President Trump: Making America Great Again...

[Pelado]

Saved by that olympic medal! phew!

They're counting Special Olympics medals?

[Commando]

They're counting Special Olympics medals?

Hell no- this is the Trump administration. You admit that, you might as well gas yourself.

[PaloAltoCougar]

I didn't like Obama's "red line" threat when he had no apparent intention of following through. Words mean something, or should, especially in world diplomacy. What, then, of Trump's weird threat today, that "North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen..."? Is Trump going to nuke NK if Un's threats continue? If not, will Trump continue to be seen by the world as a blowhard, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing?

Although I'm concerned about NK, I take some comfort that Un is homicidal, not suicidal, and he seems to be rational. His threats help solidify his position in NK and justify the lopsided expendtures on nuclear arms. But he knows that the launch of a single nuclear-tipped ICBM will result in his own country being incinerated. Trump's bluster adds nothing.

[Eddie]

I didn't make it

Me neither. Master's degree in the wrong subject - which happens to be a subject that is unlikely to result in a high salary.

I'll hang out with you, Frank, if he decides to start kicking some of us out who don't qualify. Where do you want to move to? (I'm partial to New Zealand, but could be talked into considering other destinations.)

[Maximus]

I didn't like Obama's "red line" threat when he had no apparent intention of following through. Words mean something, or should, especially in world diplomacy. What, then, of Trump's weird threat today, that "North Korea best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen..."? Is Trump going to nuke NK if Un's threats continue? If not, will Trump continue to be seen by the world as a blowhard, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing?

Although I'm concerned about NK, I take some comfort that Un is homicidal, not suicidal, and he seems to be rational. His threats help solidify his position in NK and justify the lopsided expendtures on nuclear arms. But he knows that the launch of a single nuclear-tipped ICBM will result in his own country being incinerated. Trump's bluster adds nothing.

the real problem I see is if the regime has an internal threat and thinks they will die soon and want to go out in a blaze of glory

[Northwestcoug]

This nuclear Armageddon will be the best Armageddon ever, that I can tell you.

[SCcoug]

Is this a threat or what? Your move Donny.

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[old_gregg]

not thrilled with this if i live in seoul, tbh

[creekster]

Is this a threat or what? Your move Donny.

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you know, if this wasnt so serious with such potentially catastrophic consequences, I would find this a sort of amusing response, like a sibling who is told to "move" meaning step aside but instead keeps feet planted but wiggles torso and arms. Really, NK and Trump sort of deserve each other, but the problem is it would end so badly.

[Jeff Lebowski]

"OK, maybe we can't send missiles all the way to the USA, but by golly we are going to DESTROY Guam."

It's a pretty small island. I doubt they could hit it.

[frank ryan]

Me neither. Master's degree in the wrong subject - which happens to be a subject that is unlikely to result in a high salary.

I'll hang out with you, Frank, if he decides to start kicking some of us out who don't qualify. Where do you want to move to? (I'm partial to New Zealand, but could be talked into considering other destinations.)

We should have gotten Masters in maths or engineering I guess.

[creekster]

"OK, maybe we can't send missiles all the way to the USA, but by golly we are going to DESTROY Guam."

It's a pretty small island. I doubt they could hit it.

Nukes are like hand grenades and scatter guns: close is good enough.

[creekster]

"OK, maybe we can't send missiles all the way to the USA, but by golly we are going to DESTROY Guam."

It's a pretty small island. I doubt they could hit it.

I think they are just playing word games. So Trump says "If you threaten the USA again that's it, Fire and Fury for you!" and they come back and say "how about Guam?" which is perfect because its not really the USA, although it is a protectorate, but no one really cares about it in a jingoistic, visceral way. As a result, NK wins this round becasue if Trump attacks peremptorily the whole world will criticize him for attacking becasue of an oblique threat to Guam, which really isn't part of the USA, but if he does nothing, NK will say Trump is a paper tiger because within hours of his Fire and Fury comment NK threatened very directly a US protectorate and the USA did nothing. I think it is a clever move by an insane country meant to provoke a bombastic president who is rapidly wasting his political capitol to such a degree that he will soon be left without any on any side.

NK is nuts but crafty.

[old_gregg]

I think they are just playing word games. So Trump says "If you threaten the USA again that's it, Fire and Fury for you!" and they come back and say "how about Guam?" which is perfect because its not really the USA, although it is a protectorate, but no one really cares about it in a jingoistic, visceral way. As a result, NK wins this round becasue if Trump attacks peremptorily the whole world will criticize him for attacking becasue of an oblique threat to Guam, which really isn't part of the USA, but if he does nothing, NK will say Trump is a paper tiger because within hours of his Fire and Fury comment NK threatened very directly a US protectorate and the USA did nothing. I think it is a clever move by an insane country meant to provoke a bombastic president who is rapidly wasting his political capitol to such a degree that he will soon be left without any on any side.

NK is nuts but crafty.

guam isn't just a protectorate, it's the military's foothold in the pacific (other than okinawa maybe)

[creekster]

guam isn't just a protectorate, it's the military's foothold in the pacific (other than okinawa maybe)

Sure, but it presents no real emotional content even if it has great strategic value. The effect of nk's comment is still the same.