Penny Arcade Forums› Debate and/or Discourse
An update on recent technical problems and more from the admin: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/250292/on-technical-difficulties-mod-coverage-and-other-things/p1?new=1
Options

[US Foreign Policy] POTUS Ends SK Military Exercises in Exchange for a Handshake pg 87

monikermoniker Registered User regular
edited June 2018 in Debate and/or Discourse
A new thread to discuss what amounts to our supposed policies to foreign nations.

Previously on The State Department:
We used to have a Secretary, but he left with hard feelings about DC. Eventually the Senate will likely confirm Secretary Pompeo. Probably.

Also: New National Security Advisor, Ambassador Bolton, who advises that the nation is secure by starting wars for fun and profit.

Also, also: Tarriffs! Because shooting wars aren't the only kind.

What will happen next? Events, dear boy, events.

*************
Official prevention of cross contamination post.
*************

The Russian investigation, and related issues: Russian Investigation Thread
Trump admin/family corruption and grift not related to Russia: Corruption/Grift/Ethics Violations in the Trump Administration
General Middle East goings on: The Middle East Thread
Trump admin/government's treatment of the press: Freedom of the Press Thread
Trump immigration policy, Muslim ban and beyond: Immigration Policy Thread
*************

moniker on
«134567…100

Posts

  • Options
    FencingsaxFencingsax It is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understanding GNU Terry PratchettRegistered User regular
    China has announced its retaliatory tariffs, btw.

  • Options
    ZibblsnrtZibblsnrt Registered User, Moderator mod
    Since it came in just under the wire before the last thread hit 100:

    NYT article on Bolton replacing McMaster

    WaPo article on same

  • Options
    KetBraKetBra Dressed Ridiculously Registered User regular
    Remember how there were 'no plans' to replace McMaster like week ago

    KGMvDLc.jpg?1
  • Options
    ViskodViskod Registered User regular
    John Bolton as our NSA chief just puts us one step closer to not being able to tell the difference between hyperbolic statements about the Trump administration and legitimate concerns.

  • Options
    TaramoorTaramoor Storyteller Registered User regular
    KetBra wrote: »
    Remember how there were 'no plans' to replace McMaster like week ago

    You mean Tuesday?

    nUzGRMY.gif
    twitch.tv/Taramoor
    @TaramoorPlays
    Taramoor on Youtube
  • Options
    ZibblsnrtZibblsnrt Registered User, Moderator mod
    KetBra wrote: »
    Remember how there were 'no plans' to replace McMaster like week ago

    Let's be fair, there aren't really plans in this administration as much as series of autonomic lurches and jerks.

  • Options
    NSDFRandNSDFRand FloridaRegistered User regular
    While I'm glad to see Tillerson out (even though I agree with some of the things he did such as his uncensored opinion of the current POTUS and declaration in support of the UK against Russia), I do not like that McMaster is being pushed out. Generally it's good if the SecState, the National Security Adviser, and the POTUS have a good, strong relationship because it means other states we interact with can assume that our officials speak for the POTUS. That doesn't mean they must be lock step and both SecState and NSA should be able to provide dissenting POVs without worrying about job security. If this continues, and IIRC correctly that someone else posted it first in the previous thread and I agree with them, that attention may turn towards Mattis due to his disagreement with POTUS.

  • Options
    Santa ClaustrophobiaSanta Claustrophobia Ho Ho Ho Disconnecting from Xbox LIVERegistered User regular
    Zibblsnrt wrote: »
    KetBra wrote: »
    Remember how there were 'no plans' to replace McMaster like week ago

    Let's be fair, there aren't really plans in this administration as much as series of autonomic lurches and jerks.

    So, you're saying they're zombies?

    You're muckin' with a G!
  • Options
    nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    Odds of a new war just skyrocketed

  • Options
    KetBraKetBra Dressed Ridiculously Registered User regular
    Taramoor wrote: »
    KetBra wrote: »
    Remember how there were 'no plans' to replace McMaster like week ago

    You mean Tuesday?

    look, it feels like a year, or a minute, can't tell anymore

    KGMvDLc.jpg?1
  • Options
    HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    KetBra wrote: »
    Taramoor wrote: »
    KetBra wrote: »
    Remember how there were 'no plans' to replace McMaster like week ago

    You mean Tuesday?

    look, it feels like a year, or a minute, can't tell anymore
    "Remember how there were 'no plans' to replace McMaster like a week ago?"
    "That was the post above yours."
    "FUCK."
    Fencingsax wrote: »
    China has announced its retaliatory tariffs, btw.
    What are these retaliatory tariffs? News link?

