patrick.net

Tim Aurora says

USA cannot fight the world. We need allies like everybody else. Of course the hilllbillies from Mississippi cannot fathom that.

"You forgot Poland."

Too bad we forgot the Federated States of Micronesia and their 3 Fish and Game Workers they sent to Iraq. Or a 100 Bulgarian MPs or whatever. Or the Latvian Potato Guards "Spud Defenders" Company - 80 men, AKA half the Latvian Standing Army.

How many of our dear NATO Allies are still helping in Afghanistan?

That being said, here is one of the biggest countries, a G7 member and ally of an entire Century:
Theresa May excited to work with Trump
http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/26/politics/theresa-may-republican-retreat-visit-speech/

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/26/world/europe/british-alignment-with-trump-threatens-european-order.html

Meanwhile, #Brexit-wise, countries from South Africa to New Zealand are begging for trade agreements with the UK. Something their EU membership has hampered.

Also, the idea of Japan aligning with China is laughable. What the Japanese ARE starting to do is amp up and modernize their Navy and Air Force.

Tim Aurora says

Maybe I do bring in broad assumptions. But if US turns out to be a unrelaible partner which will change stance on a dime, other coutries will look for alternate partners. China is more than ready to fil that gap. In fact they are craving for it.

Good, let them. We've spent the last 100+ years as imperialists, a change to neutralists who mind there own business, and let others do the same is long overdue.

NuttBoxer says

a change to neutralists who mind there own business, and let others do the same is long overdue.

There are very few "neutralists" and we gained HUGE benefit in bases, national will projection, partnerships, and trade, with countries we were helping defend.

T L Lipsovich says

What the Japanese ARE starting to do is amp up and modernize their Navy and Air Force.

And HOW did they do it? In a vacuum without any US involvement?
The Japanese now have some of the most advanced anti-missile platforms in the world. They were joint venture projects with ... cough ... the USA.

Straw Man says

try to win a civil war (good luck with that).

Actually, southern states secession was per the constitution. Bloody Abe's forced re-integration was not.

ForcedTQ says

Sure you are. So what is your plan for military protection? Contract with the United States Army, Navy, Marines, National Guard, Coast Guard, and Border Patrol?

Border patrol used to be state run, and wait times were WAY DOWN. And maybe you aren't aware this country was founded by defeating the greatest empire of the time without a standing army. States volunteered troops, and when those men had done their stint they left, replacement or not, regardless of if we were winning or losing.

Think Switzerland, no standing army, everyone does a militia stint, everyone keeps a military grade rifle at home.

Rew says

There are very few "neutralists" and we gained HUGE benefit in bases, national will projection, partnerships, and trade, with countries we were helping defend.

Translation: imperialism goood...

By defend you mean the bombings, the dronings, or the drones who drop bombs?

NuttBoxer says

Hillary lost the tough on Wallstreet talking point. Trump won it. He is supposed to live up to that now. Isn't he?

I'm talking all the overseas military presence we have everywhere. All the joint training exercises we carry out with every other nation part of our strategic influence and military projection. Do you realize how big that is? Do you realize how shitty "America first" is as the world leader?

We had countries begging us for support and partnerships. You think that lasts now? Psh. Meanwhile ... Putin smiles. Europe is about to be the weakest it has been in 70 years. China is now presenting that it will pickup the reigns of responsible environmental policy, since we are dropping it.

Day 5? Is it just Day 5 and it is this bad? LOL.

T L Lipsovich says

Tim Aurora says

USA cannot fight the world. We need allies like everybody else. Of course the hilllbillies from Mississippi cannot fathom that.

"You forgot Poland."

... Bulgarian ... Latvian ....
Theresa May excited to work with Trump

http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/26/politics/theres...

Here, right from the horse's mouth:

"... we must demonstrate the resolve necessary to stand up for our interests.

And whether it is the security of Israel in the Middle East or the Baltic states in Eastern Europe, we must always stand up for our friends and allies in democratic countries that find themselves in tough neighbourhoods too."

https://order-order.com/2017/01/26/theresa-may-speech-republican-retreat/

T L Lipsovich says

Theresa May excited to work with Trump

I'm starting to like that Theresa chick:

"There is nothing inevitable about conflict between Russia and the West. And nothing unavoidable about retreating to the days of the Cold War. But we should engage with Russia from a position of strength. And we should build the relationships, systems and processes that make cooperation more likely than conflict – and that, particularly after the illegal annexation of Crimea, give assurance to Russia’s neighbouring states that their security is not in question. We should not jeopardise the freedoms that President Reagan and Mrs Thatcher brought to Eastern Europe by accepting President Putin’s claim that it is now in his sphere of influence."

https://order-order.com/2017/01/26/theresa-may-speech-republican-retreat/

Rew says

There are very few "neutralists" and we gained HUGE benefit in bases, national will projection, partnerships, and trade, with countries we were helping defend.

