against the NORKs for one year until a small pocket at the South tip was held at Pusan. Then MacArthur commanded the rest of the military to stage the nearly impossible Inchon Landings behind the NORKs at the middle of the peninsula. That was followed by a rolling up from the South that kept on going North close to the Chinese border.

Then the Red Chinese snuck in a human wave of Chinese peasants with AK47s that counter attacked and drove the USA into a retreat headed back South where we had started. the next year was a slug fest over numbered Hills captured, recaptured, and captured again that finally ended in a Truce negotiated by Eisenhower. The hostilities never ended. Our prisoners never came back and werer "brainwashed." Their prisoners kept killing or capturing the American officers and holding them as hostage in our own camps.

That Trump just brought that insanity to an end is the greatest thing that has been done since we used one bomb at Hiroshima to create instant peace among insane Asians. And it is likely our newest space weapons gave us this instant peace since the day of the strange earthquake in December ended the War.

Matt Sablan said...

"When was the last time Trump read a book?

The left has said this about every single Republican president going back at least as far as Eisenhower."

-- Remember, the guy who married a librarian was an illiterate monkey according to them.

gadfly said...

"Isn't that what Trump wrote in "The Art of the Deal" ...? Tony Schwartz whose name appears along with Trump's on the cover of the book proclaims that he, Tony Schwartz, made up the favorable stories about Donald Trump and Trump read them. The book publisher proclaimed that Trump never wrote even a post card for them. Which leads to this enlightening piece by the AP appearing in the Trib: "Does Trump read? If so, what?"

Drago said...

ARM: "Everyone hates the Russians, except you know who."

How many russians did obama have killed by US forces?

LOL

The lefties really are this stupid.

Drago said...

Barack Obama literally said on camera (as he touched Medvedev's inner thigh) that he would be very flexible for Putin.

On camera.

And obama and hillary handed 20% or our Uranium to Vlad (for a cool $145million)

And obama and hillary literally invited Russia into Syria after giving Vlad Crimea and half of the remaining Ukraine.

And obama and hillary made sure Poland didn't get their promised US missiles...because Putin opposed it.

And obama and hillary made sure to hinder energy production in the US to help Putin and Xi.

The good news the majority of American people understand this and basically ARM and Inga are preaching to antifa and watchers of The View.

Which completely explains the dems polling collapse. And rightfully so.

bagoh20 said...

Just what book should President Trump be reading that would be worth him sacrificing that Presidential time? Answers cannot include "The Communist Manifesto".

I would say "The Art of The Deal".

The last time I saw a sitting President reading a book, it was "The Pet Goat". That did not turn out well, and he was roundly criticized by the left, so ...

Drago said...

Achilles and others have pointed out rightfully that there is not a single complaint leveled against Trump that the Left did not use on every republican president going back to Dewey.

Literally.

Truman called Dewey a commie AND a Nazi and stupid.

I wonder if Dewey, former Governor of New York, former AG of New York County, graduate of Univ of MI law and Columbia Law school JD had ever read a book?

Meanwhile on the left: Hamas and MS13--Yeah!

buwaya said...

"Truman fighting back against the NORKs for one year until a small pocket at the South tip was held at Pusan."

It certainly wasn't one year. It pays to consider what was done.

NK attacked SK June 25. US ground troops hastily mobilized from peacetime garrisons in Japan landed in Korea four days later.

The first American troops fought on the ground in Korea July 4, 1950, at Osan. The withdrawal of surviving SK troops and the US rearguard to the Pusan perimeter was complete by Aug 4, more or less - that is, four weeks. The battle of the Pusan perimeter, including part of the breakout from that, took place over the next six weeks, until MacArthur landed at Inchon Sept 15, 1950.

So that entire episode of the Korean war took place July 4-Sept 15, or 10 weeks, not one year. This included the mobilization shipping of 200,000+ men and the immense masses of associated material and the development of logistics to both supply all those people at Pusan and to organize a WWII-scale amphibious invasion took ten weeks. That is, besides everything else going on, development of Japanese bases, the air war, naval build-up including mobilization of mothballed ships, rebuilding of the SK army, etc.

