An busy day for the "international community"

Of course, there's DJT's current Europe visit. It's started off well. His Poland speech resolutely affirmed the value of the entire West, touching on threats to it, reassuring all that the US will abide by Article 5 of the NATO agreement, but most importantly putting the West's spiritual foundation front and center among the reasons for its essentiality to humankind. It was a refreshing and surprising departure from the "America first" rhetoric into which he so facilely lapses. It would be interesting to know who the chief speechwriter was.

Now it's on to Hamburg, and, to no one's surprise, the anticapitalist riots are already underway. The big question is whether Trump's economic message will be protectionist or more inclined toward a free-market view. If it's the former, it takes a bit of wind out of the rioters' sails, given that their bogeyman is "globalism", just as it is for the populists who comprise DJT's slavishly devoted base.

There's also sure to be a demonstration of consternation on the part of several G20 leaders about the US pulling out of the Paris Climate Accords. Too bad. They'd be wise to pull out as well, and throw off the economic burden it imposes.

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Modi has been in Israel. During his visit, the two countries signed agreements to deepen ties in such areas as defense, science, technology and agriculture. The Palestinian Authority feels snubbed, but given that Modi is clearly seeking economic partners dedicated to actual advancement, what do the Palis have to offer?

But back to Europe, all eyes are on the face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin. For once, this might make for a useful application of DJT's squirm-inducing bluntness, given what Russia just did at the UN:

Russia on Thursday blocked a U.N. Security Council Resolution drafted by the U.S. that called for “significant measures” in response to North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

The U.S. circulated the statement among the 15-member council after announcing plans for a new sanctions resolution against the nuclear-armed regime in North Korea. But an objection by Russia killed the statement, said a U.N. diplomat.

Russian officials argued that the missile launch Tuesday had not been verified as an intercontinental missile.

North Korea claimed it was an ICBM. The U.S. and U.N. also determined that Hwasong-14 missile launched by North Korea was of intercontinental range.

Mr. Trump and his administration have stepped up with tough rhetoric against the regime of dictator Kim Jong-un since the missile launch, which was North Korea’s first successful test of an ICBM.

Everybody understands the urgency of this situation - even Russia, despite its lone "assessment" that the missile was only intermediate-range, which goes to show just how cold the motives driving Russia's foreign policy are.

It's not like the Security Council was going to make a "heavy move," to empty a bit of Squirrel-Hair parlance, anyway. There would have been a new round of sanctions, but it would have had zero effect in terms of deterrence.

It seems that the grinning, chubby despot of a small parcel of northeast Asia, who never gets invited anywhere, has frozen the world's heavy hitters in their tracks.

Prediction: Events unfolding from those discussed above are going to be even more interesting.