Politics

[Brent in Az]

Brent I never said I am a hater...I have said in my post I like a lot of what he is doing....but sorry when he comes out with frankly ludicrous figures so inflated my mouth drops open....and parroting what putin says about stuff in Ukraine...sorry I call bullshit....

I wasnt referring to you as a Trump hater, but others.

 

[Red Leg]

Unfortunately, the Trump doubters and haters like to pounce on the questionable things Trump does and says, Never giving him any credit for the positive.
There is a long way to go to get everything sorted out.
As far as the so called "Bromance" with Putin, do you remember Muhammad Ali's " Rope - a - dope" tactic? Let your enemy think you are weak and vulnerable, when you are not. Keep him off balance and guessing.
I could most likely be wrong, but i think Trump is playing Putin carefully, knowing full well that Putin is a ,clever, deceptive, and evil little man. Someone who has his fingers on just as many Nuclear weapons as we have, or more?

Unfortunately, the Trump doubters and haters like to pounce on the questionable things Trump does and says .....

Well duh. Regretfully, I don't have the sort of close personal relationship with him that allows me to read his mind. So yes, I am very focused on his actions.

As far as the so called "Bromance" with Putin, do you remember Muhammad Ali's " Rope - a - dope" tactic? Let your enemy think you are weak and vulnerable, when you are not. Keep him off balance and guessing.
I could most likely be wrong, but i think Trump is playing Putin carefully, knowing full well that Putin is a ,clever, deceptive, and evil little man. Someone who has his fingers on just as many Nuclear weapons as we have, or more?

And this reads like copium.

 

[bowjijohn]

It’s a fair question at the end

 

[Brent in Az]

I would expect no less from you, General.

Unfortunately, the Trump doubters and haters like to pounce on the questionable things Trump does and says .....

Well duh. Regretfully, I don't have the sort of close personal relationship with him that allows me to read his mind. So yes, I am very focused on his actions.

As far as the so called "Bromance" with Putin, do you remember Muhammad Ali's " Rope - a - dope" tactic? Let your enemy think you are weak and vulnerable, when you are not. Keep him off balance and guessing.
I could most likely be wrong, but i think Trump is playing Putin carefully, knowing full well that Putin is a ,clever, deceptive, and evil little man. Someone who has his fingers on just as many Nuclear weapons as we have, or more?

And this reads like copium

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

It’d be good to see the eco-terrorists pay up. I assume they will appeal.

Greenpeace Verdict Is a Wake-Up Call for Progressive NGOs

If the verdict stands, Greenpeace will have to pay $667 million in damages to Energy Transfer, which built and owns the Dakota Access Pipeline.

www.city-journal.org

 

[PARA45]

 

[Brent in Az]

Here's the war in a nutshell. Sacrifice the Ukraine, so the military industrial complex can keep feeding like hogs at the trough.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

"As far as the so called "Bromance" with Putin, do you remember Muhammad Ali's " Rope - a - dope" tactic? Let your enemy think you are weak and vulnerable, when you are not. Keep him off balance and guessing.
I could most likely be wrong, but i think Trump is playing Putin carefully, knowing full well that Putin is a clever, deceptive, and evil little man."

Yes, you are definitely wrong.

Rope-a-dope? People are dying while/because Trump is either "playing Putin carefully" or because he is simply being a petulant and internationally clueless narcissist, neither of which is desirable. He needs to just not feed into gamesmanship - if it even is that, and I don't think it is - and take a firm stance that should have been adopted long ago. What he and his administration says with regards to Russia puts me in mind of a puppy rolling over on its back in the presence of an alpha. As a few others have noted, it's nauseating. I truly believe his only concern is how he is seen and remembered for whatever role he hopes to play.

