Donald Trump

[FogBlueInSanFran]

OK - I'll answer. Almost certainly KJU wants to remain in power - hence the nukes.

Now answer my question - do you think he's (KJU) rational? Do you think it's impossible that he might launch every nuke he has if his regime is going to collapse? - certainly regime collapse is possible.

What about selling nukes for cash - do you think that KJU would never, ever do this?
===
Hysterical panic? Hardly. Thanks for the insult.

Rather - very much concerned. NK Nukes + ICBMs + unstable government - why you're A-OK with this state of affairs is beyond me.

Meanwhile, KJU is busy cranking away at ever more and more nukes.

Yeah... that seems totally safe to me too.
---
Fast forward 3 years.

Trump pulls US troops out of SK - for whatever reason - and out of Japan too - certainly this scenario is plausible.

Next, KJU invades SK.

What do you want to do about that? - me too, fucking nothing.

Or perhaps you're going to intervene. What will China do? What about Russia? It's a total fucking mess. Which NK absolutely knows - hence the decision to invade - and possibly using nukes during said invasion.

Next, KJU nukes Japan. And then sends troops to invade Japan.

What do you want to do about that?

Chickenshit? Or just let that go too.

By the way... China is elated by this state of affairs. Intervention is going to mean war with China. And probably Russia.

Next up - an emboldened KJU nukes Guam. And invades.

Is that OK?

Hell, why would we even dream of retaliation?

Etc.
===
The trouble is... you assume that a foreign entity won't pursue aggression due to nuclear deterance - whereas adversaries may calculate that the US won't intervene in military maters for fear of nuclear retaliation.

KJU or his successors might well pursue military action - or might sell nukes under duress - or might lose nukes to terrorists when government collapses.

Brushing aside this threat is - honestly - fucking stupid.
===
I'm not saying that any of the above scenarios are likely - what I'm saying is that each of the above scenarios is very much possible. And should any of them occur - millions and millions of lives hang in the balance.

Color me hysterical if you will - but I'll color you naive meanwhile.

Not meant to be an insult -- meant to be an accurate reflection of your perspective. Which it is, 100%. Exhibit A is your post.

"Almost certainly he wants to remain in power" -- you've answered my question then. Hence why he won't do ANY of what you fear. He'll leverage it, he'll leverage the threat. He'll never do it. And yeah, I do think he's rational. He's acting exactly as any rational despot would. Which is the threat means more than the action externally.

"You assume that a foreign entity won't pursue aggression due to nuclear deterance [sic]" -- exactly. And it doesn't have to be nuclear.

As far as your doomsday scenario, the fat fucker can't feed his own people, but, yeah, he's going to launch all out war in Asia. Sure. Oh, and he'll nuke 'em to boot -- because when you want new territory, the best idea is is to destroy the infrastructure you need and make the place fucking uninhabitable for 50 years. Yeah, that makes a ton of sense. Why didn't I think of that?

 

[SWP's back]

Not meant to be an insult -- meant to be an accurate reflection of your perspective. Which it is, 100%. Exhibit A is your post.

"Almost certainly he wants to remain in power" -- you've answered my question then. Hence why he won't do ANY of what you fear. He'll leverage it, he'll leverage the threat. He'll never do it. And yeah, I do think he's rational. He's acting exactly as any rational despot would. Which is the threat means more than the action externally.

"You assume that a foreign entity won't pursue aggression due to nuclear deterance [sic]" -- exactly. And it doesn't have to be nuclear.

As far as your doomsday scenario, the fat fucker can't feed his own people, but, yeah, he's going to launch all out war in Asia. Sure. Oh, and he'll nuke 'em to boot -- because when you want new territory, the best idea is is to destroy the infrastructure you need and make the place fucking uninhabitable for 50 years. Yeah, that makes a ton of sense. Why didn't I think of that?

Glad you’re not all reactionary mentals over there.

 

[DrBlueBob]

Not meant to be an insult -- meant to be an accurate reflection of your perspective. Which it is, 100%. Exhibit A is your post.

"Almost certainly he wants to remain in power" -- you've answered my question then. Hence why he won't do ANY of what you fear. He'll leverage it, he'll leverage the threat. He'll never do it. And yeah, I do think he's rational. He's acting exactly as any rational despot would. Which is the threat means more than the action externally.

