Of all US Presidents, Kennedy came closest to tipping the world into nuclear war. Was he mad? Could you argue that even to consider the use of nuclear weapons is a sign of madness? He certainly had some very odd ideas.
Ultimately, I don't believe the whole armchair psychiatrist bit is very helpful. It's a stick to beat Trump with and nothing more. Viewed objectively, there is nothing inherently unhinged about the US making it clear that it is prepared to use its military capability to protect its allies and interests against what is plainly and explicitly a real threat posed by a belligerent power.
"Plenty of strikers can score goals," he said, gesturing to the famous old stands casting shadows around us.
"But a lot have found it difficult wearing the number 9 shirt for The Arsenal."
In response to a nuclear threat to US territory, he chose to escalate the situation to the brink of nuclear war. That he may have been right to do so and the fact that we got back from that brink don't alter that fact.
My point is that nobody calls him mad for those actions.
Last edited by Burney; 08-10-2017 at 01:16 PM.