 

[deewayne2003]

Yeah here too....Indian guy I know put an offer in on a house near his here in lusaka...wanted as rental/ investment....Chinese came along and offered 4 times his figure....house we rent has been sold ....2 different Chinese looked at it couple months ago....2nd one arrived in maybach Mercedes with hilux double cab in escort....had a high ranking police officer with him....the agent as we walked around the garden asked if it was for development..Chinese guy said yes....I said so you going to rip out all the trees and garden and build...I said I hate what you lot are doing...he gave me a bit of a startled look....houses in this area are on big plots with beautiful gardens..big trees etc....the house was built in 1970s...but the plots are being bought up and converted to office blocks....apartments/ housing crammed on top of each other.....fuel station....Real shame ...the one in the maybach bought it....

Yes, people are naive and especially so when they are profiting from a quiet invasion.

The old guard farmers in my area of Oklahoma started bitching about foreigners buying houses in town so it made it hard for their farm hands(illegal migrants) to rent houses.

Now these same farmers are practically cheerleaders for chairman Mao as they brag about how much they are selling land for.

They honestly believe these “investors” stories about how they were construction workers in China that immigrated and started their own business and after just a few short years after landing penniless they are now buying MILLIONS of dollars of property and ALL CASH and often 2X over appraised value.

FYI the Chinese Mafia runs nationwide illicit drug rings from Oklahoma…..

But are welcomed with clapping hands by baby boomers looking to sell inherited land & houses.

 

[deewayne2003]

"As far as the so called "Bromance" with Putin, do you remember Muhammad Ali's " Rope - a - dope" tactic? Let your enemy think you are weak and vulnerable, when you are not. Keep him off balance and guessing.
I could most likely be wrong, but i think Trump is playing Putin carefully, knowing full well that Putin is a clever, deceptive, and evil little man."

Yes, you are definitely wrong.

Rope-a-dope? People are dying while/because Trump is either "playing Putin carefully" or because he is simply being a petulant and internationally clueless narcissist, neither of which is desirable. He needs to just not feed into gamesmanship - if it even is that, and I don't think it is - and take a firm stance that should have been adopted long ago. What he and his administration says with regards to Russia puts me in mind of a puppy rolling over on its back in the presence of an alpha. As a few others have noted, it's nauseating. I truly believe his only concern is how he is seen and remembered for whatever role he hopes to play.

@TTundra

I respect your opinion and love your contributions to this forum but I must say all the hysterics about how Ukraine is being handled just reassures me that no matter what ….. Trump will never please some people and quite honestly I’m happy to see him giving the finger to those that constantly complain about what others do while they accomplish nothing.

If Trump changed course and 100% followed the line of what his detractors wanted him to do with Ukraine the only result would be a 100% continued endless bitching about whatever mistakes he’s making …. Real or imagined.

Regardless of how the Ukraine war ends I am certain it will be less of an utter embarrassment shit show that the Afghan withdrawal was.

I also find it funny people constantly championing war also are holders of defense stocks.

Again… I heard anything is better than Trump for years and look where that got us.

Now I’m just standing by to be labeled a “Trumper” or whatever other label will be bestowed upon me so that my opinion can be deemed irrelevant.

When really I’m just tired of listening to baby boomer aged men arguing back and forth over Trump like a bunch of angry lesbians in a cat fight.

 

[Mekaniks]

Yes, people are naive and especially so when they are profiting from a quiet invasion.

The old guard farmers in my area of Oklahoma started bitching about foreigners buying houses in town so it made it hard for their farm hands(illegal migrants) to rent houses.

Now these same farmers are practically cheerleaders for chairman Mao as they brag about how much they are selling land for.

They honestly believe these “investors” stories about how they were construction workers in China that immigrated and started their own business and after just a few short years after landing penniless they are now buying MILLIONS of dollars of property and ALL CASH and often 2X over appraised value.

FYI the Chinese Mafia runs nationwide illicit drug rings from Oklahoma…..

But are welcomed with clapping hands by baby boomers looking to sell inherited land & houses.

Yes sir, the irony of capitalism...Its all good as long as I am making money at it...

