Benjamin Franklin Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 (edited) Hard to pin this topic down. So far we have Tillerson as SoS, who has no track record really. Trump all over the map on China and the Middle East. Russia...god knows. The only policy piece that seems clear is a firm belief in government intervention and protectionism on trade. Any other clear statements yet? The good news is Obama set the bar so, so low. Barring widespread nuclear war, he can only do better. Edited December 23, 2016 by Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 The good news is Obama set the bar so, so low. Barring widespread nuclear war, he can only do better. There was a similar sentiment after Obama took over after Bush. And yet, the bar has only sunk lower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeviF Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Seems that his position on Israel/Palestine is becoming abundantly clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 As long as he keeps someone with a long militaristic history, oil & gas and neocon influence out, we'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4merper4mer Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Barring widespread nuclear war, he can only do better. Agreed. I think an isolated little nuclear war would be pretty fun and could fuel Hollywood with scripts for decades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Sure. As long as it isn't set in Manhattan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeYouToTasker Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 His Tillerson pick is, I believe, his best so far. He has more experience negotiating with the Russians, and a more intimate understanding of their economy and energy policy than anyone else under consideration for the role. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 His Tillerson pick is, I believe, his best so far. He has more experience negotiating with the Russians, and a more intimate understanding of their economy and energy policy than anyone else under consideration for the role. Excellent. Now, does he know anything about the rest of the world? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Man Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Krauthammer’s Take: Trump Opposing U.N. Israel Resolution ‘Extremely Effective and Extremely Daring’ The U.N. was expected to vote today on a resolution demanding an end to Israeli settlement building, and reports indicate that Obama was ready to allow the resolution to pass until Egypt put off the vote. President-elect Donald Trump put pressure on Egypt not to go forward with the resolution, and it seems to have had an effect. Charles Krauthammer said that the resolution could have done serious damage to Israel, making Trump’s involvement daring and effective: More than a slap on the wrist, I think it would have done permanent damage to Israel, which is why even Obama himself several years ago vetoed the resolution, because it sets conditions that take away all of Israel’s bargaining chips. In other words, it gives everything over to the Palestinians in advance in return for nothing from the Palestinians, no recognition of a Jewish state, no concessions at all. And I think what happened today was very important. The reason is that had Obama done what it looks like he was going to do, which is to have the U.S. abstain, the resolution then passes. And it will never be reversed. Because in order to be reversed, you’ve got to get the Security Council to vote to reverse it, and the Chinese and Russians would exercise a veto. So this would have been one last shot at Israel, and particularly at Israel’s prime minister from Obama. An act of kind of — I don’t know if it’s ideological, but a lot of personal revenge. What Trump did was unprecedented. For a president-elect to step in, to publicly oppose it, and essentially to tell Egypt that introduced the resolution, “You better withdraw this or you won’t have a friend in the white House” at a time when Egypt needs a friend in the White House. So it was extremely effective, and extremely daring. You don’t normally get that from a president-elect. Read more at: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/443308/donald-trump-opposes-united-nations-anti-israel-resolution-targeting-egypt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeYouToTasker Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Excellent. Now, does he know anything about the rest of the world? As the CEO of one of the largest energy producers in the world? Absolutely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepthefaith Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 His Tillerson pick is, I believe, his best so far. He has more experience negotiating with the Russians, and a more intimate understanding of their economy and energy policy than anyone else under consideration for the role. Yes and somehow people think that do-nothing senators are better choices. Tillerson by running a very large complex global business and apparently running it very well will probably send culture shock through the entire state department assuming he deploys the same good business practices there. I suspect that in time he'll be highly respected by most within the State dept. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 His Tillerson pick is, I believe, his best so far. He has more experience negotiating with the Russians, and a more intimate understanding of their economy and energy policy than anyone else under consideration for the role. Frankly, one of the reasons the Tillerson pick is so great is because it triggered an amazing number of leftwing nutbags' heads to explode. I have no control over anything, so that's good enough for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meazza Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Frankly, one of the reasons the Tillerson pick is so great is because it triggered an amazing number of leftwing nutbags' heads to explode. I have no control over anything, so that's good enough for me. That's always a plus. Might as well have a laugh before the nuclear arms race. http://www.mediaite.com/online/let-it-be-an-arms-race-trump-gives-stunning-response-while-clarifying-nuclear-proliferation-comments/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Frankly, one of the reasons the Tillerson pick is so great is because it triggered an amazing number of leftwing nutbags' heads to explode. I have no control over anything, so that's good enough for me. Exactly! It's been great fun watching the "Progressive" wackjobs make fools of themselves by going low at every opportunity. That's always a plus. Might as well have a laugh before the nuclear arms race. http://www.mediaite.com/online/let-it-be-an-arms-race-trump-gives-stunning-response-while-clarifying-nuclear-proliferation-comments/ Lest ye forget it was the threat of Reagan's "Star Wars" program that would have bankrupted the Soviet Union and helped