Politics

[HuntingGold]

Nothing like elementary school level insults on Christmas, eh?

I thought it was funny, even though the meme was designed to trigger those who have no sense of humor... therefor my poking sticks comment.
Wishing you, and everyone on AH, nothing but the best on Christmas.

Been a warm but wet fall/early winter here, however, the snow blew in ferociously about 20 minutes ago. Its gonna be a white Christmas after all.

 

[spike.t]

Thailand Shows the West Has Already Lost Southeast Asia | Geopolitical Monitor https://share.google/ajlMjOF8yr9dPRlC0

All the Trump stuff is sort of interesting...but to me how does this pan out?.....said in the past about usd to brics....etc etc....been poo poohed that usd will not be replaced.....think a bit of the emperors new clothing comes into it.......or delusions of grandeur.....

 

[Tundra Tiger]

All the Trump stuff is sort of interesting...but to me how does this pan out?.....said in the past about usd to brics....etc etc....been poo poohed that usd will not be replaced.....think a bit of the emperors new clothing comes into it.......or delusions of grandeur.....

I made that very analogy to a co-worker just yesterday.

 

[Brent in Az]

 

[tarbe]

I made that very analogy to a co-worker just yesterday.

No fiat lasts forever. They have a life cycle. Triffin's dilemma sees to that.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Seems an oxymoron Trump choosing to add his name to the Kennedy Center for the Arts when he's cut funding for the arts. Oxymoron is half correct. The second half.

NYC has a feature more deserving of his name: the "New York City Municipal Donald Trump Landfill Disposal Site." Trump's Dump. City can change the name and there's not a damn thing that fathead could do about it. I'm sending my suggestion to NY Times tomorrow!

 

[Jeff505]

Seems an oxymoron Trump choosing to add his name to the Kennedy Center for the Arts when he's cut funding for the arts. Oxymoron is half correct. The second half.

NYC has a feature more deserving of his name: the "New York City Municipal Donald Trump Landfill Disposal Site." Trump's Dump. City can change the name and there's not a damn thing that fathead could do about it. I'm sending my suggestion to NY Times tomorrow!

It is disturbing that Trump would add his name to certain American institutions. Maybe you should leave this to people that actually live here.

 

[KJE81]

Wonder when he will be making a Trump memorial about himself being the greatest president ever etc, and if so will he then just change the Lincoln memorial into the Trump-Lincoln memorial like he did with the Kennedy center?

 

[Levubu]

Nobel Prize winner Acemoğlu:

»I'm curious to see what is destroying humanity: the cleverness of AI – or the stupidity of Trump«

 

[RLD]

Wonder when he will be making a Trump memorial about himself being the greatest president ever etc, and if so will he then just change the Lincoln memorial into the Trump-Lincoln memorial like he did with the Kennedy center?

There is some question about whether or not the board had the legal authority to make a name change. Only time will tell.

Plus it will take about an hour to change it back after the Trump administration is over.

 

[RLD]

View attachment 735005

While I am all in favour of this kind of strike, it will only be. meaningful if the Nigerian government follows up with proper COIN on the ground. I am not sure we will see that unfortunately.

 

[Red Leg]

Meanwhile back at the front.

Six weeks ago Putin and his propagandists were proclaiming the "inevitability" of Ukrainian collapse and were using the claimed "seizure" of the critical rail and road junction of Kupyansk as the key indicator of that pending victory. The anti-Ukraine wing of the republican party were busy nodding in enthusiastic agreement. This was about the time (15 Dec 25) our President was saying "When you start a war (referring to Ukraine), you gotta know you can win the war. You don’t start a war against somebody that’s 20 times your size and then hope that people give you some missiles." I would like to believe he isn't really that stupid, so perhaps he was merely inspired by or perhaps clinging to Putin's assurance.

In any case, someone forgot to tell the Ukrainians. The Russians had succeeded in taking a bit over half of the town and surrounding critical terrain at the time Putin was speaking. The Ukrainian counterattack was launched about the same time.

Russian forces near collapse in Kupyansk as Moscow allies concede city lost: report

Russian forces were reportedly cut off and surrendering in Ukraine's Kupyansk as supply lines fail. Only dozens of isolated troops remain in the strategic city.

www.foxnews.com

The reality of the situation on the ground has caused something more than mere consternation among the Russian military bloggers who follow the war closely and are generally strongly supportive of the Kremlin's messaging.