Don't even get started on foreign ownership of our nations shipping ports and infrastructure...

 

[Tundra Tiger]

@TTundra

I respect your opinion and love your contributions to this forum but I must say all the hysterics about how Ukraine is being handled just reassures me that no matter what ….. Trump will never please some people and quite honestly I’m happy to see him giving the finger to those that constantly complain about what others do while they accomplish nothing.

If Trump changed course and 100% followed the line of what his detractors wanted him to do with Ukraine the only result would be a 100% continued endless bitching about whatever mistakes he’s making …. Real or imagined.

Regardless of how the Ukraine war ends I am certain it will be less of an utter embarrassment shit show that the Afghan withdrawal was.

I also find it funny people constantly championing war also are holders of defense stocks.

Again… I heard anything is better than Trump for years and look where that got us.

Now I’m just standing by to be labeled a “Trumper” or whatever other label will be bestowed upon me so that my opinion can be deemed irrelevant.

When really I’m just tired of listening to baby boomer aged men arguing back and forth over Trump like a bunch of angry lesbians in a cat fight.

Ditto deewayne, though we differ on this point. Point of clarification though: I don't own any defense stocks.

 

[deewayne2003]

Ditto deewayne, though we differ on this point. Point of clarification though: I don't own any defense stocks.

Ditto indeed and opposite sides of the coin… and that’s what people have forgotten- opposite sides of the but still the same coin.

And yes you have never mentioned defense stocks but I find it vulgar when people are cheering on a war in another country as if they are the champions of morality, only to brag about how well their stocks are doing the next….. or even worse how their stocks have taken a dip because of Trumps actions.

Honestly… how many billions of serviceable weaponry was abandoned in Afghanistan only to turn around and repurchase for Ukraine?

Remember

“It’s cheaper to abandon and buy new”…..

for a shovel yes, for a Blackhawk NO!

 

[Brent in Az]

By a large margin, Kamala Harris, is the 2028 presidential candidate of choice by Democrats and left leaning independents.

A nation that never learns from the past.

 

[deewayne2003]

Yes sir, the irony of capitalism...Its all good as long as I am making money at it...

Don't even get started on foreign ownership of our nations shipping ports and infrastructure...

Yes sir!…. Just like growing alfalfa in Saudi Arabia was banned because it uses to much ground water to irrigate.

So they buy land in the USA and sink wells many times deeper than normal personal use wells so they can irrigate alfalfa in places like Arizona.

All so it can be exported to Saudi Arabia to feed their horses.

 

[Alistair]

I truly believe his only concern is how he is seen and remembered for whatever role he hopes to play.

I generally agree with this statement.

My opinion is the Trump is an excellent populist in this regard.

He knows exactly what his base wants, and makes sweeping moves to very publicly show them that he's doing it.

He does so in the loudest, brashest way possible, with an end goal of 'being seen to be doing something', with the goal of actually achieving anything being almost entirely incidental.

The whole 'build a wall and get Mexico to pay for it' thing in his first term was a great example of this. Putting up a bit of fencing wasn't going to stop illegal immigration from Mexico. It's pure theater. But hey, the MAGA crowd loved it and it got him plenty of attention.

Same with the tariffs this time around, or DOGE, or his attitudes to NATO. He's doing exactly what his base wants, which is no bad thing, but in a manner carefully designed to maximize exposure, not results.

Unfortunately, this also translates over to his approach to Russia. His base wants the war over, and for the US to not pay any money. So Trump is doing that in the quickest, and most aggressive way possible, because they'll love him for it. Doesn't matter if it's a pretty terrible approach with poor long term outcomes. It only matters that it's quick, it's easy, it's very public, it makes the talking heads on CNN furious, and the MAGA crowd cheers him on. If I was unkind I'd categorize it as pure narcissism. More generously, it's very effective populism. Tom-ay-to, tom-ah-to.

