But the real bombshell was this:Surprise! Yeah, not sarcastic this time. I did not anticipate seeing any interview with Steve Bannon overnight, much less this one, and it seems I’m not alone in that. Nobody expected this. Not even Steve Bannon, apparently.In his interview with leftwing American Prospect, the chief White House strategist and arguable architect of Trump’s surprise victory last year cut loose, contradicted the president, and bashed his Breitbart-beloved alt-right.Yep.
He also directly contradicted both the President and the word of the United States government at large when he said that all of Trump’s North Korea talk was so much bunk. That’s not a quote. But it’s damn close to one:
Contrary to Trump’s threat of fire and fury, Bannon said: “There’s no military solution [to North Korea’s nuclear threats], forget it. Until somebody solves the part of the equation that shows me that ten million people in Seoul don’t die in the first 30 minutes from conventional weapons, I don’t know what you’re talking about, there’s no military solution here, they got us.”This was casually tossed into a wide-ranging cascade of pronouncements that also included China trade policy and a pronouncement that "ethnographic-nationalists" were "losers."
But that North Korea remark is the big takeaway. What can administration strategists offer to refute it?
And did Kim hold off on any Guam missiles because he sees himself as being situated in the catbird seat?
Was bloggie one of those cheering on Trump with his fire and fury bombast? Trump just fired-up his base and the usual war mongers beyond his base, who were going 'Rah Rah, let's roll' or 'finally we got a toughie in the White House.' Then 65 plus years of reality set-in.
ReplyDeleteMy read is that Kim popped off several more times after our tough talker Trump (the day after strict UN sanctions were approved)threatened his fire and fury (of course unlike the world has never seen before) if more threats were forthcoming. More threats came and went but no fire and fury yet. Aww, some peeps here among us were sorely disappointed I'd guess.
ReplyDeleteThe ideal situation would be for some secretly pro-West element in the North Korean military (and who knows whether such an element actually exists) to stage a coup, write a provisional set of decrees allowing establishment of political parties, private sector media, freedom of assembly and religion, and setting a timetable for elections to a provisional legislature the first task of which would be writing a constitution. And one more thing: complete dismantling of the nuclear arsenal and inventory of missiles.
ReplyDeleteA Coup Coup: expecting an ill prepared populace to instantly recognize something better.
ReplyDeleteI'd wager you will find many here in America who are openly pro-east, or at least admire qualities like cooperation, respect, reflection, humility, tradition, a view of family that goes and stays way beyond the grave, simplicity and grace that the east embodies. It's not all about materialist consumerism and both keeping up with the Joneses and keeping them out, i.e., competitiveness. Yet there's this strong drive throughout history to turn everything into a sideshow for profit. We may think we are exceptional but I imagine a world that increasingly looks at our madness in many forms and shakes their heads and go, there but for the grace of God we should never go. But greed, envy, lust, gluttony, pride, all these deadly sins they run the ship of the world and I guess it all fits in with what we find ourselves to be: raw consumers. We got to move those refrigerators, we got to move them color TVs.....
ReplyDeleteAnd the pearl of great price, regardless of race, creed or national origin is simply, peace of mind. And it is not at all the same thing as the happiness we think we pursue.
ReplyDeleteBannon also called for a tougher U.S. stance on trade with China, saying the two powers were in an "economic war." He talked about purging rivals from the Defense and State departments to advance a more hawkish policy.
ReplyDeleteBannon named the acting top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, Susan Thornton, as one official he wanted out.
At the start of Thursday's meeting, Tillerson pointedly shook the hand of Thornton after greeting the Japanese visitors.
State Department officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to comment publicly, said Tillerson went out of his way to do so to demonstrate his confidence in Thornton, a career diplomat.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-japan-discuss-north-korean-141346538.html
If you think materialist consumerism is the essence of what the West is, you are really, really sadly undereducated.
ReplyDeleteYou're big in principles, but, yes, sadly, materialist consumerism has been our biggest export as we continue to try to spread our democracy. Thomas Edison and Henry Ford did as much damage to the country and the world as you say the Progressives did to America and they all sprung forth around the same time in history. I liked the Chinese much better when they were getting around on rickshaws and bicycles. And they probably liked themselves better then too.
ReplyDeleteOh, for crying out loud. You think it's a bad thing that we can switch on electric lights, watch movies, listen to recordings and have greater mobility? Don't you think it's a good thing that an ambulance with an internal combustion engine in it (perhaps a Ford!) can reach an emergency situation in a Third World country faster than, say, a horse?
ReplyDeleteEdison and Ford were frat inventive minds and their technology is certainly useful. But they went over to the dark side and had to get and stay rich. Tessa was a saint compared to them.
ReplyDeleteThey didn't "have to" get rich. They just got rich. That tends to happen when lots of people want your product.
ReplyDeleteSo they had to create and sustain a demand which brought the evil mavens of persuasion
ReplyDeleteon Madison. Ave. and all are off to follow the bliss promised in their materialistic matrix. Neither enlightenment nor salvation, no, not even close.