The events of that war were extremely mobile and took place very rapidly. A pace of operations that's rather difficult to imagine today.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

Uncertain outcomes are all A-OK when a democrat is in charge.

John Pickering said...

Every hour or minute that the President spends thinking about doing something to win the Nobel Peace Prize I would say is the best possible use of his time. One way or another he is hastening the historical inevitability of Korean unification under Chinese hegemony. The earlier commenter who said retailing in the US outweighs acquiring Korea in Chinese geopolitical thinking may be taking a near-term view.
Tonight though I wonder about what Ann and the tribe make of its Texas congressman louis gohmert who claims that Mueller has been on the side of Islamic terror his whole FBI career? You guys going to buy that one, too?

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

ARM - you leftists began your Russia hate as soon as you were told.

Up until then, mother Russia was groovy.

wholelottasplainin said...

bagoh20 said...
"Name another country in world history that, having gained enough power to dominate its neighbors militarily, never chose to conquer them."

"Or one which also has the special history of conquering its enimies (sic) in self defense, and then freeing them and building them into the most prosperous, stable, and peaceful nations in the world. The best thing that can happen to a nation is to be defeated by the U.S. in war. I expect the same will happen to North Korea one way or another."

******************************

This.

A 1955 satirical novella titled "The Mouse that Roared" depicted a tiny European country that declared war on the US just so that they could benefit from the aid that would flow in after they were defeated. Its inspiration obviously came from the Marshall Plan.

(Maybe this is the last book Kim Jong Un read, Inga. Ya think?)

Oddly, no such work has ever appeared about the Russkies or Chicoms treating their former enemies with such munificence..

And yes, Vietnam doesn't hate Americans. Our aircraft carrier Carl Vinson anchored off Danang last March, invited by a government fearing aggressive Chinese encroachments in the South China Sea. (in truth, Obama was first to propose such a visit.)

And when local workers revolted against mistreatment at foreign-owned factories a couple of years ago, they spared the ones with the American flag flying overhead. But if it was the Chicom flag flying, they burned the place down.

I spent some formative years in Japan, but if I had it to do again today I'd head for Saigon, which is a happenin' place for young Americans.








readering said...

US tried twice to conquer Canada. It conquered northern Mexico, and Congress debated annexing the whole country. It conquered Cuba and Puerto Rico, keeping the latter and a base on the former. It intervened at will throughout Central America and the Caribbean, taking the Canal Zone. Of course, all westward expansion was at the expense of the existing First Nations.

FullMoon said...

Dickin'Bimbos@Home said... [hush]​[hide comment]

ARM - you leftists began your Russia hate as soon as you were told.

Up until then, mother Russia was groovy.


Correct. China was the boogey man before Hillary gave ARM, Inga et al their new orders. China hacking power grids, China doing electronic surveilllance. China, China. China.

buwaya said...

"China was the boogey man "

This is true and in truth it has not changed.
China still is the boogey man in every security scenario.
I have been to numerous briefings on IT security.

Bad Lieutenant said...

Sorry, catching up...


1. Alex is a pure troll. He goes where the action is. Plays both sides. He's been away for a while so it seems people have forgotten him. Set phasers to ignore. Or have at it, up to you.

2. ALillianHellMan said...

Everyone hates the Russians, except you know who.

Yeah yeah, but Robert Cook, J. Farmer, and n.n. can speak for themselves.


3. Blogger John Bitchering said...
Every hour or minute that the President spends thinking about doing something to win the Nobel Peace Prize I would say is the best possible use of his time.

I knew you were a blivet, but didn't recall you being ACTIVELY stupid. But I have a feeling of deja vu about it, so you may have shown your ass before.

4. Blogger traditionalguy said...blabbity blah blah blah. The problem with you, trad, is that no single thing you say can be relied upon. You are the Cliff Clavin of Althouse.


5. Sakredkow, I don't even know what to do with you. Talk some more, please, so I can diagnose your major malfunction.

6. Drago said...
ARM: "Too late. ...

You have really hit rock bottom.

Which is sad, because unlike Inga, you know better. ...

Total Commitment.


Why do sensible people give Rangy Lil so much credit? Outside of evil, what else has he done on this blog? What of either intelligence or wisdom has he shown? He's just smooth. When he's not shitstaining like a broke-down robot in Westworld. That was his best work, because it was honest. Give us your pain, Army, that's what we like.

