Have you ever played RISK? You are now!
When I first heard about Dat Guy’s phone call with the President of the government ON Taiwan (as the United States refers to that polity) I assumed he was too dumb to know better. That assumption was not shaken when, immediately in the aftermath, Dat Guy Tweet-whined “she called ME,” as if to say, “Hey, I was just being polite. It’s Not My Fault!”
There’s Only One China… and several flags, it turns out.
But recent reporting by the Washington Post and others has nameless functionaries involved in the transition leaking that tweaking China’s nose with Taiwan was Dat Guy’s “plan” all along. That “talks” had been going on for some time about what to do with those relationships. If so, no one seems to have notified the Resident-elect.
All the optics and leaks are so confusing, that we are left with three general explanations for what’s going on. None of them are what we’d call “good news.”
Bad News: Dat Guy knew all about the secret plan, was implementing it when he pretended to take her call for no particular reason other than she’d made it, then excoriated China in his subsequent tweets, all to strengthen his negotiating position by causing China to lose face, which, of course, they exist solely NOT to do. Then, some low-level morons leaked the secret plan to the Washington Post. Well, that would be bad, if they can’t even maintain a secret plan past the first week. And the leak would undo any leverage.
Worse News: There WAS no secret plan, and Dat Guy is so completely out of touch with world politics and diplomacy that he simply didn’t know Taiwan’s status, but couldn’t be seen to be such a stumble-bum. So they leaked to WaPo another of his schoolboy excuses: “I MEANT to do that.” That would be worse, to have the most powerful nation in the world run by a dilettante.
Worst news: There was a secret plan, but no one told Dat Guy, and they just steered him into what calls to return, unwittingly. Once he – or rather, the clueless cotillion of confederate catch-farts around him -figured it out, they leaked the plan as part of the internecine warfare that seems to have dogged this campaign since Paul Manafort came on board. That would be worst of all because the dilettante leader of the most powerful nation in the world will be a puppet controlled by a cabal of unelected creeps.
I lean towards this last explanation. Manafort’s influence on substantial policy was maintained by his acolytes even after he left the campaign. Its greatest influence was on the candidate’s already warm feeling towards the Slavic peoples on both a personal (wives 1 and 3) and professional (Alfa Bank, et al) level.
For that reason, language promoting relations with Taiwan and excoriating China was also in the GOP platform, overshadowed by the changes in the plank regarding Ukraine’s relationship to Russia. The situations are analogous, but the GOP took TWO OPPOSITE TACKS in dealing with the territorial ambitions of the two major nuclear players on the Asian continent, including the one we really need to hold North Korea in check.
BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE.
In more of these “congratulatory” calls, Dat Guy has stepped squarely into the middle of a mess with Pakistan, stumbling around policy that seems to tighten our ties with their weak government, which is controlled by their military, and managed to upset India with moronic promises to broker a deal on Kashmir. In addition, GOP/Dat Guy’s policy on Afghanistan seems designed to allow that country to fall squarely into Pakistan’s sphere of influence.
All of this squares with the warm embrace of Putin and HIS ambitions, destabilizing American relationships from Istanbul to Islamabad, from Tehran to Taipei, from Budapest to Beijing.
It’s global thermonuclear Risk: in China and India, Resident-elect Dat Guy has managed to piss off 1/3 of the WHOLE WORLD POPULATION. But what’s worse is the destabilization of the delicate nuclear balance between not ONE, not TWO, but FIVE nuclear powers on the Asian continent: Russia, China, India, Pakistan and North Korea.
All in the first month since his election.
I don’t mind that Dat Guy doesn’t know everything about international diplomacy on Day Minus 50; I mind that he’s never seen an episode of The West Wing.
All the cool kids have been Netflix binging Jed Bartlet since 11/8/16 – wonder why?
I’m taking deep breaths and feeling kind of peaceful. If I can just keep this up for the next four years, and however long after that it takes to repair all the damage, assuming it’s repairable….
Reading a novel in which the main woman character becomes addicted to morphine during WWII in London. That sounds peaceful too, but I’m trying not to go that way. I expect I’ll have to try harder as the days, weeks, months, and years go on.
1And the SOB-elect hasn’t EVEN been sworn in yet.
2I mentioned to friends that Drumpf will likely give us a Blazing Saddles presidency, but then a friend said Yes to a Mel Brooks comedy, but rather the highlarious 1967 Mel Brooks comedy, The Producers, with Drumpf and his “hair” playing the role of scheming, manipulative failed Broadway producer, Max Bialystock. I have never seen this film so I got nothing.
3Yeah, if I had been one of the millennials wanting to “really show the DNC”, Jed Bartlett would’ve been who I wrote in. I mean seriously, anyone who calls God a thug in Latin and stomps out a cigarette on the floor of the national cathedral is definitely worth voting for. Right? His running mate? Limberbutt McCubbiins.
4“Confederate catch-farts”
Jeez, that one needs to be carved in marble, someplace……
5Why are we talking and why is he acting like he is the President? We have one if I’m not mistaken and it’s not Drumpf. Not yet at least. And not officially elected until Dec. 19 and not officially Prez until Jan. 21. He IS NOT authorized to be speaking to any foreign head of state in any capacity except as Citizen Trump. What the hell is going on here? And why is America (yeah… I’m looking at you media!) accepting this crap?
6JAKvirginia: If I remember right, wasn’t there a precedent with Reagan and Iran? How’d that turn out?
7In the name of transition, this sometimes happens. I just hope the Obamas have tasked one of their most reliable transition people with prying the D off every keyboard in the WH.
8He isn’t smart enough to know what he doesn’t know, not to listen to those who do. WWWIII here we come. Dems get those Articles of Impeachment on stand-by.