  • Options
    OghulkOghulk Tinychat Janitor TinychatRegistered User regular
    Hey guys I have internet again after being at work all day and coming home to it being out and---

    Oh

    Also China is threatening to raise tariffs so wooo trade war

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trump-moves-toward-imposing-steep-tariffs-on-china-sending-stocks-plummeting/2018/03/22/5cd3a7c6-2dfe-11e8-8ad6-fbc50284fce8_story.html?utm_term=.f65244fcfd66

  • Options
    CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    China really has the ability to hurt the USA when it comes to agriculture given their imports from the USA.

  • Options
    OghulkOghulk Tinychat Janitor TinychatRegistered User regular
    The Chinese love our fucking corn. They import a lot of it.

    A trade war will gooo great

  • Options
    shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    edited March 2018
    Zibblsnrt wrote: »
    Since it came in just under the wire before the last thread hit 100:

    NYT article on Bolton replacing McMaster

    WaPo article on same

    Well, I was getting tired of the US only being in 1 war. It's time to return to the glory days.

    Betting pool guidlines:
    - most expected is North Korean invasion so the payout is pretty low
    - Iran is the dark horse invasion most people have forgotten about but it's got good odds
    - Syria for the plausible invasion no one sees coming
    - Canada for the long-shot hail mary you throw $5 at and treat it like the lottery
    - Mexico for the lols

    shryke on
  • Options
    HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    Oghulk wrote: »
    The Chinese love our fucking corn. They import a lot of it.

    A trade war will gooo great
    I've been told they're easy to win though!

  • Options
    OghulkOghulk Tinychat Janitor TinychatRegistered User regular
    Let's not forget Bolton couldn't even get the 60 votes to be confirmed by the senate in 2005 to the UN

  • Options
    RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    Henroid wrote: »
    Oghulk wrote: »
    The Chinese love our fucking corn. They import a lot of it.

    A trade war will gooo great
    I've been told they're easy to win though!

    Profit off of

    easy to profit off of

    Sterica wrote: »
    I know my last visit to my grandpa on his deathbed was to find out how the whole Nazi werewolf thing turned out.
    Edcrab's Exigency RPG
  • Options
    MolotovCockatooMolotovCockatoo Registered User regular
    Does Bolton need to be confirmed by the senate?

    Poorochondriac wrote: »
    Killjoy wrote: »
    No jeez Orik why do you assume the worst about people?

    Because he moderates an internet forum

    http://lexiconmegatherium.tumblr.com/
  • Options
    GONG-00GONG-00 Registered User regular
    MolotovCockatoo wrote: »
    Does Bolton need to be confirmed by the senate?

    No.

    Black lives matter.
    Law and Order ≠ Justice
    ACNH Island Isla Cero: DA-3082-2045-4142
    Captain of the SES Comptroller of the State
    xu257gunns6e.png
  • Options
    shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    MolotovCockatoo wrote: »
    Does Bolton need to be confirmed by the senate?

    Nope

  • Options
    OghulkOghulk Tinychat Janitor TinychatRegistered User regular
    Nope!

    Hey remember how people said at least Trump wasn't a war hawk like Hillary?

    Hahahahaha

  • Options
    PreacherPreacher Registered User regular
    MolotovCockatoo wrote: »
    Does Bolton need to be confirmed by the senate?

    No he's in a position that doesn't require confirmation I believe.

    I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.

    pleasepaypreacher.net
  • Options
    RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    Oghulk wrote: »
    Nope!

    Hey remember how people said at least Trump wasn't a war hawk like Hillary?

    Hahahahaha

    Surely Congress will reign in ou-

    I actually thought I could get farther into that sentence without getting sad

    Sterica wrote: »
    I know my last visit to my grandpa on his deathbed was to find out how the whole Nazi werewolf thing turned out.
    Edcrab's Exigency RPG
  • Options
    SmurphSmurph Registered User regular
    The big mac daddy issue with Chinese trade is going to be plastics. US or even North American production and expertise cannot match Chinese, they are decades apart. Their whole economy was built on plastic and they have tech and infrastructure that nobody else it close to right now. If Trump reacts to their tariffs with tariffs on plastics, a lot of US businesses are going to be screwed when they find out that their parts are going to cost 10x as much to be made in the US.

  • Options
    DarkPrimusDarkPrimus Registered User regular
    Oghulk wrote: »
    The Chinese love our fucking corn. They import a lot of it.