7. Buwaya as always is full of wisdom. Hey "Allies": Shut up and OBEY! Our mistake with Europe was not setting up a system of tribute. It's not too late. Hey Germany, try and remember the last time you said No to us. How'd that work out for you?

Seeing Red said...

I swear we got Cuba and Puerto Rico from the Spanish-American War, 1898? Weren’t they Spanish territories? PR can become independent any time it wants. All it takes is a yes vote. Cuba already has, what’s PR’s problem? Mexico, rivers make good borders. We had Mexico City surrounded I think, 1847?, and yet...Oh, Canada, can they still option to become a state without all the rigmarole? Late 1700’s.

What a funny empire.

Michael K said...

Of course, all westward expansion was at the expense of the existing First Nations.

The Yamnaya people came out of the steppes and conquered Europe about 5,000 years ago. Is that what you meant ?

They raped all the women and killed the men. That's why Y chromosomes are Yamnaya and mitochondrial DNA is hunter-gatherer.

That's why all white people are evil conquerers.

Right ?

Bad Lieutenant said...

Readering,


Of course, all westward expansion was at the expense of the existing First Nations.


"First Nations." You mean Indians, right? Don't be a faggot. Or are you a Canadian, in which case you can't help yourself.

Michael K said...

The events of that war were extremely mobile and took place very rapidly. A pace of operations that's rather difficult to imagine today.

Some of that was related to Truman's decision to call up reserves that had been in the European War, and in the Pacific. It was tough on guys who had fought for years but they were combat ready, except the first garrison troops like Task Force Smith.

Michael K said...

BL, leave readering alone. He/She woke up last Monday and everything since is all new.

No history, No judgement.

It's the new thing.

Seeing Red said...

One way or another he is hastening the historical inevitability of Korean unification under Chinese hegemony


I’m more concerned with Australia and New Zealand.

That being said, the Chicoms want the world under their hegemony.

Bad Lieutenant said...

Oh and,

To bring DPRK into the world as part of a unified Korea:

ROK: $1 Trillion
China: $1 Trillion
Others: as needed
US: Will supervise.

The big q is, does the KJU clique bugger off to exile, or do they do some kind of Truth and Reconciliation Commission?

walter said...

Chinese boogeymen

Michael K said...


Inga: "When was the last time Trump read a book?"


Here we go into never-never land. Tell us the title of the book you are currently reading, not counting the cook book.

Last week ?

Last month ?

Last year?

Bad Lieutenant said...

Fine, Mike. You'll notice I didn't even bother with the "substance" of xits remarks. Just the "First Nations" bit always fills me with the urge to defecate.

Michael K said...

Which leads to this enlightening piece by the AP appearing in the Trib: "Does Trump read? If so, what?"

Highly reliable sources for you lefties.

You know nothing else.

mandrewa said...

Alex said, "Chomsky is the leading intellectual in American history..."

I have never heard that. This is news to me. What I did hear about Noam Chomsky was that he had created a theory called Transformational Grammar, which is closed related to something called Generative Grammar, and when I read books about these theories I was impressed, really impressed, because these are cool ideas. And I remember thinking at the time that much as I disliked Chomsky's left-wing politics that this was really something.

This was a long time ago and at the time this, aside from his politics, the belief that Noam Chomsky had invented these theories was his claim to fame. This was the reason people were calling him a genius.

But then it came out several years later that Noam Chomsky had not discovered these ideas. The real inventor was Zellig Harris, who had been Noam Chomsky's teacher. Chomsky had taken credit for his teacher's ideas.

I can't remember the exact words but paraphrasing I remember Chomsky claiming that he had independently discovered these ideas. No, I don't think so.

And then about the same time I remember reading that Chomsky had come up with the theory that there was a language-acquisition device in our heads and that our language was in part genetically determined. And this idea was presented as if it were a big deal and a breakthrough!

Bad Lieutenant said...

Chomsky had come up with the theory that there was a language-acquisition device in our heads


You mean... a BRAIN???

Michael K said...

Just the "First Nations" bit always fills me with the urge to defecate.