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-december-24-2025/

In no way does the Ukrainian counterattack presage imminent Russian collapse either. But it is a clear indicator that any quick victory by Russia is no more likely now than when its forces stalled outside Kyiv nearly five years ago. It is why Putin is so dependent upon Trump and his amateur diplomatic representatives like Steve Witkoff to salvage something from this strategic catastrophe.

 

[fourfive8]

There is some question about whether or not the board had the legal authority to make a name change. Only time will tell.

Plus it will take about an hour to change it back after the Trump administration is over.

Or better yet, go apolitical and push to change it back to its ORIGINAL name, National Cultural Center
Can’t have it both ways

 

[Altitude sickness]

While I am all in favour of this kind of strike, it will only be. meaningful if the Nigerian government follows up with proper COIN on the ground. I am not sure we will see that unfortunately.

The Green Berets have been in Nigeria for a long time doing exactly that.

I’m confident the targets were chosen and weapons directed by those same guys on the ground.

 

[fourfive8]

Thailand Shows the West Has Already Lost Southeast Asia | Geopolitical Monitor https://share.google/ajlMjOF8yr9dPRlC0

I read the article. Yes, IMO, it reflects the general MO China uses and has used for years for countries in Asia, SE Asia, Africa and South America. My only criticism about the article is that the author’s over-cooked verbosity tends to sabotage the important points in the content. He(she) must get paid by the word or is ego-driven.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

The Green Berets have been in Nigeria for a long time doing exactly that.

I’m confident the targets were chosen and weapons directed by those same guys on the ground.

Yes indeed, the US has been active in Nigeria for a long time. I lived and worked in Lagos for 6 years. On Thursday evenings, the social club at the American Consultant had Tex Mex night. One night, I got to chatting with a couple of guys from the US. Both were military advisors and we left it at that. They both looked like special ops guys, straight out of central casting. It turned out one of them went to the same high school in Louisiana as my daughters.

The Nigerian military, like a lot of other African countries, is somewhat dysfunctional. They have rifles, but very few bullets. I routinely saw C-130 military aircraft at the airport that had flat tires and looked like they had never been washed, let alone flown.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

It is disturbing that Trump would add his name to certain American institutions. Maybe you should leave this to people that actually live here.

I am a US citizen and disabled Amercan veteran. I still vote in every Montana federal election (but not municipal or state). I deserve that right. More importantly, I want to be able to prove to my great grandkids that I didn't vote for this "disturbing" jerk. I did my part to make the US respectable again.

Residency is not a requirement for publicly recognizing stupidity and arrogance.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I read the article. Yes, IMO, it reflects the general MO China uses and has used for years for countries in Asia, SE Asia, Africa and South America. My only criticism about the article is that the author’s over-cooked verbosity tends to sabotage the important points in the content. He(she) must get paid by the word or is ego-driven.

" ... over-cooked verbosity" I'll have to remember that one. Reminds me of most of the hunting stories I read thrown up (as in puked up?) on the internet by homemade wannabe "outdoors influencers." Too much literary style. After reading a paragraph I often feel the need for a shot of insulin.

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

Nobel Prize winner Acemoğlu:

»I'm curious to see what is destroying humanity: the cleverness of AI – or the stupidity of Trump«

Trump has many demonstrable flaws but the weird dichotomy his worst detractors have of believing he is simultaneously an ineffectual nincompoop while also attributing to him Godlike powers like the ability to “destroy humanity” is tiresome.

If one can give Trump any credit, it’s that he’s tried to avoid any conflict with the serious potential to escalate into nuclear war. Something that actually could destroy humanity.

Reading a bit about Acemoğlu, he seems to be a pretty intelligent man, but that sort of hyperbole does more to make people tune out than take heed.

 

[RLD]

Or better yet, go apolitical and push to change it back to its ORIGINAL name, National Cultural Center
Can’t have it both ways

Well, I think it was an Act of Congress, in I think 1964, named it the Kennedy Center as a memorial to the late President, which I think is fine. I also think it probably means that legally you cannot change the name without new legislation.

I don't think there is anything wrong with naming cultural centers, or streets or airports or whatever after dead/retired presidents. It just strikes me a tad gaudy and egocentric to run around naming stuff after yourself while you are still in office. It's not like it's a serious issue or anything, but it is tasteless.