Not at all, we spent Billions and Billions on protecting our allies, while giving them one-sided trade deals that hurt the average American. Meanwhile our Navy and Air Force are ossified and there aren't any viable replacement classes or models of destroyers and jets on the line that haven't turned out to be overbudget, underperforming, and years late to boot.

Germany and other powerful, rich NATO countries spend less than the 2% of GDP minimum of Defense they're supposed to pay under NATO Regulations. We spent Billions to fill in the Gap, and the Germans spent the rest on improving their economic competitiveness via infrastructure, education, etc. investments. Which then helps them out compete our Economy.

Same with Japan. The save billions on defense, put it into R&D and Infrastructure and Export Promotion thanks to one-sided trade deals where they put up massive tariff and non-tariff trade barriers to US Goods. I don't care about rice or corn sales because they're commodities, not value added, and Big Agra doesn't employ even 1% of the US Population.

Trading Radios for Rice is what 3rd world countries do, not modern countries.

Straw Man says

Baltic states in Eastern Europe

Germany, France, and Poland (not counting Italy, Holland, etc.) have ~200M people between them, more than the population of Russia. Germans make great tanks, far more powerful than Russia by itself. I look forward to them defending the Baltics and the European taxpayer paying the bill.

T L Lipsovich says

I look forward to them defending the Baltics and the European taxpayer fitting the bill.

Theresa doesn't. What, you don't like Theresa anymore? So sad.

Straw Man says

Theresa doesn't. What, you don't like Theresa anymore? So sad.

I like Theresa. I hope the handful of British regiments join the German ones in the Baltics. Wealthy Europe has about twice the population of the US and makes up most of the wealthiest countries in the World. Germany has tens of billions in big trade surpluses to spend on new Panzers and Jets.

Better yet, we can stand by and let the Europeans do most of the fighting, then jump in at the end game and take all the credit with the least death and debt.

You know, being smart.

Also, I'm looking forward to Europeans being the ones who have to intervene instead of making us do it, while they criticize the whole thing. Fuck that.

Mexico irrate at how all the illegals from South America will be stuck in Mexico when they reach the wall instead of overflowing into our country.

In the discussion of Trade & the Global economy, do them there tariffs have any influence?
What about any govt. subsidies to it's manufacturing & it's suppliers?
World trade is fair balanced & equal without manipulation.
DOH! FMTT!

On a regular basis, Trump is going to start publishing lists of crimes committed by illegal aliens in sanctuary cities.

It's easy when you got Liberal agendas picking winner and losers.
You go long on Greenstocks and Mandatestocks and you Short Honkeystocks and Crackerstocks.
i.e. the GDP producers.
How hard is that?

Simply make the Government and crony companies the administration writes checks to our GDP and you fund it with disproportionate taxes on the producers, and by scrapping dollars and fivers off America's dinner plate and suck a few hundred a month out of the gas tanks so you can finance the winning stock market you want with the never silent Quantitative Easing money machine.

I mean it's simple stuff!

Drain the Kennedy swamp!

We know you're still upset.

Let's make it simple:

EU Population: Over 700 Million
Russia Population: Less than 150 Million

4 of the G8 are NATO members: France, Germany, Italy, and the UK

Russia's GDP is about the same as Italy, alone.

Why do we need NATO again? Hell, why does NATO need us?

To give Georgetown Graduates a sandbox to play with their IR theories in?
It doesn't do all that much for Lockheed or Boeing, since they have their own fighters and civilian airliners, in fact Europe is a major aerospace competitor. So it's not even the Military Industrial Complex Cash.
Almost every European country runs a big fat Trade Surplus against us, Germany and France very much so. SO it's not a valuable net export market.
Being a NATO member and overpaying our share of defense is just an excuse American Elites use to expand their influence, which has no-to-minimal benefits for ordinary Americans.

Rew says

I'm talking all the overseas military presence we have everywhere. All the joint training exercises we carry out with every other nation part of our strategic influence and military projection. Do you realize how big that is?

Imperialism VERRY GOOOD!

Rew says

We had countries begging us for support and partnerships. You think that lasts now?

No, and good.

Rew says

China is now presenting that it will pickup the reigns of responsible environmental policy, since we are dropping it.

China where the government pressures news reporters to stop issuing smog alerts.. BWAHAHAHAHA

Not sure where u got that quote you attached my name to, doesn't link back to those words at all.

NuttBoxer says

China where the government pressures news reporters to stop issuing smog alerts.. BWAHAHAHAHA

Remember, China is a threat so let's not stop outsourcing high tech manufacturing there.

T L Lipsovich says

Why do we need NATO again?

Correct NATO is useless

However you need to view the 2 vids above regarding trade.

Tim Aurora says

And why don't we. Nato is why Russia and China are contained. Otherwise China will gobble up Asia and throw US out of there. How are you going to contain China?