    A trade war will gooo great

    Oh, to be a fly on the wall in Terry Branstead's office when he heard about these tariffs being imposed...

    usnTyq4.jpg
    Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
  • Options
    hippofanthippofant ティンク Registered User regular
    edited March 2018
    Smurph wrote: »
    The big mac daddy issue with Chinese trade is going to be plastics. US or even North American production and expertise cannot match Chinese, they are decades apart. Their whole economy was built on plastic and they have tech and infrastructure that nobody else it close to right now. If Trump reacts to their tariffs with tariffs on plastics, a lot of US businesses are going to be screwed when they find out that their parts are going to cost 10x as much to be made in the US.

    Huh. That wasn't what I was thinking about in the post I made in the last thread - I have a tech bias due to my background - but that's another great example. China did a really good job of boxing out American interests in their technological development, and have shepherded more than a few areas of advantage for themselves. They had a plan to challenge the US' economic dominance, which started with technology and expertise, and they executed well. (Also education. Sending a lot of Chinese students abroad to gain experience and then bringing them back.)

    hippofant on
  • Options
    Edith UpwardsEdith Upwards Registered User regular
    KetBra wrote: »
    Remember how there were 'no plans' to replace McMaster like week ago

    Trump just read the headline of Bolton's horrible, gorhnb op ed where he says a first strike on North Korea is totally okay.

    Anyway, Sam Seder has this to say. He is a journalist who occasionally appears on msnbc.

  • Options
    TryCatcherTryCatcher Registered User regular
    Seems like another example of "madman theory" aka getting Bolton to play bad cop on the NK negotiations. And Bolton seemed all too willing to kiss ass, while that's concerning, Graham has been kissing ass to get his Iran War since a while ago and Trump hasn't bitten.

    Also, rumor is that the author of the "Do not congratulate Putin" leak was McMaster.




    Kaitlan Collins is a CNN reporter.

  • Options
    TryCatcherTryCatcher Registered User regular
    Also, Bolton and NK in specific have, let's say, a history:
    North Korea bans Bolton from talks

    By - The Washington Times - Monday, August 4, 2003
    SEOUL — Pyongyang, calling a senior American official “human scum” for criticizing North Korea’s leader, banned him from U.S.-proposed multilateral talks on its suspected development of nuclear weapons.

    North Korea said that it won’t deal with U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton because he described communist leader Kim Jong Il as a “tyrannical dictator” and said “life is a hellish nightmare” for many North Koreans.

    Mr. Bolton made the remarks during a visit to South Korea last week.

    “Such human scum and bloodsucker is not entitled to take part in the talks,” said a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman, according to the North’s official KCNA news agency.

    “We have decided not to consider him as an official of the U.S. administration any longer nor to deal with him,” the unidentified spokesman said.

  • Options
    hippofanthippofant ティンク Registered User regular
    edited March 2018
    TryCatcher wrote: »
    Seems like another example of "madman theory" aka getting Bolton to play bad cop on the NK negotiations. And Bolton seemed all too willing to kiss ass, while that's concerning, Graham has been kissing ass to get his Iran War since a while ago and Trump hasn't bitten.

    Also, rumor is that the author of the "Do not congratulate Putin" leak was McMaster.

    Lol. 3-star US Army general was gruff and not deferential? You don't saayyyyyy.... Unimaginable!

    hippofant on
  • Options
    Harry DresdenHarry Dresden Registered User regular
    TryCatcher wrote: »
    Also, Bolton and NK in specific have, let's say, a history:
    North Korea bans Bolton from talks

    By - The Washington Times - Monday, August 4, 2003
    SEOUL — Pyongyang, calling a senior American official “human scum” for criticizing North Korea’s leader, banned him from U.S.-proposed multilateral talks on its suspected development of nuclear weapons.

    North Korea said that it won’t deal with U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton because he described communist leader Kim Jong Il as a “tyrannical dictator” and said “life is a hellish nightmare” for many North Koreans.

    Mr. Bolton made the remarks during a visit to South Korea last week.

    “Such human scum and bloodsucker is not entitled to take part in the talks,” said a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman, according to the North’s official KCNA news agency.

    “We have decided not to consider him as an official of the U.S. administration any longer nor to deal with him,” the unidentified spokesman said.

    Did America just kick itself out of the talks? That's what it looks like.

  • Options
    FencingsaxFencingsax It is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understanding GNU Terry PratchettRegistered User regular
    That was a decade and a half ago

  • Options
    knitdanknitdan In ur base Killin ur guysRegistered User regular
    You think they’ve forgotten?