lead to it's demise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiberius Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Exactly! It's been great fun watching the "Progressive" wackjobs make fools of themselves by going low at every opportunity. Lest ye forget it was the threat of Reagan's "Star Wars" program that would have bankrupted the Soviet Union and helped lead to it's demise. So you are suggesting he is attempted to bankrupt what...the rest of the capitalistic countries? No, you are just trying to say anything to make his wild ravings sound somewhat ok. You are useful. Hillary was right, this crazy man should not have his hand anywhere near nuclear policy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDBillzFan Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Hillary was right, this crazy man should not have his hand anywhere near nuclear policy Why do you think he should be nowhere near nuclear policy? What do you expect will happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deranged Rhino Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Lest ye forget it was the threat of Reagan's "Star Wars" program that would have bankrupted the Soviet Union and helped lead to it's demise.And helped funnel money into Solar Warden and other SSP tendrils.(Ninja smiley -- can't do smilies while on the move) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 And helped funnel money into Solar Warden and other SSP tendrils. (Ninja smiley -- can't do smilies while on the move) Colon ph34r colon No spaces Oh, and can't embed pics/memes on mobile so I'm just going to type it I'm not saying it was Aliens, but it was Aliend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deranged Rhino Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Colon ph34r colon No spaces Oh, and can't embed pics/memes on mobile so I'm just going to type it I'm not saying it was Aliens, but it was Aliend Thanks for that... And in this case, not NTs, just human ingenuity and compartmentalization of the highest order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiberius Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Why do you think he should be nowhere near nuclear policy? What do you expect will happen? I take it the nuclear arms race he is suggesting is not a bad idea to you??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Man Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Donald Trump's Forays Into Foreign Policy Strain Transition The Wall Street Journal ^ “There’s one president at a time,” said Ben Rhodes, a deputy national-security adviser. He said President Obama believes “it’s important that the world understands who is speaking on behalf of the United States until Jan. 20.” sure Barack..................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Man Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepthefaith Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 I take it the nuclear arms race he is suggesting is not a bad idea to you??? If countries are gonna have nukes, we should have the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted December 31, 2016 Share Posted December 31, 2016 They're going to be yuge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Man Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 (edited) Trump Fires All Obama Politically Appointed Ambassadors Effective Inauguration Day President-elect Donald Trump has fired,effective Inauguration Day January 20, every U.S. ambassador politically appointed by President Barack Obama, according to a report published Thursday night by the New York Times. The Times reports the State Department sent out a notice on December 23 informing the ambassadors of Trump’s order. The move sent shock waves through the diplomatic corps as some ambassadors in previous transitions had been given time to leave their post for personal convenience. President-elect Donald J. Trump’s transition staff has issued a blanket edict requiring politically appointed ambassadors to leave their overseas posts by Inauguration Day, according to several American diplomats familiar with the plan, breaking with decades of precedent by declining to provide even the briefest of grace periods. The mandate — issued “without exceptions,” according to a terse State Department cable sent on Dec. 23, diplomats who saw it said — threatens to leave the United States without Senate-confirmed envoys for months in critical nations like Germany, Canada and Britain. In the past, administrations of both parties have often granted extensions on a case-by-case basis to allow a handful of ambassadors, particularly those with school-age children, to remain in place for weeks or months. Mr. Trump, by contrast, has taken a hard line against leaving any of President Obama’s political appointees in place as he prepares to take office on Jan. 20 with a mission of dismantling many of his predecessor’s signature foreign and domestic policy achievements. “Political” ambassadors, many of them major donors who are nominated by virtue of close ties with the president, almost always leave at the end of his term; ambassadors who are career diplomats often remain in their posts. A senior Trump transition official said there was no ill will in the move, describing it as a simple matter of ensuring that Mr. Obama’s overseas appointees leave the government on schedule, just as thousands of political aides at the White House and in federal agencies must do. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity about internal deliberations, said the ambassadors should not be surprised about being held to a hard end date.” Read the entire NY Times article at this link. Edited January 6, 2017 by B-Man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Trump Fires All Obama Politically Appointed Ambassadors Effective Inauguration Day President-elect Donald Trump has fired,effective Inauguration Day January 20, every U.S. ambassador politically appointed by President Barack Obama, according to a report published Thursday night by the New York Times. The Times reports the State Department sent out a notice on December 23 informing the ambassadors of Trump’s order. The move sent shock waves through the diplomatic corps as some ambassadors in previous transitions had been given time to leave their post for personal convenience. Highlighted above in red are the key phrases. Trump gave the ambassadors a months notice, more than twice the customary two weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted January 6, 2017 Share Posted January 6, 2017 Poor Caroline Kennedy must be terribly disappointed. What will she do now? She has no skills, only a famous name. Maybe she could run for NYC Mayor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Man Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 Winston Churchill bust set for Oval Office return by Donald Trump by Barney Henderson Original Article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