Step One: Stop underwriting their high tech manufacturing and practically handing them bleeding edge electronics fabrication techniques. Stop giving them billions of dollars for exporting manufactured goods, that they can use to build up a high-tech military including advanced cruise missiles and designing 4th or at least 3++ Generation Aircraft.

How's that for a start?

As for Russia, I already put up the numbers: Russia is grossly inferior in manpower and GDP. Their population is less than a third of Europe, and their GDP is about the same as Italy alone.

NATO for was Communism. Communism is dead. Russia is no longer +Poland+Balts+Bulgaria+Czechoslavakia+Hungary+Romania and no longer includes Khazakistan, Ukraine, etc.

It's like asking why the Quadruple Alliance no longer exists - because Napoleon is long since gone. So is Prussia and the Austrian Empire.

Tim Aurora says

I think you meant China. China wil steal all the technology and manufacture at a fraction. It will drive US out of all markets

Yep, so stop outsourcing to China. Tell Samsung and Walmart they can't sell electronics manufactured in China.

The geolocator in your smartphone is the same technology that guides the Chinese Cruise Missile to the deck of the USS Nimitz.

Tim Aurora says

So how did they annex Crimea and whole world just watched.

Crimea has been Russian since before the US existed, it never voted to be part of Ukraine, it was forced into Ukraine for Kruschev to disburse vacation properties to Supporters.

AND, Vladmir would have never done it except he had to send a message to the US Imperialist Warmongers: You might control the Ukraine but I'll be damned if your getting Crimea, the Unsinkable Aircraft Carrier, to use against me.

PS Aurora, US Cold Warriors predicted this. That NATO would expand right up to Russia's borders, and the same people who said in the 90s NATO was no threat, start complaining about Russian aggression when they got too damn close.

What reason does an American have to die for Estonia? Are they a major trade partner? Did they send two divisions to Iraq?

The last time the Baltics were a source of strategic materials, the US Navy's primary Depthfinder was a guy singing out "By the Deep Six, by the Mark Twain, wait... no bottom with this line."

Tim Aurora says

Ah, so USA is the Imperialist. What country is our colony ?

Any country that can't survive without special dispensations via the World Bank and IMF, which the US Controls.

"It's Porky", Victoria Nuland said, "Predicting" the future PM of Ukraine.

PS Ukraine is the first country in history to be allowed to break borrowing limits from International Financial Orgs while engaged in internal conflict.

Tim Aurora says

The State Department’s entire senior administrative team just resigned

MAybe they can get some KGB operatives in there ?

Rew says

We don't need "establishment" expertise anymore

That's right. You have to have no experience in government, be below average intelligence, and believe you have great intuitive instincts about how the world works, if you're really going to change the world.

FP says

rando says

I'm quite happy with that kind of return, especially since my principal is also up more than 15% from where I bought in.

I'm curious - what % of your liquid net worth did you invest in this single stock?

@FP less than 2%

bob2356 says

Bush wrote a budget that expanded the size of the federal government on day one? I never knew that. Learning more and more on this thread. Any idea why he did not use it until year 7?

in your tiny fucking troll mind, do you not remember the outcry over that simpleton's election? and every year after?

even in 2017 - you are attempting to blame bush for obama's increase of the federal workforce at least through 2012.

genius!

"If you grab my Brit pussy, allies or not, I'm gonna nuke you!"

"You sound like a Russian apologist."

That might be the understatement of the year.

Tim Aurora says

I am sure Japan is think about making its own nuclear weapons. I have no doubt about it.

Didn't dislike quote, however that statement is simply not credible

Tim Aurora says

You sound like a Russian apologist. Russia has annexed Crimea , it has sent its troops to Georgia and it has quashed a civil war in Syria which made millions homeless.

Aaaaand, this is all worse than buddying up with Saudi Arabia because? So far, all I got is crickets on this question.

joeyjojojunior says

"You sound like a Russian apologist."

That might be the understatement of the year.

Coming from Saudi apologist, this is comedy gold

T L Lipsovich says

Any country that can't survive without special dispensations via the World Bank and IMF, which the US Controls.

How come Mr know it all can't put two and two together? Could it be that all his talking it's are near verbatim rehash of some MSM site?......nooo, that couldn't be it at all

T L Lipsovich says

Yep, so stop outsourcing to China. Tell Samsung and Walmart they can't sell electronics manufactured in China.

Stop giving security clearance requiring jobs to people who are in h1-B.....doubt Clinton would have done jack shit about that ...we will see how trump does on this matter

NuttBoxer says

Rew says

China is now presenting that it will pickup the reigns of responsible environmental policy, since we are dropping it.

China where the government pressures news reporters to stop issuing smog alerts.. BWAHAHAHAHA

Where do they come up with this drivel?