Active Users:429 Time:18/12/2024 10:29:03 AM
Re: You mean his administration and Congress had those successes. Vodalus Send a noteboard - 09/12/2024 04:28:58 AM

View original postAs for the Abraham Accords, I wasn't too impressed by them even at the time, but after Oct 7th I don't know how anyone can still claim that they achieved anything in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. No doubt there are some Israeli and Emirati businessmen who did benefit from them, as did the Moroccan government since the US gave them everything they wanted in their regional conflict in exchange for their signature, but in terms of actual peace in the Middle East they have proven just as useless as the critics expected at the time, for the obvious reason that you can't resolve a conflict while completely ignoring one of the two actual involved parties.

My understanding is that the Abraham Accords addressed the Israeli-Arab conflict, not the Israeli-Palestinian one. It was Peace to Prosperity that was supposed to cover everything Israeli-Palestinian. And yes, the latter was a steaming pile of shit that was in no way fair or reasonable. My interests don’t stray too far from the Sinosphere, so I’m not sure whether PtP is its own thing or rolled up with the AA.


View original postAs for China, I suppose one could make a case that being so volatile and all over the place is actually a clever way of dealing with the Chinese government, famed for its obsession with order, control, long term planning - always keep them guessing, keep them too confused to effectively counter you. Downside is that your own companies and those of your allies also kinda need long term planning and clarity if they're going to make the big investment decisions... so even if you think there's something to be said for it geopolitically, it's not exactly going to be great for the economy. Besides the other obvious downside that it annoys your allies as well as your opponent, but I guess by this point we have to just accept the reality that nobody in the Republican party, apart from maybe Mitch McConnell, gives a damn about the interests or feelings of any allies anymore.

Where Trump really fucked up here was with his idiotic attacks on other trade partners, threatening tariffs on Canada, Mexico, the EU, and others whilst finally doing something about the undeclared trade war China has been waging against America for a good 10-plus years. Picking fights with multiple trade partners all at the same time is self-defeating and just plain dumb. Plenty of other countries, US allies and otherwise, have serious trade issues with China. A wise leader would have tried to rally them into tackling China together. In both nominal and PPP terms the US GDP is about $29.2T, but the Chinese one goes from $18.3T to $37.1T, in rough numbers. China is big; it, like America, has critical mass economically. It’ll be tough to force change on them without the help and coordination of others. Once some sort of meaningful change has been effected - and it needs to be after the fact because fuck taking any more empty Chinese promises - then would be the time to take up problems with other countries’ trade practices. Alas, he’s on rinse and repeat.

南無阿弥陀仏!
This message last edited by Vodalus on 09/12/2024 at 04:37:34 AM
Reply to message
No Fucks Left to Give Joe tosses Hunter a blanket pardon - 02/12/2024 09:23:33 PM 299 Views
I think if he hadn't said he wouldn't pardon his son, then this would be a non-issue. - 03/12/2024 12:53:15 PM 41 Views
I don't agree with that - it would've been a serious issue still. - 03/12/2024 05:56:18 PM 48 Views
How about this? - 04/12/2024 03:43:52 AM 44 Views
Fully agree. *NM* - 04/12/2024 06:40:15 AM 10 Views
Trump was already going to pardon all the J6 defendants, though. - 04/12/2024 07:18:56 AM 41 Views
Re: Trump was already going to pardon all the J6 defendants, though. - 04/12/2024 02:07:41 PM 40 Views
Ugh, I hate this 'they're all the same' rhetoric. - 04/12/2024 09:22:38 PM 35 Views
I respectfully disagree. - 04/12/2024 11:09:07 PM 38 Views
Seems like we're kind of talking past each other here. - 05/12/2024 11:39:02 PM 31 Views
Trump had quite a few successes in his first term - 06/12/2024 02:45:32 PM 36 Views
You mean his administration and Congress had those successes. - 06/12/2024 10:12:25 PM 45 Views
No, I mean him. *NM* - 07/12/2024 12:38:27 AM 11 Views
Okay, then I guess we're not debating it, as you like. *NM* - 07/12/2024 08:54:03 AM 13 Views
The achievements of the administration are attributed to the President. - 08/12/2024 10:50:43 AM 36 Views
Some people also think the earth is flat. - 08/12/2024 06:29:37 PM 31 Views
Le sigh - 08/12/2024 09:03:01 PM 34 Views
Make up your mind already. - 08/12/2024 10:30:11 PM 30 Views
Re: You mean his administration and Congress had those successes. - 09/12/2024 04:28:58 AM 40 Views
I mostly agree, with one giant caveat - 05/12/2024 02:56:02 PM 44 Views
Re: I mostly agree, with one giant caveat - 05/12/2024 03:49:00 PM 40 Views
I take a bit of umbrage at that assignment personally - 06/12/2024 12:37:40 AM 40 Views
We've been over this - some of this is true, some is, at a minimum, not proven that I ever saw. - 05/12/2024 11:18:24 PM 38 Views
I know it was factually true - 06/12/2024 12:46:44 AM 41 Views
Sounds like you need to become a whistleblower and go talk to the FBI yourself, then? - 06/12/2024 11:37:00 AM 37 Views
Typically, whistle blower and attorney client privilege are not viewed as compatible. - 06/12/2024 03:57:12 PM 38 Views
I have a clearance - 06/12/2024 05:01:07 PM 40 Views
Re: I have a clearance - 06/12/2024 08:08:50 PM 42 Views
Secret evidence doesn't have to be believed - 07/12/2024 09:31:10 PM 40 Views
Re: Secret evidence doesn't have to be believed - 08/12/2024 03:46:54 PM 33 Views
Seriously? - 06/12/2024 10:28:07 PM 36 Views
Re: Seriously? - 06/12/2024 11:33:59 PM 34 Views
Did you even read that earlier post? - 07/12/2024 08:53:15 AM 38 Views
I can't believe I'm siding with Tom here - 07/12/2024 01:50:15 AM 36 Views
I guess you kinda have to with your profession. - 07/12/2024 07:46:01 PM 33 Views
Re: I guess you kinda have to with your profession. - 07/12/2024 08:07:28 PM 38 Views
See my other reply above then. *NM* - 07/12/2024 09:43:37 PM 12 Views
You're CLEARLY a Harris plant - 06/12/2024 01:07:07 AM 40 Views
Hah, you got me! - 06/12/2024 11:49:19 AM 36 Views
I'd be hesitant to link Biden with the Democrats anymore - 06/12/2024 01:24:44 AM 39 Views
Re: I'd be hesitant to link Biden with the Democrats anymore - 06/12/2024 01:47:08 AM 34 Views

Reply to Message