The lefties know nothing abut successive migrations and Aztec human sacrifice.

They are similar to Rousseau who thought all humans were innocent in primitive cultures.

That gave us The Terror. And the Guillotine.

Nice, huh?

Drago said...

I tried very hard to warn readering to limit his/her/xis/xer's posts to 5 words or less to minimize the risk that people would see what a dullard he/she is...

Alas....

Bad Lieutenant said...

Was it him? I remember that 🤣

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Tell us the title of the book you are currently reading, not counting the cook book.”


Red Notice by Bill Browder. You should read it, you may learn a thing or two about Russian corruption.

Michael K said...

Browder is a Trump supporter or did you get to that part ?

Poor Inga. Do you ever read what you post?

narciso said...

Browder is an interesting character, his grandfather was the head of the American communist party, in fact I believe there is a supreme court case, referring to him, he apprenticed under Edmund sabra, the controversial banker, he set up a hedge fund, in the wild 90s, was associated with putin initially, laughed at the near confiscation of khodokorsky's fortune, but then he started looking further with the aide of his accountant, magnitsky who uncovered a complex fraud scheme that involved members of the Russian state, and certain oligarchs

narciso said...

I would say after what happened to magnitsky, he discovered that fusion, this tool of oligarchs and the dnc, were hellbent on defaming him, and discrediting his cause, now they were part of an alliance that encompassed leading firms like skadden, baker hostedler, (who hired the Russian pepperpot,) cozen O'Connor the firm with connections to dan richman et al,


https://saraacarter.com/what-happened-during-the-fbi-interview-with-flynn/

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

I DON'T SHARE TRUMP'S VALUES - Bill Browder

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Sometimes Michael K posts such idiotic comments, I don’t even know what to say to him anymore without being mean to him. He seems to think that because Browder is in favor of sanctions for these Russian Oligarchs he’s in Trump’s camp. Everyone, including me was pleased that these Oligarchs and their criminal enterprises were punished. That doesn’t make me a fan of Trump. .

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

But the process isn't over, and I assume it's a dealmaking dance in which breaks like this a part of the process.

Right. A "process" in which both of those bozos do as little for their people and as much for themselves as possible.

Isn't that what Trump wrote in "The Art of the Deal" and has talked about innumerable times?

Trump didn't write Art of the Deal

He could have written one called Fart of the Deal, though.

Trump haters shouldn't exult over his failure until they see how this ends.

We deduce it will end as badly as we predicted all along.

And maybe even then, they shouldn't exult. Don't we all want a better, safer world? Or is seeing Trump fail better?

Seeing Trump fail is the only way that the magical-thinking morons who expect anything from him will learn how badly their group is fucking up the country. They are more resistant to evidence, responsible for most (but not all) of what's wrong with the country, and seem to have trouble learning except through the harshest of examples. Once they realize how badly he will let them down that's the only point at which they'll go away and stop inflicting their idiocy on America. All Trump has done so far is to embolden the stupids.

FullMoon said...

New York Times
July 9, 2015

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Thursday revealed that 21.5 million people were swept up in a colossal breach of government computer systems that was far more damaging than initially thought, resulting in the theft of a vast trove of personal information, including Social Security numbers and some fingerprints.

Every person given a government background check for the last 15 years was probably affected, the Office of Personnel Management said in announcing the results of a forensic investigation of the episode, whose existence was known but not its sweeping toll.

The agency said hackers stole “sensitive information,” including addresses, health and financial history, and other private details, from 19.7 million people who had been subjected to a government background check, as well as 1.8 million others, including their spouses and friends. The theft was separate from, but related to, a breach revealed last month that compromised the personnel data of 4.2 million federal employees, officials said.

Both attacks are believed to have originated in China, although senior administration officials on Thursday declined to pinpoint a perpetrator, except to say that they had indications that the same actor carried out the two hacks.

The breaches constitute what is apparently the largest cyberattack into the systems of the United States government, providing a frightening glimpse of the technological vulnerabilities of federal agencies that handle sensitive information. They also seemed certain to intensify debate in Washington over what the government must do to address its substantial weaknesses in cybersecurity, long the subject of dire warnings but seldom acted upon by agencies, Congress or the White House

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Inga said...
Sometimes Michael K posts such idiotic comments, I don’t even know what to say to him anymore without being mean to him.