    “I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
    -Indiana Solo, runner of blades
  • Options
    ShortyShorty touching the meat Intergalactic Cool CourtRegistered User regular
    it's really weird that he would choose the worst possible moment to be correct about a single goddamn thing

  • Options
    ShortyShorty touching the meat Intergalactic Cool CourtRegistered User regular
    edited March 2018
    it's incredible to me that, after stuff like that, Bolton and people exactly like him* still get treated with anything other than dismissive contempt by any newspaper editor

    *
    William Krystol is the main one here but you can sub in literally any conservative pundit/intellectual/policy maker, since they're all exactly as incompetent

    Shorty on
  • Options
    SpoitSpoit *twitch twitch* Registered User regular
    Harry Dresden wrote: »
    TryCatcher wrote: »
    Also, Bolton and NK in specific have, let's say, a history:
    North Korea bans Bolton from talks

    By - The Washington Times - Monday, August 4, 2003
    SEOUL — Pyongyang, calling a senior American official “human scum” for criticizing North Korea’s leader, banned him from U.S.-proposed multilateral talks on its suspected development of nuclear weapons.

    North Korea said that it won’t deal with U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton because he described communist leader Kim Jong Il as a “tyrannical dictator” and said “life is a hellish nightmare” for many North Koreans.

    Mr. Bolton made the remarks during a visit to South Korea last week.

    “Such human scum and bloodsucker is not entitled to take part in the talks,” said a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman, according to the North’s official KCNA news agency.

    “We have decided not to consider him as an official of the U.S. administration any longer nor to deal with him,” the unidentified spokesman said.

    Did America just kick itself out of the talks? That's what it looks like.
    To be honest, with the kind of people that are still there, I'm not sure that keeping the US out of the talks isn't a good idea to begin with.
    Shorty wrote: »
    it's incredible to me that, after stuff like that, Bolton and people exactly like him* still get treated with anything other than dismissive contempt by any newspaper editor

    *
    William Krystol is the main one here but you can sub in literally any conservative pundit/intellectual/policy maker, since they're all exactly as incompetent

    I mean, Kissinger was still a regular guest in these kinds of circuits, despite being a literal War Criminal. And someone double check to see if Ollie North was a CNN panelist as well

    steam_sig.png
  • Options
    TNTrooperTNTrooper Registered User regular
    Spoit wrote: »
    Harry Dresden wrote: »
    TryCatcher wrote: »
    Also, Bolton and NK in specific have, let's say, a history:
    North Korea bans Bolton from talks

    By - The Washington Times - Monday, August 4, 2003
    SEOUL — Pyongyang, calling a senior American official “human scum” for criticizing North Korea’s leader, banned him from U.S.-proposed multilateral talks on its suspected development of nuclear weapons.

    North Korea said that it won’t deal with U.S. Undersecretary of State John Bolton because he described communist leader Kim Jong Il as a “tyrannical dictator” and said “life is a hellish nightmare” for many North Koreans.

    Mr. Bolton made the remarks during a visit to South Korea last week.

    “Such human scum and bloodsucker is not entitled to take part in the talks,” said a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman, according to the North’s official KCNA news agency.

    “We have decided not to consider him as an official of the U.S. administration any longer nor to deal with him,” the unidentified spokesman said.

    Did America just kick itself out of the talks? That's what it looks like.
    To be honest, with the kind of people that are still there, I'm not sure that keeping the US out of the talks isn't a good idea to begin with.
    Shorty wrote: »
    it's incredible to me that, after stuff like that, Bolton and people exactly like him* still get treated with anything other than dismissive contempt by any newspaper editor

    *
    William Krystol is the main one here but you can sub in literally any conservative pundit/intellectual/policy maker, since they're all exactly as incompetent

    I mean, Kissinger was still a regular guest in these kinds of circuits, despite being a literal War Criminal. And someone double check to see if Ollie North was a CNN panelist as well

    Ollie North is a Fox News talking head.

    steam_sig.png
  • Options
    ViskodViskod Registered User regular
    So the DOJ announcement today wasn't about Russia unfortunately, it was about Iranian hackers and Iranian state backed hacking of the US.

    Which, will be all the excuse Trump needs to pull out of the Iran deal, and all the excuse John Bolton will need to urge Trump to go to war with Iran.

  • Options
    BlackDragon480BlackDragon480 Bluster Kerfuffle Master of Windy ImportRegistered User regular
    Viskod wrote: »
    So the DOJ announcement today wasn't about Russia unfortunately, it was about Iranian hackers and Iranian state backed hacking of the US.

    Which, will be all the excuse Trump needs to pull out of the Iran deal, and all the excuse John Bolton will need to urge Trump to go to war with Iran.

    Oh, you mean the process they started investing in after the US and Israel hit them with Stuxnet?

    No matter where you go...there you are.
    ~ Buckaroo Banzai
This discussion has been closed.
Penny Arcade Forums› Debate and/or Discourse