USA Foreign Policy

[Lexicus]

Read an interesting article today in the Baffler that argued Trump is actually a good negotiator! People focusing on how he can be 'distracted' by gestures of respect/submission are missing the point - for Trump, the whole purpose of negotiating is receiving these gestures. In this sense, Trump is a highly effective negotiator, and he wins every time other heads of state/government pretend to have any respect for him.

 

[onejayhawk]

Read an interesting article today in the Baffler that argued Trump is actually a good negotiator! People focusing on how he can be 'distracted' by gestures of respect/submission are missing the point - for Trump, the whole purpose of negotiating is receiving these gestures. In this sense, Trump is a highly effective negotiator, and he wins every time other heads of state/government pretend to have any respect for him.

Are you agreeing that Trump is a good negotiator, or disagreeing with the people that think so? In either event, would not the results of the negotiations speak for themselves?

J

 

[Lexicus]

Are you agreeing that Trump is a good negotiator, or disagreeing with the people that think so? In either event, would not the results of the negotiations speak for themselves?

J

I'm saying that Trump is a good negotiator from his own perspective, but a terrible negotiator from the perspective of "the national interest" or whatever.

 

[onejayhawk]

I'm saying that Trump is a good negotiator from his own perspective, but a terrible negotiator from the perspective of "the national interest" or whatever.

On what evidence?

J

 

[Lexicus]

On what evidence?

J

I forgot, you're right, Trump is renegotiating those trade deals and let me tell you folks they are going to be yuge deals, great deals for the United States.

 

[onejayhawk]

I forgot, you're right, Trump is renegotiating those trade deals and let me tell you folks they are going to be yuge deals, great deals for the United States.

So no evidence.

Trump had a track record of successful negotitations prior to political life. His recent Asia tour was a success. The only thing that would point to him being a "a terrible negotiator from the perspective of 'the national interest'" is a personal bias. Facts are still thin, but point the other direction.

J

 

[Lexicus]

So no evidence.

No evidence that you will accept, anyway. Since, you know,

personal bias.

 

[onejayhawk]

No evidence that you will accept, anyway. Since, you know,

Let's see it anyway. Then I can give my opinion of it.

J

 

[Arakhor]

Moderator Action: Once again, this is an RD thread. Take it to PMs or not at all. This is the last warning.
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889

 

[Takhisis]

For all his anti-communist/socialist rhetoric, the Donald seems to be ignoring Venezuela almost completely.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

That's because Maduro doesn't have enough twitter followers to raise to the top of Trump's feed. I wish that was a joke but it's not. Trump is a social media junky and spends an inordinate amount of time on it. If a foreign leader isn't already a target and doesn't have a strong enough media presence to overcome the other noise then he just doesn't care.

 

[Broken_Erika]

For all his anti-communist/socialist rhetoric, the Donald seems to be ignoring Venezuela almost completely.

He probably thinks Venezuela is a city in Mexico.

 

[Takhisis]

That's because Maduro doesn't have enough twitter followers to raise to the top of Trump's feed. I wish that was a joke but it's not. Trump is a social media junky and spends an inordinate amount of time on it. If a foreign leader isn't already a target and doesn't have a strong enough media presence to overcome the other noise then he just doesn't care.

I'm starting to see alleged insider reports that the man is really suffering from some sort of (senile?) dementia and that people are trying to ‘manage’ him.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I'm starting to see alleged insider reports that the man is really suffering from some sort of (senile?) dementia and that people are trying to ‘manage’ him.

I have seen them as well.

He just undermined his legal defense strategy via tweet, again. That is dumb enough on the face of it to lead a reasonable person to question his mental capacity. I am really hoping that his cabinet votes him out on grounds of mental capacity or illness. It is a legal action our constitution spells out.

It would take an act of Congress to afirm the incapacitation but if his own cabinet turned I do not think even the Republicans would stand by him. Maybe I'm too optimistic.

 

[rah]

Sad to say you probably are.

 

[Berzerker]

Supreme Court upholds "Muslim ban" 7-2

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/04/sup...rumps-travel-ban-to-go-fully-into-effect.html

I think it involves 6 countries

I'm sure the analysis will be published soon, but I figure the power will fall under the CinC's authority to combat terrorism

 

[Katie88]

For me, Trump's best foreign policy move was cutting funds to the Syrian Rebels, since it is likely to considerably shorten the Syrian Civil War. His worst was probably pulling out of the Paris Climate Agreement.

 

[Broken_Erika]

Arab leaders have warned US President Donald Trump that moving the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem could have dangerous repercussions.

Peace is for Commies.
Meanwhile Sarah sanders has said he was "Pretty Solid" in his thinking about this issue.
I wonder what "Pretty Solid" means....
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42245289

 

[Berzerker]

what are we gaining by that?

seems unnecessarily provocative

 

[Broken_Erika]

what are we gaining by that?

seems unnecessarily provocative

I'm guessing "Piss off the Liberals and the entire planet"
Not to mention the pleasing Hardcore Conservative Lunatic Fringe
Possibly start a new war so that they can use it as an excuse to delay elections until they have the system rigged tight like a drum?
Consequences of letting a 70-year old mentally-impaired preschooler be "Presidential"?