Nuance is not important. Long term planning is not important. Actual results are not important. Acting in the interests of the country is not important. Being seen (very publicly, and very quickly) to do something is. Trump is great at that and his base loves him for it.

The less informed portion of his base haven't considered the implications at all, the more informed but equally devout seem to indulge in mental gymnastics to spin it as 'highly effective'. Either way, Trump gets the attention he craves, so his approach is doing exactly what he wants it to.

 

[Red Leg]

Here's the war in a nutshell. Sacrifice the Ukraine, so the military industrial complex can keep feeding like hogs at the trough.View attachment 673575

Permanent war economy and the Military industrial complex. I would urge those with whom this resonates, to study economics - maybe just a little. It makes one less susceptible to this sort of propaganda from the left - or at least it was the left until a couple of years ago when a third of the republican party became de facto members of Code Pink - and seemingly just as blatantly ignorant.

During the World War II, the US was spending just over 40% of GDP on the military. That is a war economy. During the Cold War, the US was spending approximately 8-10% of its GDP on the military. Today, it spends just under 3.5%. Neither of the latter represent anything remotely like a "war economy," but facts like that are irrelevant to those people more interested in what they feel and want to believe rather than reality (another set of what were until recently leftist traits).

Secondly, hauling mothballed equipment out of storage and prepping it for deployment is not the sort of thing that interests the defense industry in the slightest. On the other hand, a trillion dollar new fighter program or multi-trillion dollar missile defense shield, those are the opportunities that excite investors in the defense industry. Those are two Trump initiatives announced over the last two days - maybe his ever trusting followers can figure out how to blame Zelensky for that?

By the way, Trump is also demanding that NATO nations spend 5% of their GDP on defense. I wonder if that will include the US?

Boeing Wins U.S. Air Force's NGAD F-47 Fighter Contract | Aviation Week Network

Boeing has won a contract to develop the F-47 next-generation combat aircraft for the U.S. Air Force which throws a lifeline to the company’s struggling military aviation business.

aviationweek.com

Top Pentagon contractors poised for gains as Trump pushes missile shield expansion

The proposed “Iron Dome for America” system is heavily reliant on space-based sensors and potentially controversial space-based interceptors

spacenews.com

 

[rigbymauser]

FYI the Chinese Mafia runs nationwide illicit drug rings from Oklahoma…..

But are welcomed with clapping hands by baby boomers looking to sell inherited land & houses.

Reinstate English Bob. He ran out of chinamen ealier this week...

 

[WAB]

@TTundra

I respect your opinion and love your contributions to this forum but I must say all the hysterics about how Ukraine is being handled just reassures me that no matter what ….. Trump will never please some people and quite honestly I’m happy to see him giving the finger to those that constantly complain about what others do while they accomplish nothing.

If Trump changed course and 100% followed the line of what his detractors wanted him to do with Ukraine the only result would be a 100% continued endless bitching about whatever mistakes he’s making …. Real or imagined.

Regardless of how the Ukraine war ends I am certain it will be less of an utter embarrassment shit show that the Afghan withdrawal was.

I also find it funny people constantly championing war also are holders of defense stocks.

Again… I heard anything is better than Trump for years and look where that got us.

Now I’m just standing by to be labeled a “Trumper” or whatever other label will be bestowed upon me so that my opinion can be deemed irrelevant.

When really I’m just tired of listening to baby boomer aged men arguing back and forth over Trump like a bunch of angry lesbians in a cat fight.

It is not just posturing. He shut Ukrainian intel off making them defenseless to cruise missiles. That night the Russians hammered them killing many civilians. Trump expressed outrage and turned the intel back on the next day. To me, dead civilians is not posturing. At the very best it is completely inept foreign policy.

 

[CJW]

so it will come.
the only- small- consolation is, that they will ruin our country just as they have ruined their original homeland.

Yet Germans are worried about the AFD party.

Yeah the foreigners will ruin it but at how much misery to the European populace along the way? Remember and be realistic about who you're dealing with here.