The Trump foreign policy thread

[stessier]

I can't. I already have mine set at "any day now".

I can't imagine living life that way. And I live outside of DC!

Except for El Guapo_DC, I think all of us do!

[Remus West]

I can't. I already have mine set at "any day now".

I can't imagine living life that way. And I live outside of DC!

I'm depressed a lot lately. I try not to envision the world I'll be leaving to my daughter in large part thanks to the asshattery going on in DC.

Yeah, I understand that. There's a lot of people who are depressed by all the insanity going on. But I've decided that there's no reason to let myself get brought down by all the shenanigans - I'd miss out on too much good that's still around.

True and wise.

[pr0ner]

I can't. I already have mine set at "any day now".

I can't imagine living life that way. And I live outside of DC!

Except for El Guapo_DC, I think all of us do!

[El Guapo]

I can't. I already have mine set at "any day now".

I can't imagine living life that way. And I live outside of DC!

Except for El Guapo_DC, I think all of us do!

Well...I don't think that we need to worry about El Guapo_DC anymore...

[Kraken]

I'd like to think someone smart would say "uhhh, no." if Trump decided to nuke NK.
I mean it's not like he can simply press a button on his desk and woopeedoo nukes are off.

I heard that they reset the launch code to pi.

[Biyobi]

I'd like to think someone smart would say "uhhh, no." if Trump decided to nuke NK.
I mean it's not like he can simply press a button on his desk and woopeedoo nukes are off.

I heard that they reset the launch code to pi.

Based on recent photos, there’s only a disconnected phone on his desk.

[hepcat]

Nah, the phone works. Kim Jong has been getting a lot of late night calls from Trump’s PR guy John Barron lately.

[Isgrimnur]

How to Build a Wall and Lose an Empire

A nice summary of exactly how much damage has been done to our foreign policy over the past year.

[Kraken]

How to Build a Wall and Lose an Empire

A nice summary of exactly how much damage has been done to our foreign policy over the past year.

[Max Peck]

How to Build a Wall and Lose an Empire

A nice summary of exactly how much damage has been done to our foreign policy over the past year.

The geopolitical payoff for the Russians has been so tremendous that I'd be surprised if they're the only ones diddling the 2018 midterms and beyond.

[Kraken]

How to Build a Wall and Lose an Empire

A nice summary of exactly how much damage has been done to our foreign policy over the past year.

And a reminder that the Chinese aren't quite experts at this yet

BEIJING — A lavish four-hour Lunar New Year show televised to millions across China on Thursday night set off a flood of indignation with its caricatures featuring blackface and African men in animal suits.

The gala, televised by China’s state broadcaster, featured a well-known Chinese actress as an African woman with exaggerated buttocks, a large chest, and a face painted black. Carrying a platter of fruit on her head, she was accompanied by an African man dressed as a monkey.

[Smoove_B]

Unforseen consequences in two states that Trump won:

A looming global tariff on steel and aluminum proposed by the Trump administration that has already irked the U.S. beverage industry could now potentially have even more far-reaching ramifications for the food and drinks world: Word is spreading that the E.U. may already be preparing to retaliate by taxing signature American imports like Kentucky bourbon and Wisconsin cheese.

It will be hilarious if locals actually are more motivated to walk back their support of Trump because of bourbon and cheese instead of the myriad of other arguably more pressing issues we're currently experiencing.

[Isgrimnur]

There is no problem until it’s my problem.

[Paingod]

There is no problem until it’s my problem.

The raw history of humanity.

[hepcat]

And a reminder that the Chinese aren't quite experts at this yet

BEIJING — A lavish four-hour Lunar New Year show televised to millions across China on Thursday night set off a flood of indignation with its caricatures featuring blackface and African men in animal suits.

The gala, televised by China’s state broadcaster, featured a well-known Chinese actress as an African woman with exaggerated buttocks, a large chest, and a face painted black. Carrying a platter of fruit on her head, she was accompanied by an African man dressed as a monkey.

Redwarlord (who used to post here and is a childhood friend of mine) moved to China back in 2016 as his wife got a teaching job at one of the American universities with an international branch in China. He constantly tells me how wildly racist the Chinese locals are. Especially towards black people and Jewish people.