He actually likes you being mean to him. Don't hold back. See how often he pines for Ritmo in his absence.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Sometimes Michael K posts such idiotic comments, I don’t even know what to say to him anymore without being mean to him.

He's a graduate of Michael the Monkey Special K Medical School for Kids Who Can't Read Good (and Want to Do Other Stuff Good Too).

FullMoon said...

The nation’s top intelligence official said today what other U.S. officials have so far been unwilling to say publicly: China is “the leading suspect” in the massive theft of sensitive U.S. government records.

ABC NEWS
Speaking at a forum in Washington, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper warned of the danger posed by a capable adversary like the Chinese government.

“You have to kind of salute the Chinese for what they did,” Clapper said.

At least 18 million people -- and potentially tens of millions more around the world, including relatives, friends and associates of those who had background checks conducted by the U.S. government -- may have had their personal information stolen when hackers broke into the systems of the Office of Personnel Management, authorities have said

FullMoon said...

January 2016

The U.S. is vulnerable to cyber attacks from China and other countries capable of shutting down the power grid and disabling vital infrastructure, according to Admiral Michael Rogers, head of both the National Security Agency and the U.S. Cyber Command.

Rogers recently warned the House Intelligence Committee: "We're seeing multiple nation-states invest in those kinds of capabilities."

Cybersecurity firm Mondiant confirmed that China had hacked into U.S. utility systems and has the knowledge potential to exploit vulnerabilities and shut down or disrupt them. Rogers says this could allow Chinese hackers "to shut down very segmented, very tailored parts of our infrastructure that forestall the ability to provide that service to us as citizens."

FullMoon said...

Once again, Micheal K triggers trivial trifecta.
What a guy!

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

It's NOT WHO WE ARE.

*plug the robot

Francisco D said...

Michael K. asked: "Poor Inga. Do you ever read what you post?

Reading and comprehension are only mildly correlated. Inga reads but she does not have the capacity to understand.

Don't be so mean. Let's take it easy on those who have intellectual disabilities.

Inga...Allie Oop said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Inga...Allie Oop said...

Let’s take pity on the senile and the alcoholic. You know who you are and so do the rest of us.

Birkel said...

I would like a single worthwhile comment from each of the Leftists. Ritmo has, on rare occasion, formed an interesting and well-considered comment. So that is one.

Anybody else want to give it a try?

Michael K said...

Well, I see that Inga has enlisted the great intellect of Ritmo in her cause

Poor dopes.

Michael K said...

"I don’t even know what to say to him anymore without being mean to him. "

When I am ready to leave and do something else, he does provide a useful signal that all intelligent comment is probably over.

Francisco D said...

Before Inga deleted her post, it read "You kind who you are."

Even a blind pig stumbles upon an acorn in the forest.

Most of us are kind in dealing with you, sort of like taking pity on a dumb younger sister.

Only the most frustrated have called you names, as you have called others.

This can be a transformational learning experience, if you pay attention.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Anybody else want to give it a try?”


“Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces."

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Michael K said...
Ritmo


Oh, how he yearns for the thrust of Ritmo's massive prowess.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Well, I see that Inga has enlisted the great intellect of Ritmo in her cause

Poor dopes.


Hey, well at least I know the meaning of the word, "if."

Unlike a certain graduate of the Derek Zoolander/Michael Special K. Medical School for Kids Who Can't Read Good.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

Maybe he thinks if he rubs up against Ritmo’s brain he’ll revive his dying gray matter.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Oh, how he yearns for the thrust of Ritmo's massive prowess.

It's true. He calls my name when I'm away (like a dog howling for... well whatever dogs howl for), and declares that the thread is just too much for him the second I arrive.

He is incapable of commenting while in my presence. I do wonder if it has to with inadequacies in his own ego but if there is something to your contention that he feels inadequate especially in front of me that is something I've wondered about, as well.

My ego is not so debilitated to jump to such a conclusion (since I don't behave that way on behalf of others) but K. is a hard-core conservative so he is prone to seeing the world in hierarchies and perhaps does look upon me as some sort of superior.