9Thanks to all the morons who voted for this idiot. Hope you’re happy when your kids are sent to war.
And he said that Clinton was going to start WWIII…. I’m tempted to say that if she did, she’d at least do it deliberately.
The scariest thing I’ve read recently said that during the Carter administration, National Security Advisor Brzezinski was awakened at 2:30 AM and told there were two incoming ICBMs. A few minutes later, there were more. A few minutes after that, whoopsie, computer error, never mind.
Can you see how that would play out a few months from now?
10Inside info: SOBOTUS-Elect Comrade Trumpov will name The Hon. Vladmir Putin as his Sec. of State and then this stuff all gets handled by a skilled pro after 20 Jan.
.
Why do I foresee my grandkids learning those old “duck and cover, hide under the school-desk” exercises we used to do in the 1950’s?
Before it all goes up in multiple mushroom clouds anyway…
We’re now entering the “Twilight Zone”.
I don’t recall Ivanka, Josh, Melanoma, D Jr, Eric, or even Barron, being elected or appointed to any government posts, so WTF is going on?
11Y’all remember that the Repukes still haven’t let up on Hillary (an accomplished adult, attorney, skilled politician, and mega-talented person by that time) for helping out POTUS WJC with policy a bit, early in his first term?
Now they’ve got a full-blown Roman Empire nepotist dynasty a-building, and not a peep from the Rescummies or the media.
.
WASF’ed
Hey Jane. PKM didn’t happen to get his picher took with a couple other veterans and a flag and snow did he? If so, it’s on the front page of the business section of the Houston Chronicle.
12Thank you for the analysis, Primo.
With all the fake news (FN), it makes me wonder if some counter-intelligence might be planted—um—leaked. Fine line. There seems to be an appetite for FN. So here’s a dream:
It appears that some of the FN reason to exist is to get advertising money, clickbait. Maybe it’s time to use FN as a resource, while still denouncing its misinformation and disinformation. A juicy story gets widespread long before it’s disproven, so it can be utilized.
It would be interesting to see how a FN release of Dat guy’s tax returns would go. Of course this would require thorough and careful anonymizing to protect even the fake sources. However, it seems to be a topic of great interest.
Anyways, the concept is that there are a number of FN sites engaging in agitprop, perhaps with backing from some very knowledgeable resources in that field (foreign?). These FN releases need to be discredited and the time seems ripe to fight fire with fire. There is certainly a risk of backfire.
13Here’s my theory:
Bannon is at the top of the pyramid of those who have Trump’s ear.
The Russian people are [mostly] peachy-beige [NOT white – no matter what Bannon (also peachy-beige) would have you believe] and their president is most assuredly so.
The Chinese people are [mostly] yellow-beige — not the acceptable peachy-beige tone — and the leader of the country is too.
And the folks in the Middle East are pretty much downright brownish.
Nuff said.
14~ ~ ~
@ Rhea:
Didn’t that turn out to be a flock of geese? If not that particular incident, I do know there was a time when it did happen.
What the Cheetoh-faced Ferret-wearing Shitgibbon Cocksplat is assembling bears a striking resemblance to a gobbling flock of albino turkeys. Except for the token known fondly as Gentle Ben, they’re all peachy-beige males. (Thanks two crows) Can’t have any of those bleeding-from-her-whatever women either, except the token woman (meaning not really a woman) Kreepy Ann Convict. Eeeeuuuwww!!!!!!
15“That would be worse, to have the most powerful nation in the world run by a
dilettantedimwit.”there, fixerated that for ya. a dilettante is usually someone actually does know something about the issues they’re playing around with. Lacking even the attention span of a gnat, they just tend to lose interest very quickly, and move on to something else. No evidence has emerged, over the course of Mr. Trump’s entire life to this point, that he has even the minimal knowledge/awareness of the issues at hand, to qualify as a true dilettante. as such, it’s an insult to actual dilettantes, to characterize Mr. Trump as one.
I fear we’re about to enter Nixonland, Part Two: The Resurrection Of The Fatally Stupid!, with brief hints of Reagan. We have an Al Haig-like character, in retired Gen. Flynn. He will, at some point, announce that “I’m in charge here!”.
The incoming administration will need a Kissinger at State, the Svengali-like character valued for his penetrating insights into the minds of the leaders of allies & enemies alike. this will be the only person Trump will listen to, with respect to foreign policy, regardless of how consistently wrong he is. Hell, Kissinger was/is always grubbing around for cash, might as well hire the real thing, rather than settling for a cheap, Brand X imitation.
Good times, good times!
16Maryelle–Right. Some of the “knowledgeable” snacilubupers I exchanged comments with right after the election assured me their main reason for voting for the orange 1 was that Hillary would surely get us into a war. Of course, these are people who thought the websites that were screaming “Liar, liar, pants on fire!” every time he opened his mouth were just librul woosies.
Sandridge–I was trained in duck-and-cover, too. Guess I should find out if the knees will still allow that…
17I remember one dumbass dubya assuring Rev(iled) Billy Graham (I believe) that there would be no casualties if we invaded Iraq.
Imagine how many casualties we wouldn’t have if dumbass drunpf started a nukular war. Flynn Jr can say they ain’t dead if you can’t find their vaporized bodies, therefore no one died.
Some wingnuts are claiming dumbass drumpf’s pot stirring of nukular powers might be a good thing. For the defense industry maybe.
18This silver haired granny recalls that when so many kids were being taught to duck and cover, we adamantly were not. We were simply to pray away anything nuclear. The duck and cover was to show a cringeworthy lack of faith.
19This was Bob Dole’s doing. Yes, that Bob Dole.
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