Trump Foreign Policy

[Making Chimichangas]

Uh. No. He shouldn't shoot it down. Though I fear that's what will indeed happen.

 

I get what you're saying, we certainly don't want WWIII...

 

But I honestly cannot remember any other time in our history when any sitting President would allow this to happen more than once without ramifications.

 

And this kind of taunting from the Russians, Chinese, and who know who else in the future, is only going to get worse if Trump does nothing.

 

Edit: As a combat veteran of the US Army, it pains me greatly to read stories like this.

[Moiraine]

 

 

Uh. No. He shouldn't shoot it down. Though I fear that's what will indeed happen.

I get what you're saying, we certainly don't want WWIII...

 

But I honestly cannot remember any other time in our history when any sitting President would allow this to happen more than once without ramifications.

 

And this kind of taunting from the Russians, Chinese, and who know who else in the future, is only going to get worse if Trump does nothing.

 

It happened while Obama was president...

[zoogs]

Yeah, it did. This is nothing new. They're playing a dangerous game and daring us to make a misstep such as this.

[knapplc]

 

 

Uh. No. He shouldn't shoot it down. Though I fear that's what will indeed happen.

I get what you're saying, we certainly don't want WWIII...

 

But I honestly cannot remember any other time in our history when any sitting President would allow this to happen more than once without ramifications.

 

And this kind of taunting from the Russians, Chinese, and who know who else in the future, is only going to get worse if Trump does nothing.

 

 

It happened while Obama was president...

 

And under Bush, and Clinton...

 

This has been going on since the Cold War, and it's not going to stop. All parties play games with each other, and while dangerous, it's nothing new.

 

Anyone remember Shane Osborn? Nebraska's State Treasurer has a bit of a history with this kind of thing.

[commando]

 

 

 

Uh. No. He shouldn't shoot it down. Though I fear that's what will indeed happen.

I get what you're saying, we certainly don't want WWIII...

 

But I honestly cannot remember any other time in our history when any sitting President would allow this to happen more than once without ramifications.

 

And this kind of taunting from the Russians, Chinese, and who know who else in the future, is only going to get worse if Trump does nothing.

 

 

It happened while Obama was president...

 

And under Bush, and Clinton...

 

This has been going on since the Cold War, and it's not going to stop. All parties play games with each other, and while dangerous, it's nothing new.

 

Anyone remember Shane Osborn? Nebraska's State Treasurer has a bit of a history with this kind of thing.

 

does anyone remember when russia shot down a south korean passenger jet claiming it was a spy plane?

[zoogs]

I didn't know that. Similar fallout to the U.S. shooting of the Iranian airliner?

[Red Five]

Worldwide effort set to keep Trump happy on first trip abroad

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Donald Trump sits down for dinner in Saudi Arabia, caterers have ensured that his favorite meal - steak with a side of ketchup - will be offered alongside the traditional local cuisine.

 

At NATO and the Group of 7 summits, foreign delegations have gotten word that the new U.S. president prefers short presentations and lots of visual aids. And at all of Trump’s five stops on his first overseas trip, his team has spent weeks trying to build daily downtime into his otherwise jam-packed schedule.

 

It’s all part of a worldwide effort to accommodate America’s homebody president on a voyage with increasingly raised stakes given the ballooning controversy involving his campaign’s possible ties to Russia. For a former international businessman, Trump simply doesn’t have an affinity for much international.

 

Even before Trump’s trip morphed from a quick jaunt to Europe into a nine-day behemoth, White House aides were on edge about how the president would take to grueling pressures of foreign travel: the time zone changes, the unfamiliar hotels, the local delicacies. Two officials said they feared that a difficult trip might even lead the president to hand off future traveling duties to Vice President Mike Pence.

[Danny Bateman]

Worldwide effort set to keep Trump happy on first trip abroad

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Donald Trump sits down for dinner in Saudi Arabia, caterers have ensured that his favorite meal - steak with a side of ketchup - will be offered alongside the traditional local cuisine.

 

At NATO and the Group of 7 summits, foreign delegations have gotten word that the new U.S. president prefers short presentations and lots of visual aids. And at all of Trump’s five stops on his first overseas trip, his team has spent weeks trying to build daily downtime into his otherwise jam-packed schedule.

 

It’s all part of a worldwide effort to accommodate America’s homebody president on a voyage with increasingly raised stakes given the ballooning controversy involving his campaign’s possible ties to Russia. For a former international businessman, Trump simply doesn’t have an affinity for much international.

 

Even before Trump’s trip morphed from a quick jaunt to Europe into a nine-day behemoth, White House aides were on edge about how the president would take to grueling pressures of foreign travel: the time zone changes, the unfamiliar hotels, the local delicacies. Two officials said they feared that a difficult trip might even lead the president to hand off future traveling duties to Vice President Mike Pence.

 

[zoogs]

Are we all pretty pleased that the American administration is being treated like an infant by the rest of the world?

 

#MAGA?

[Red Five]

It's kinda like coaching my 8 yo's baseball team. Have to continually keep them engaged or they start throwing their gloves in the air or drawing in the dirt.

[Danny Bateman]

[zoogs]

Oh, that's so interesting. Israel wasn't totally OK with it like their PR statement indicated? Imagine that.

[Danny Bateman]

Oh, that's so interesting. Israel wasn't totally OK with it like their PR statement indicated? Imagine that.

 

The important thing to remember is it was Trump's Constitutional right to do so.

 

In other words, neener neener boo boo.

[Danny Bateman]

Some very interesting numbers on foreign policy and America's role in the world from NPR, broken down by party affiliation.

 

Notably:

• Far more Republicans believe strongly (and far fewer disagree strongly) that the US is the moral leader of the world.
• Democrats skew more towards preferring policies that promote democracy/human rights, while Republicans heavily want policies that enrich Americans and American interests.
• Democrats are more in favor of intervention to bring about peace.
• Far more Democrats favor providing humanitarian aid to other countries, vs. far more Republicans that disagree.
• Republicans far outweigh both Dems and Independents in their preference to use US military power.
• Most Independents think China is actually the strongest economy in the world (43%, vs. 33% that think US).
• Broad consensus across all affiliations that trade is a positive diplomatic tool (duh).
• Very few people (15%) actually knew how much the US contributes to NATO's budget (about 1/5 of the budget). Most overestimated.
• Republicans in particular, but also Independents, agreed with the false claim that US aid to Israel declined under Obama.

Very interesting numbers in such a polarized time. It certainly seems Republicans have bought in more than others into some of Trump's more selfish rhetoric.

[Danny Bateman]

Seeing coverage of his speech today in Saudi Arabia to Muslim nation leaders, Trump struck a much more moderate tone, calling for cooperation and framing the battle not as amongst nations or religions but good, peaceful people and terrorists who wish to do harm.

 

In other words, a typical Obama speech not he matter. Or exactly what Clinton ran on.

 

While it's smart to not walk into an address packed with world leaders from majority Muslim nations and give an inflammatory address reminiscent of candidate Trump on the trail (ban all Muslims, Islam hates us)... I can't imagine this is going to sit well with the more xenophobic Trump hardcores. It's a complete 180 on his campaign stance. I mean, he didn't even say radical Islamic terrorists, and we all know how key that phrase is...