Well done, the Koreans, imo.

[redgunamo]

#TheGreatAwakening

[Burney]

#TheGreatAwakening

I really am struggling to see how the Trump haters are reconciling this with their conviction that he's a terrible President and bound to get us all wiped out in a nuclear conflict.

His foreign policy actions have led to a thaw in Korean relations unprecedented in 70 years and the effective neutralisation of a rogue nuclear state.

That in itself is more than every US President since Reagan combined has achieved in foreign policy.

[Billy Goat Sverige]

I really am struggling to see how the Trump haters are reconciling this with their conviction that he's a terrible President and bound to get us all wiped out in a nuclear conflict.

His foreign policy actions have led to a thaw in Korean relations unprecedented in 70 years and the effective neutralisation of a rogue nuclear state.

That in itself is more than every US President since Reagan combined has achieved in foreign policy.

I think a lot of the wide spread pessimism is partly because there’s an unwillingness to acknowledge Trump’s tactics have worked. Granted they’ve been down this road before which in turn creates pessimism but it looks to be different this time.

[Burney]

I think a lot of the wide spread pessimism is partly because there’s an unwillingness to acknowledge Trump’s tactics have worked. Granted they’ve been down this road before which in turn creates pessimism but it looks to be different this time.

I think there's also a failure to grasp that, although Trump is no-one's idea of a diplomat or genius, it is still possible for his administration to achieve foreign policy coups. Because when you are the biggest economy and most powerful military on earth, you don't actually have to be a genius to get results. You just have to be prepared to use the leverage those two statuses give you. Most US Presidents have been afraid to do this when it comes to the Chinese.

[redgunamo]

I think there's also a failure to grasp that, although Trump is no-one's idea of a diplomat or genius, it is still possible for his administration to achieve foreign policy coups. Because when you are the biggest economy and most powerful military on earth, you don't actually have to be a genius to get results. You just have to be prepared to use the leverage those two statuses give you. Most US Presidents have been afraid to do this when it comes to the Chinese.

Trump's genius is to not be a genius, do you mean?

[Burney]

Trump's genius is to not be a genius, do you mean?

Essentially, yes. The tendency of really clever people is to overcomplicate things, empathise too much and try and think 20 moves ahead. They lose sight of their goals. They will try to untie the Gordian knot, when what it really needs is simply a swift sword stroke.

Trump's approach is to look at what the US wants, look at what cards it has to play and play them.

As Nelson said: "Never mind manoeuvres. Go straight at 'em."

[Rich]

#TheGreatAwakening

What is the north's motive here, do you suppose? It seems a remarkable turnaround from the rhetoric we've become accustomed to.

Do you think China has made it clear to the North that their loyalty is not limitless?

[Burney]

What is the north's motive here, do you suppose? It seems a remarkable turnaround from the rhetoric we've become accustomed to.

Do you think China has made it clear to the North that their loyalty is not limitless?

Trump has made clear to China that it can either protect NK or effectively enter into a trade war with the US it cannot afford and which would stop its economic development in its tracks. In effect, he made China an offer it couldn't refuse.

With China's non-intervention assured, it would also appear (see redgunamo passim) that the US military has neutralised NK's nuclear capability. Without China's support or nukes, NK has no leverage and is forced to the table.

[Herbert Augustus Chapman]

the US military has neutralised NK's nuclear capability.

So the yanks managed to sneak into North Korea. Sneak past NK security at their big nuclear testing mountain thing. Explode a couple of enormous bombs (carried presumably in their rucksacks) to collapse the mountain and sneak out again. They'll have used the old 'becoming invisible' juice I've seen in Bond films then.

I mean, I enjoy Red's posts as much as the next man but you do realise he isn't actually a member, ex or otherwise, of some clandestine military unit with super-natural powers? He's an old tosser that served in the British Army in Germany, set up home there when he was discharged (honourably) and did alright for himself. Very good with dogs I reckon.

[Burney]

So the yanks managed to sneak into North Korea. Sneak past NK security at their big nuclear testing mountain thing. Explode a couple of enormous bombs (carried presumably in their rucksacks) to collapse the mountain and sneak out again. They'll have used the old 'becoming invisible' juice I've seen in Bond films then.

I mean, I enjoy Red's posts as much as the next man but you do realise he isn't actually a member, ex or otherwise, of some clandestine military unit with super-natural powers? He's an old tosser that served in the British Army in Germany, set up home there when he was discharged (honourably) and did alright for himself. Very good with dogs I reckon.

Well NK's nuclear facilities have undergone some sort of catastrophic event that has rendered them beyond use. That's on the record. I guess the rest comes down to whether you believe that's just happy accident.

Of course, this catastrophe occurred in September 2017. At the same time, the USS Jimmy Carter returned to port flying the Jolly Roger indicating a successful covert operation. Again, it depends on your willingness to believe in coincidence, I guess.

https://nypost.com/2017/09/14/secret...nd-crossbones/