[Zarathud]

There are a few YouTubers who talk about living in China. Not only is the culture extremely racist, but they are bluntly open about stereotypes and individual characteristics. And apparently there are opportunities to exploit that in business -- hiring a white foreigner for status is common. But you'll only be their white monkey and your skills aren't as important as your willingness to work cheaply and illegally.

[Exodor]

Weird, I was just reading about Chinese racism in The Atlantic

Many Westerners living in China are surprised to learn that while public discourse is heavily policed, with taboo views on democracy or Mao Zedong harshly punished, Chinese people can be startlingly frank in private conversation, voicing opinions that many Americans would be afraid to express to one another for fear of giving offense. People remark casually and candidly on everything from a person’s weight gain or disability to the supposed collective merits or deficiencies of certain ethnic groups.

This custom makes Trump’s attacks on political correctness appealing to some Chinese, according to Yan Gu, a University of Washington doctoral candidate studying authoritarianism who has researched Chinese online opinion about Trump. Chinese netizens “dislike political correctness and neo-liberal rhetoric,” she told me, noting that “a large portion of Chinese online response” to Obama was “quite racist”; one common slur referred to him as “O-Black.” Sentiment about LGBT issues is rather conservative in much of China, where electroshock therapy is sometimes used as a “cure” for homosexuality.

[Isgrimnur]

Unforseen consequences in two states that Trump won:

A looming global tariff on steel and aluminum proposed by the Trump administration that has already irked the U.S. beverage industry could now potentially have even more far-reaching ramifications for the food and drinks world: Word is spreading that the E.U. may already be preparing to retaliate by taxing signature American imports like Kentucky bourbon and Wisconsin cheese.

It will be hilarious if locals actually are more motivated to walk back their support of Trump because of bourbon and cheese instead of the myriad of other arguably more pressing issues we're currently experiencing.

CNBC

Stocks fell on Thursday after President Donald Trump said the U.S. will implement tariffs on steel and aluminum imports next week.

The Dow Jones industrial average traded 350 points lower after rising more than 150 points earlier in the day. The S&P 500 declined 0.9 percent, with tech as the worst-performing sector. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.9 percent.

The U.S. will set tariffs of 25 percent for steel and 10 percent for aluminum, the president said. It is unclear whether they will apply to all imports or only metals from certain countries.
...
Wall Street also digested fresh testimony from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Powell spoke before the Senate Finance Committee later on Thursday.

After delivering prepared remarks, he said: "We don't see any strong evidence yet of a decisive move up in wages. We see wages, by a couple measures, trending up a little bit, but most of them continuing to grow at about two and a half percent. Nothing in that suggests to me that wage inflation is at a point of acceleration."

[Sepiche]

That's our Drumpf... on the cutting edge of 18th century economic policies.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

The Trump admin is in talks about rejoining the TPP....

More than a year after President Trump abruptly pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, saying it was a bad deal for the United States, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Tuesday that the United States is discussing rejoining the multilateral trade agreement.

Mr. Mnuchin, speaking at an investment summit meeting sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said that renegotiating the trade agreement was “on the table” and that he had been in talks with other countries about what it would take for the United States to reverse course.

Mr. Trump withdrew from the deal in January 2017, dooming President Barack Obama’s signature trade agreement and leaving the 11 other countries in the pact scrambling to renegotiate the deal on their own. But Mr. Trump appears to have found a renewed interest in an agreement that he once described as “a rape of our country.”

“I’ve met with several of my counterparties and other people, and we’ve begun to have very high-level conversations about T.P.P.,” Mr. Mnuchin said, adding that Mr. Trump would still prefer to do one-on-one trade agreements first. “It’s not a priority at the moment, but it is something the president will consider.”

[Rip]

I would think you guys would be happy.

Steel import tariffs hurt Russia as much as anyone.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

I think joining the TPP would be great. What I'm banging my head about was the idiotic decision to leave in the first place (which clearly wasn't well thought out).

[Carpet_pissr]

I would think you guys would be happy.

Steel import tariffs hurt Russia as much as anyone.

As well as Ford, GM, and a number of other big related materials companies that are not steel or aluminum manufacturers, but heavily use their products.