He's like one of the apes in the beginning of 2001 or the San people in The Gods Must Be Crazy.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“He is incapable of commenting while in my presence. I do wonder if it has to with inadequacies in his own ego but if there is something to your contention that he feels inadequate especially in front of me that is something I've wondered about, as well.”

Let’s hear him opine on molecular biology and genetics again, that was good for a laugh.

Fabi said...

"Everyone hates the Russians, except you know who."

Teddy Kennedy.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Let’s hear him opine on molecular biology and genetics again, that was good for a laugh.

He's really up to date on that stuff. He discovered the double helix only 60 years after Watson and Crick published their famous paper on Nature on its proposed structure and function.

His interest in DNA is primarily based on reading a crackpot physicist blogger who is most interested in using DNA findings to support racist suppositions on the biological superiority of specific European groups, actually. I read the guy's blog. A sad mix of a little bit of fact and a whole lot of slippery slope speculation presumed to to be factual, in the service of their foregone conclusions.

But hey! He knows all about how to operate on Jehovah's Witnesses with hgb levels of 6 who refuse transfusions so that makes him superior to anyone who uses the word "if" in discussing the intrusion of cult like beliefs onto medical practice - at least in his own pseudo-mind.

rcocean said...

"US tried twice to conquer Canada. It conquered northern Mexico, and Congress debated annexing the whole country."

We didn't try to "Conquer Canada" during the Revolutionary war - or 1812. We tried to attack Canada so the Brits couldn't use it as a base to attack US. We failed and in 1778 the Brits attacked us from Canada resulting in the Battle of Saratoga.

We didn't Conquer "Northern Mexico" - we occupied "Empty Mexico" or "Stolen from the Indians Mexico" - and then paid Mexico $15 million for it. And that's when you could buy a square mile of Ohio Farmland for $500. We really only wanted California but we bought worthless Arz. and NM so we could build a railroad.


It conquered Cuba and Puerto Rico, keeping the latter and a base on the former. It intervened at will throughout Central America and the Caribbean, taking the Canal Zone. Of course, all westward expansion was at the expense of the existing First Nations.

We didn't conquer Cuba. We "Liberated" Cuba from the Spanish and after 10 years, we gave them Independence. We intervened in Central America to stop the Brits and Euros from intervening - Cf: Monroe Doctrine. As for the "western Expansion" - Indian tribes were paid for their land. Land from Mexico, was "stolen goods" from the "First Nations" - so whine about that to Mexico.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

I really enjoyed that discussion between you and ARM after K slinked away in shame. You two really know your stuff!

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

...he does provide a useful signal that all intelligent comment is probably over.

Most intelligent people know what is an intelligent comment based on their own powers of critical thought but people like you rely on "signals" instead. Interesting.

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

I really enjoyed that discussion between you and ARM after K slinked away in shame. You two really know your stuff!

Well unlike K. whatever we learned or know about science and molec bio wasn't based in an agenda - let alone K's racist agenda - so hopefully that perspective makes it more interesting. There's a lot going on out there and a lot to keep finding out, but that can only be done if one doesn't impose a narrow agenda on things as K. does.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“...based on their own powers of critical thought.”

Indeed! A sad lack of that in this thread, I mentioned that upstream somewhere.

rcocean said...

Basically, I agree that our "Intervention" in Cuba was moronic. Just like our letting in millions of immigrants after 1890 - when the frontier closed - was moronic.

Most of these "immigrants" never have assimilated, but still - almost 100 years later - think of themselves as 50% Americans.

If you could travel back in time and show a 1890 WASP a picture of Chuck Schumer crying about MS-13 gang members - they probably would've shut down immigration right then and there.

narciso said...

Yes rhe brits held india for 200 years, Egypt for about 75, the French Algeria for 130 years, the U.S. held previous interventions notably in Haiti and nicaragua

More dependency theory carp.

rcocean said...

And I'm one of those immigrant! My family came here after 1890, and we assimilated. But many immigrants didn't.

Like Inga.

n.n said...

