International News Donald Trump 🍊🇺🇸

[tonyw]

Not going to comment on the specifics of the decision to assassinate Suleimani because pre-emptive strikes outside of wartime are a real moral grey area at the best of times, and I don't know nearly enough about this man or his likely actions to even begin to consider if it was justified......

…...but I will say from a political standpoint, it seems like a very questionable move for Trump.
At the moment, he looks to be strolling to reelection. Despite his almost complete lack of legislative success, the American economy is strong and the Democrats are not looking like they're going to be able to put up a capable challenger.
Seems to me that there's only two things that can derail his reelection bid - an economic crash, or another costly foreign war.
The majority of Americans are tired and have had enough of the wars in the Middle East.....and if trillions of dollars start to flow that way again, and if American soldiers start losing their lives again in a conflict that Trump himself decided to escalate, then I think American voters will punish him for it.

 

[Whingit]

A war is a great reelection tactic, just look at Thatcher. As dead cats go, it's as big as they come but it will probably work.

 

[tonyw]

A war is a great reelection tactic, just look at Thatcher. As dead cats go, it's as big as they come but it will probably work.

Works if you're trying to distract the voters from domestic issues.

If your economy is motoring, and you've got an electorate that's weary of long, expensive wars eight time zones away, then it's a risky political ploy.

 

[holdsteady]

Won’t be a war in the conventional sense though will there? Iran is not going to declare war on the US and the US is not going to invade Iran. Proxy wars are already taking place around the Middle East region so it’s not going to change much there. Clever to take him out in Baghdad, sends a message that the Iranians can’t travel around stirring things up without repercussions.

 

[Gary Baldi]

Not going to comment on the specifics of the decision to assassinate Suleimani because pre-emptive strikes outside of wartime are a real moral grey area at the best of times, and I don't know nearly enough about this man or his likely actions to even begin to consider if it was justified......

…...but I will say from a political standpoint, it seems like a very questionable move for Trump.
At the moment, he looks to be strolling to reelection. Despite his almost complete lack of legislative success, the American economy is strong and the Democrats are not looking like they're going to be able to put up a capable challenger.
Seems to me that there's only two things that can derail his reelection bid - an economic crash, or another costly foreign war.
The majority of Americans are tired and have had enough of the wars in the Middle East.....and if trillions of dollars start to flow that way again, and if American soldiers start losing their lives again in a conflict that Trump himself decided to escalate, then I think American voters will punish him for it.

I'm very 50/50 on it, but I think ultimately the American Govt reached a point where Suleimani was simply causing and planning too much instability in the region (as the ever desperate Iranian regime withers away on the vine under sanctions) to be allowed to run free. It's not an easy decision to make because of what it could do in the future, but if you suppose that Iran is constantly looking at attacking foreign countries and destabilising that region for their gain regardless of what you do, you almost figure in the reaction knowing that Iran is a dog that will always bite and once we get over that reaction, things will change.

By removing Suleimani from the chessboard, you remove a very powerful influence in Iran and in the region, and by proxy hope it eventually means the likes of Hezbollah and like minded organisations fall out with each and become less co-ordinated as a calming influence and tactician is no longer there. Let alone the internal power dynamic in Iran has massively changed too. Perhaps this will embolden the Iranian people to keep protesting and keep pressuring the Ayatollah's to change.

I will say some of the reaction from people has been quite hilarious reading. Trump Derangement Syndrome is really biting some people hard and they simply have no idea what sort of person they are deifying. I'm not sure this will be an election winner for Trump at all - most people will have likely forgotten about this by March.

 

[Gary Baldi]

This story is a good focus of how perceptions and realities can be different.

Soleimani: Huge crowds pack Tehran for commander's funeral

Iran's supreme leader leads prayers for Qasem Soleimani, killed in a US drone strike on Friday.

www.bbc.co.uk

When you are punished for not mourning or turning up, it puts a different taint on things. It's wonderful propaganda by Iran, but don't fall for it. He was not that popular and even recently, his forces put down a lot of protestors against the regime.

 

[Steve McAvoy]

This story is a good focus of how perceptions and realities can be different.