/dev/null Posted January 7, 2017 Share Posted January 7, 2017 Winston Churchill bust set for Oval Office return by Donald Trump by Barney Henderson Original Article Any word what Trump plans to do with all the Che T-Shirts and Mao handbags in the Presidential bedroom closets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Man Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 NEW YORK TIMES: Trump’s Iran Policy Is Working. The New York Times may not like to openly admit to admiring President Trump’s Iran policy, but its latest dispatch from Tehran shows how his combative approach is already causing headaches for Iran’s leaders. . . . It sure looks like Trump’s policy of turning up the heat on Iran is causing problems for the Iranian government—and, indirectly, confirming critics of the Iran deal who argued that its effect was to make it easier for the mullahs to keep power at home, even as they stepped up Iranian aggression abroad. Taking a tough posture toward Iran has been one of Trump’s most clear-cut priorities since assuming office; in many ways, he has more clearly laid the groundwork for confronting Iran than Sunni jihadists like ISIS. By putting Iran “on notice” after its latest missile launch, imposing new sanctions, calling out Iranian proxies in Yemen, and questioning the future of the nuclear deal, Trump is signaling that the Obama era is over and that the Iranians can expect forceful pushback, not conciliation, when they challenge U.S. interests. Despite the risks, picking an early fight with Iran does make some strategic sense for Trump. Of the three main revisionist powers who have gained ground under the Obama administration, Iran is clearly the weakest and most overextended. By coming out swinging against Iran, Trump is stoking fears of unpredictable escalation to make the Iranians back down from further provocations, while sending a signal to other challengers that it is unwise to test the new administration. Well, stay tuned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Man Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 UN ERUPTS IN UPROAR AFTER TRUMP AND NIKKI HALEY VETO HIGH POST FOR EX-PREMIER OF ‘PALESTINE:’ A new administration in disarray botches one of its first big moves, gets overruled, and then cries foul. Sounds familiar? Welcome to the United Nations under Secretary General Antonio Guterres. On Thursday, Mr. Guterres nominated a former Palestinian Authority prime minister, Salam Fayyad, to be the United Nations’ envoy in Libya. He asked for Security Council approval. On Friday, America’s new permanent representative at the UN, Ambassador Nikki Haley, unceremoniously declined to approve. Much of the commentariat rushed to criticize Ms. Haley, contending she, rather than Mr. Guterres, didn’t think through the ramifications of the affair. The Trump administration, which Mrs. Haley represents, has botched a few operations of late. This one, though, is on Mr. Guterres, who assumed office January 1 and has yet to get administration in order. “You don’t send a nomination for Security Council approval before making sure all involved are on board, especially when it’s so full of obvious sensitivities,” said a veteran United Nations official. * * * * * * * * “The United States does not currently recognize a Palestinian state or support the signal this appointment would send within the United Nations,” Ambassador Haley wrote in a statement Friday night, adding she was “disappointed” to see Mr. Guterres’ letter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyst Posted February 12, 2017 Share Posted February 12, 2017 Hopefully, along with checks and balances this helps to restore the purpose of the UN and devalue their abilities as they work so surreptitiously to disrupt the establishment of individual states political abilities. Nikki Haley is a woman who may be able to do just that, but may also fail to draw an audience of support on a world platform. The European women of lead will likely refuse to stand with or behind any western influenced politics at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PastaJoe Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 With "so-called president" Trump saying he's not committed to a two-state solution, and his weak response to more settlements on disputed land in the West Bank, it won't be a surprise if there is another intifada in the next couple of years. And then Israel will crack down without fear of a response from the U.S., and there will be even more radicalization that will eventually threaten U.S. interests. As Dylan said, when you have nothing you have nothing to lose. Unless of course that great diplomat Jared Kushner can make a yuge deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 With "so-called president" Trump saying he's not committed to a two-state solution, and his weak response to more settlements on disputed land in the West Bank, it won't be a surprise if there is another intifada in the next couple of years. And then Israel will crack down without fear of a response from the U.S., and there will be even more radicalization that will eventually threaten U.S. interests. As Dylan said, when you have nothing you have nothing to lose. Unless of course that great diplomat Jared Kushner can make a yuge deal. [This is an automated response.] You're an idiot. Created by DC Tom-bot, beta version 0.61. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiberius Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 [This is an automated response.] You're an idiot. Created by DC Tom-bot, beta version 0.61. Afraid of his post? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 Afraid of his post? [This is an automated response.] Created by DC Tom-bot, beta version 0.61. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted February 16, 2017 Share Posted February 16, 2017 [This is an automated response.] Created by DC Tom-bot, beta version 0.61. I think that's what the offspring of so called Pasta Joe and gatordude would look like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Man Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Nikki Haley’s epic Moynihan-like defense of Israel at U.N. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PastaJoe Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Watch Trump avoid questions today about his controversial and detrimental comments about Merkel and NATO. Only allowing two questions each at presser. Trump will probably call on FoxNews and Breitbart for questions. Way to stand up and defend your comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Watch Trump avoid questions today about his controversial and detrimental comments about Merkel and NATO. Only allowing two questions each at presser. Trump will probably call on FoxNews and Breitbart for questions. Way to stand up and defend your comments. Count your blessings. If he answered questions substantially, he might do real damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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