"You assume that a foreign entity won't pursue aggression due to nuclear deterance [sic]" -- exactly. And it doesn't have to be nuclear.

As far as your doomsday scenario, the fat fucker can't feed his own people, but, yeah, he's going to launch all out war in Asia. Sure. Oh, and he'll nuke 'em to boot -- because when you want new territory, the best idea is is to destroy the infrastructure you need and make the place fucking uninhabitable for 50 years. Yeah, that makes a ton of sense. Why didn't I think of that?

You'd be a rubbish despot.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

You'd be a rubbish despot.

I would.

My wife on the other hand . . .

 

[DrBlueBob]

I would.

My wife on the other hand . . .

I take it she has nuclear capability.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Glad you’re not all reactionary mentals over there.

Not sure why he's gone off the rails on this particular topic. NK wasn't even in the consciousness of the average American until that plump crewcut had his uncle eaten by dogs. Then the "successful" rocket test (one out of seven isn't bad I guess) then Trump decides he'll give that pudgy Korean Dr. Evil a world stage.

I take it she has nuclear capability.

Worse . . . she has a near-unlimited arsenal of chores I'm supposed to do.

 

[DrBlueBob]

I take it she has nuclear capability.

[QUOTE="FogBlueInSanFran, post: 11604814, member: 41863"
Worse . . . she has a near-unlimited arsenal of chores I'm supposed to do.[/QUOTE]
Arsenal you say? At least it's not a massive Arsenal.
On the chores note, an ex of mine asked me what I wanted to do one a rare day off. Nothing at all say I whereupon (I kid you not) a two page A4 list is produced. Apparently she regrets us splitting up.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

[QUOTE="FogBlueInSanFran, post: 11604814, member: 41863"
Worse . . . she has a near-unlimited arsenal of chores I'm supposed to do.

Arsenal you say? At least it's not a massive Arsenal.
On the chores note, an ex of mine asked me what I wanted to do one a rare day off. Nothing at all say I whereupon (I kid you not) a two page A4 list is produced. Apparently she regrets us splitting up.[/QUOTE]

"I need a break", she says.

"You deserve one", I say. "Go take a vacation. I've got the kids, the dog, the cat, the chores; I'll work from home."

"But I don't want to go somewhere by myself", she says.

"No worries. You've got lots of friends. Grab one and go" say I.

"But if I go with someone we won't want to do the same things", she says.

"Well, find someone that does, give her the agenda of things YOU want to do, and say you'd love it if she came along", I reply.

"But that's such a pain. And it costs money. And what if we get in a fight and ruin the friendship? Where can we go affordably?", she cries.

"OK. How about this? Stay home. Have a stay-cation. Me and the kids will take care of everything. You can sleep late, go on a hike, go to the spa, go have lunch and dinner with your friends, or whatever -- just relax at home", I said.

"But I need a break", she says.

 

[DrBlueBob]

Arsenal you say? At least it's not a massive Arsenal.
On the chores note, an ex of mine asked me what I wanted to do one a rare day off. Nothing at all say I whereupon (I kid you not) a two page A4 list is produced. Apparently she regrets us splitting up.

"I need a break", she says.

"You deserve one", I say. "Go take a vacation. I've got the kids, the dog, the cat, the chores; I'll work from home."

"But I don't want to go somewhere by myself", she says.

"No worries. You've got lots of friends. Grab one and go" say I.

"But if I go with someone we won't want to do the same things", she says.

"Well, find someone that does, give her the agenda of things YOU want to do, and say you'd love it if she came along", I reply.

"But that's such a pain. And it costs money. And what if we get in a fight and ruin the friendship? Where can we go affordably?", she cries.

"OK. How about this? Stay home. Have a stay-cation. Me and the kids will take care of everything. You can sleep late, go on a hike, go to the spa, go have lunch and dinner with your friends, or whatever -- just relax at home", I said.

"But I need a break", she says.[/QUOTE]
OOOFT! Good luck. I know you love her really. I know this is all off topic but it's less stressful than the near 2500 pages of Trumpery.

 

[west didsblue]

Haha Donny isn't doing too well in his trade war

"The US trade gap with the rest of the world jumped to a 10-year high of $621bn (£472.5bn) last year, dealing a blow to President Donald Trump's deficit reduction plan."
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47472282

Fake news.
And if it isn't, it's the Dems fault.