Soleimani: Huge crowds pack Tehran for commander's funeral

Iran's supreme leader leads prayers for Qasem Soleimani, killed in a US drone strike on Friday.

www.bbc.co.uk

When you are punished for not mourning or turning up, it puts a different taint on things. It's wonderful propaganda by Iran, but don't fall for it. He was not that popular and even recently, his forces put down a lot of protestors against the regime.

Important point - we need to be clear who’s propaganda we are falling for!

 

[Sheik djibouti]

Important point - we need to be clear who’s propaganda we are falling for!

Posting truth in a post-truth world....whatever next!

 

[Gary Baldi]

Important point - we need to be clear who’s propaganda we are falling for!

I'd say be careful of both sides, as normal. The only reason I point it out is so many seem to fall for Iranian propaganda so quickly - while rightly taking ours with a pinch of salt! Soliemani and his band killed 1500 protestors recently to silence unrest, so hardly the charmer some are making him out to be!

I see the Americans aren't pulling out Iraq after all. Bit of a shame, but I did wonder if it was done deliberately after the vote in that parliament to say we are actually under this president, happy to go now if you want us to... More propaganda

 

[Marked Ox]

I'd say be careful of both sides, as normal. The only reason I point it out is so many seem to fall for Iranian propaganda so quickly - while rightly taking ours with a pinch of salt! Soliemani and his band killed 1500 protestors recently to silence unrest, so hardly the charmer some are making him out to be!

I see the Americans aren't pulling out Iraq after all. Bit of a shame, but I did wonder if it was done deliberately after the vote in that parliament to say we are actually under this president, happy to go now if you want us to... More propaganda

Who are these many?

 

[Gary Baldi]

For one Rose McGowan. Another is Sinn Fein. Just place his name into Twitter and you'll find all you need to know!

Including a rather wonderful parody account of Qassem.

 

[Marked Ox]

For one Rose McGowan. Another is Sinn Fein. Just place his name into Twitter and you'll find all you need to know!

Including a rather wonderful parody account of Qassem.

That isn't many though is it?

 

[Essexyellows]

Population of roughly 85 million and lets say 1 million turn up for your funeral...... many out of duty or little choice.
It would solve a lot of world problems if the whole region was just left well alone and let the strongest survive.

 

[Gary Baldi]

I almost spit my tea out this morning from laughing when I saw this on social media ? ? ?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1235633381595066373

It's quite something seeing 2 billionaires trolling each other on social media.

 

[tonyw]

COVID-19 looks now as if it's the democrats best hope for beating Trump.

In a normal year, with the economy staying strong, he would walk to reelection against Biden or Sanders.

But if the epidemic worsens and the global economy takes a tumble?
And if everyone is going to the polls with the abject state of the US healthcare system on their minds?
Then all bets are off.

 

[Gary Baldi]

COVID-19 looks now as if it's the democrats best hope for beating Trump.

In a normal year, with the economy staying strong, he would walk to reelection against Biden or Sanders.

But if the epidemic worsens and the global economy takes a tumble?
And if everyone is going to the polls with the abject state of the US healthcare system on their minds?
Then all bets are off.

The problem is though, if the Dems contrive to pick Biden, I can't see him having a hope in hell of beating Trump. His debate and public performances are not that endearing, and it's an open question if he can keep up with Trump.

 

[Marked Ox]

Michael Atkinson: Trump fires intelligence chief involved in impeachment

Intelligence chief Michael Atkinson first alerted Congress to a whistleblower complaint.

www.bbc.co.uk

Nice to see even in an emergency, Trump's thin skin comes to the fore.

 

[Manorlounger]

Michael Atkinson: Trump fires intelligence chief involved in impeachment

Intelligence chief Michael Atkinson first alerted Congress to a whistleblower complaint.

www.bbc.co.uk

Nice to see even in an emergency, Trump's thin skin comes to the fore.

And yet the bloody septics think he's marvellous. Ratings still high. Unbelievable.

 

[Manorlounger]

Just reading about record gun sales in the States. Social distancing will be fun!

 

[Gary Baldi]

Just reading about record gun sales in the States. Social distancing will be fun!

What's worse, toilet paper panic buying or gun/ammo panic buying?

I see home robberies are down in Baltimore, but the streets are still the streets and those guns are still getting good usage. I'd guess Chicago is the same! You can't separate Americans from their guns