“It’s going to be OK…because it always is.” That’s not strategy. That’s magical thinking with a $28 billion tab and 240 dead children attached to it.
Bret Stephens knows it’s a loss. He just can’t say what that implies—-that there was never a path to victory, only a path to more war. That’s not hawkishness. That’s a personality disorder with a defense budget.
The “healthy democracy” capable of honest reckoning? It left the building before the first strike. What we have now is a regime that started an illegal war on vibes, lost it on vibes, and will spend the next decade explaining why losing was actually winning.
Iran kept the strait. Russia kept the oil premium. China kept winning without lifting a finger.
The euphemisms change but the song remains the same. Since the "Peace with honor" days, and the constant shuffling of the dramatis personae, the public has endured and succumbed to learned helplessness. It cuts across many issues and I lay the blame squarely at the feet of greed. Occam's Razor.
I rather suspect that Trump's by no means drank all of the bitter cup that he's poured himself (and the USA).
First of all the huge increases in diesel hasn't done its work yet as most goods are transported on trucks. Higher prices for everything are on the way! Come to think of it farming in the US uses huge amounts of diesel and fertilizer which is also going to be a hell of a lot more expensive. Food is going up bigly too! After helping kick start inflation with tariffs he's now giving it an almighty second push with the results due to arrive in the coming months.
Even worse a decision to send ships into harm's way enforcing a blockade give a really high chance of dramatic deaths of US sailors. Iran would love to kill US servicemen, have a lot drones and modern warships are not designed to deal with them. Even light aerial drones that would never sink a ship could certainly kill sailors. That's not counting surface drones that have proven more than a match for the Russian Black Sea Fleet. I'd say there's every chance the Iranians will send large numbers of them after US ships and I don't fancy the US Navy's chances against them.
Bad things tend to happen when you make a moron the Commanderr in Chief.
With Trumps statement (to Tucker Carlson) that it will all be okay “because it always is” it demonstrates how little thought and planning went in to the decision to take the action which began this war (or excursion, as he so intelligently- not!- put it. I think that this is how he has bumbled along throughout his life- make a mess, someone fixes it, make another mess, someone else fixes it- rinse and repeat. If this is how one conducts business, soon they owe favors to the many who have stepped in to clean up the mess- and at some point, those favors are expected to be paid off. Hence the many unqualified individuals in this administration, blundering about and destroying our democracy. Of course, this is just my view.
The fact that we spent more on war and death instead of funding ACA subsidies that would have improved millions of lives this year alone should make those wronged millions’ blood boil. I know it does mine just reading that statistic, ugh!
Maybe one more over the top Hegseth performance, with lots of braying about "no fatties or chicks" will bring us victory. Hopefully done white boy rap style.
'But somehow the bipartisan appeal of more money for more guns and for equating “security” with “belligerence” never seems to get old.'
As we ease on down the road toward the '$40 trillion in national debt' milestone whilst pissing off everyone else in the world who helps make that continuing acid trip possible, we just might need to start singing a new tune.
Hopefully the DNC can step the fuck off and let the voters actually drive the primaries for the upcoming go-arounds (unlike the three previous ones). Hungary just schooled us on that, bigly.
Is losing and winning subjective? Clearly, going into any encounter such as military battles or a football game opposing sides should have a strategic plan and not just a hope to “win.” Trump’s team has failed. Thousands of deaths, billions of dollars spent, tons of equipment lost. And what has changed? Who’s cheering, happy, satisfied? Forget “winning” and judge this matter a waste of lives, money, investments, and time.
“It’s going to be OK…because it always is.” That’s not strategy. That’s magical thinking with a $28 billion tab and 240 dead children attached to it.
Bret Stephens knows it’s a loss. He just can’t say what that implies—-that there was never a path to victory, only a path to more war. That’s not hawkishness. That’s a personality disorder with a defense budget.
The “healthy democracy” capable of honest reckoning? It left the building before the first strike. What we have now is a regime that started an illegal war on vibes, lost it on vibes, and will spend the next decade explaining why losing was actually winning.
Iran kept the strait. Russia kept the oil premium. China kept winning without lifting a finger.
The U.S. kept the bill.
—Johan
Former FSO
And the Epstein Files still kept Trump as its main character.
The euphemisms change but the song remains the same. Since the "Peace with honor" days, and the constant shuffling of the dramatis personae, the public has endured and succumbed to learned helplessness. It cuts across many issues and I lay the blame squarely at the feet of greed. Occam's Razor.
I rather suspect that Trump's by no means drank all of the bitter cup that he's poured himself (and the USA).
First of all the huge increases in diesel hasn't done its work yet as most goods are transported on trucks. Higher prices for everything are on the way! Come to think of it farming in the US uses huge amounts of diesel and fertilizer which is also going to be a hell of a lot more expensive. Food is going up bigly too! After helping kick start inflation with tariffs he's now giving it an almighty second push with the results due to arrive in the coming months.
Even worse a decision to send ships into harm's way enforcing a blockade give a really high chance of dramatic deaths of US sailors. Iran would love to kill US servicemen, have a lot drones and modern warships are not designed to deal with them. Even light aerial drones that would never sink a ship could certainly kill sailors. That's not counting surface drones that have proven more than a match for the Russian Black Sea Fleet. I'd say there's every chance the Iranians will send large numbers of them after US ships and I don't fancy the US Navy's chances against them.
Bad things tend to happen when you make a moron the Commanderr in Chief.
Trump has made the world a poorer place.
He's been doing that since he was fucking born
“Some men improve the world only by leaving it.” -- various (perhaps Oscar Wilde?)
"A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of chess?"
I go with Hakeem Jeffries, it's madness. How can you win or lose at madness?
With Trumps statement (to Tucker Carlson) that it will all be okay “because it always is” it demonstrates how little thought and planning went in to the decision to take the action which began this war (or excursion, as he so intelligently- not!- put it. I think that this is how he has bumbled along throughout his life- make a mess, someone fixes it, make another mess, someone else fixes it- rinse and repeat. If this is how one conducts business, soon they owe favors to the many who have stepped in to clean up the mess- and at some point, those favors are expected to be paid off. Hence the many unqualified individuals in this administration, blundering about and destroying our democracy. Of course, this is just my view.
Trump always led with his gut—now, though, more gut, no leading.
The fact that we spent more on war and death instead of funding ACA subsidies that would have improved millions of lives this year alone should make those wronged millions’ blood boil. I know it does mine just reading that statistic, ugh!
Maybe one more over the top Hegseth performance, with lots of braying about "no fatties or chicks" will bring us victory. Hopefully done white boy rap style.
'But somehow the bipartisan appeal of more money for more guns and for equating “security” with “belligerence” never seems to get old.'
As we ease on down the road toward the '$40 trillion in national debt' milestone whilst pissing off everyone else in the world who helps make that continuing acid trip possible, we just might need to start singing a new tune.
Hopefully the DNC can step the fuck off and let the voters actually drive the primaries for the upcoming go-arounds (unlike the three previous ones). Hungary just schooled us on that, bigly.
Plans for that triumphal arch still on?
Is losing and winning subjective? Clearly, going into any encounter such as military battles or a football game opposing sides should have a strategic plan and not just a hope to “win.” Trump’s team has failed. Thousands of deaths, billions of dollars spent, tons of equipment lost. And what has changed? Who’s cheering, happy, satisfied? Forget “winning” and judge this matter a waste of lives, money, investments, and time.
🎯💯😢😢😢