[malchior]

I think joining the TPP would be great. What I'm banging my head about was the idiotic decision to leave in the first place (which clearly wasn't well thought out).

My real surprise is they recognized the danger of giving Asia to China for free. Now that Xi has consolidated power he will increasingly turn his view outside of China.

[Holman]

I think joining the TPP would be great. What I'm banging my head about was the idiotic decision to leave in the first place (which clearly wasn't well thought out).

The thought was "Obama did it."

What more does Trump need?

[Grifman]

I would think you guys would be happy.

Steel import tariffs hurt Russia as much as anyone.

The US receives only 2% of Russia's steel exports, which have declined over 60% since 2014.

[LawBeefaroni]

I would think you guys would be happy.

Steel import tariffs hurt Russia as much as anyone.

As well as Ford, GM, and a number of other big related materials companies that are not steel or aluminum manufacturers, but heavily use their products.

CAT, Boeing, what a great move.

[Holman]

The important thing is that this can't possibly provoke reciprocal tariffs, so we won't ever be hindered in any way.

#MAGA!

[pr0ner]

So petty, vengeful, and short sighted.

[Rip]

I would think you guys would be happy.

Steel import tariffs hurt Russia as much as anyone.

The US receives only 2% of Russia's steel exports, which have declined over 60% since 2014.

Good, still well over 1M metric tons of finished steel.

Also Turkey is a major exporter so yea screw them. Mexico as well, paying for that wall after all.

[Max Peck]

Mexico as well, paying for that wall after all.

No, American companies that pay higher prices are paying for that wall. Winning!

[Rip]

Mexico as well, paying for that wall after all.

No, American companies that pay higher prices are paying for that wall. Winning!

I doubt it. Canada will almost certainly be exempt we can get it there. Or you know from our own steel producers.

[Isgrimnur]

Making friends wherever he goes.

[Max Peck]

Mexico as well, paying for that wall after all.

No, American companies that pay higher prices are paying for that wall. Winning!

I doubt it. Canada will almost certainly be exempt we can get it there. Or you know from our own steel producers.

Well, if you're not buying it from Mexico then nobody (but the American taxpayer) is paying for the wall then. And American companies will still be paying higher prices than if they bought the steel from the cheaper sources that are going to be hit by tariffs.

[Fretmute]

So petty, vengeful, and short sighted.

You just nailed the epitaph, if nothing else.

[Holman]

When a country (USA) is losing many billions of dollars on trade with virtually every country it does business with, trade wars are good, and easy to win. Example, when we are down $100 billion with a certain country and they get cute, don’t trade anymore-we win big. It’s easy!

I really, really want to see those Wharton transcripts.

[Rip]

Mexico as well, paying for that wall after all.

No, American companies that pay higher prices are paying for that wall. Winning!

I doubt it. Canada will almost certainly be exempt we can get it there. Or you know from our own steel producers.

Well, if you're not buying it from Mexico then nobody (but the American taxpayer) is paying for the wall then. And American companies will still be paying higher prices than if they bought the steel from the cheaper sources that are going to be hit by tariffs.

I don't mind paying a little more for something from a friend rather than buying it on the cheap from an adversary.

[Remus West]

Mexico as well, paying for that wall after all.

No, American companies that pay higher prices are paying for that wall. Winning!

I doubt it. Canada will almost certainly be exempt we can get it there. Or you know from our own steel producers.

Well, if you're not buying it from Mexico then nobody (but the American taxpayer) is paying for the wall then. And American companies will still be paying higher prices than if they bought the steel from the cheaper sources that are going to be hit by tariffs.

I don't mind paying a little more for something from a friend rather than buying it on the cheap from an adversary.

and the EU is our adversary because.....?

[malchior]

If the man had stopped at taking a harder line on trade I'd have been fine with it. There was room to talk about imbalances and the impact on stability. Instead he's shown he is unstable, impulsive, unethical, and a fucking moron. He isn't a reliable partner and they have to look out for themselves. And I can't really blame them. Unfortunately we're all in his disastrous path.

[RunningMn9]

and the EU is our adversary because.....?

You know what the E stands for, right?