Why does everyone hate the Russians? Their response to hostile actions on their borders has been extraordinarily measured. They even mitigated a refugee crisis in Ukraine following the violent overthrow of the government in Kiev. Ironically, the coup in Kiev was and is the root cause of the current witch hunt and effort to disenfranchise Americans and destabilize our own government by insiders (the so-called "deep state") and foreign agents.

Do you mean the Soviets? Yeah, they were left of progressive. Sort of, kind of, maybe. They were also a minority regime without a significant competing interest to curb their good intentions that invariably ran amuck.

mandrewa said...

I said, "...Chomsky had come up with the theory that there was a language-acquisition device in our heads..."


Bad Lieutenant said, You mean... a BRAIN???


This sounds like the Onion, but yes. The actual meaning was not to far from that. I mean he had not identified any specific structure in the brain. There was no deeper meaning behind this seemingly obvious discovery.

Noam Chomsky the genius. My foot.

narciso said...

It's projection, the Islamist were incorrect adversaries for a time, putin what ever his original beliefs seems to think an alliance with the orthodox church is necessary for regeneration, hence his opposition to same sex marriage weighed higher than his Ukrainian incursion.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

mandrewa said...
This sounds like the Onion, but yes. The actual meaning was not to far from that. I mean he had not identified any specific structure in the brain. There was no deeper meaning behind this seemingly obvious discovery.


To be fair, this was in an era when Skinner still reigned supreme and tabula rasa was viewed as a reasonable description of an infant's brain. Chomsky killed off both those idiocies. No small achievement at the time.

Achilles said...

Look at that. Ritmo and ARM and Inga all have a little humiliating circle jerk between themselves.

It must be humiliating watching Trump clean up after Obama's mediocrity and incompetence.

Trump is smarter than all 3 of you combined.

Have fun cheering for war with North Korea.

Warmongers are super popular.

narciso said...

It took about 30 years world war one and the anarchist wave that enabled the 1924 immigration act.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

From Rational-wiki:

Challenges to this received idea [tabula rasa] came first from the field of linguistics. Noam Chomsky, reviewing Skinner's 1959 book Verbal Behavior, concluded that "The fact that all normal children acquire essentially comparable grammars of great complexity with remarkable rapidity suggests that human beings are somehow specially designed to do this, with data-handling or "hypothesis-formulating" ability of unknown character and complexity."[5] Were the tabula rasa hypothesis true, it would be computationally impossible for human beings to acquire their native languages, much less acquire them with the speed and facility they do. Human children are able to speak well before they are able to handle other complex mental tasks. It therefore must be the case that normal human brains come equipped factory standard with a facility for processing and using language. Other inborn human abilities can be easily demonstrated by the structure of the typical human body. No one had to teach you, nor did you have to figure out yourself, how to use the parallax of your two horizontally separated eyes for the purpose of depth perception, for example. Your brain came pre-equipped with a module to process binocular vision.

Inga...Allie Oop said...

“Warmongers are super popular.”

Is that why Trump picked Bolton?

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

Look at that. Ritmo and ARM and Inga all have a little humiliating circle jerk between themselves.

Hey, look Dope. It would be half as humiliating if you stopped walking into the middle of everything going "splat" all over you.

Warmongers are super popular.

You would know. Every day you pray for a civil war in America.

How would your emotionally challenged president advise you to respond to any of that, you little pussy?

Incredible how easily taken in a dude in a dirty wife-beater is by a guy with a wig who simply has a lot of hair spray and long ties and ill-fitting suits who yells a lot. President Beta Carotene really does dazzle you with his dress and his fake hair and his stupidity and bravado, doesn't he? He probably makes you feel that with just a few more steroid doses, you could do the job, too!

Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...

“Warmongers are super popular.”

Is that why Trump picked Bolton?


It's incredible, really. Asquigglees used to rail incessantly about "neo-cons" but apparently he just meant "Jews" all along. No one gets more neo-con than Bolton.

It's a mistake to believe that Asquiglees has any real thoughts or beliefs. What he has are man-crushes and hates, and Trump just happens to be for him one of the former. Asquiglees would sell his kids to/for Trump. He would offer up his wife to Trump, too. The true cucks all along were the Trumpsters, after all.

narciso said...

Tom Wolfe's last book exAmined Chomsky rather chronic category error,

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