- Reaction score
- 6,155
- Points
- 1,260
Tomorrow is also the first day that the US Supreme Court can decide on his tariffs.
It will not go well for him. Greenland is a diversion possible to this.
2026 US-Denmark Tensions/End of NATO
- Thread starter Altair
- Start date
It will not go well for him. Greenland is a diversion possible to this.
- Reaction score
- 12,152
- Points
- 1,160
Everything is a diversion to everything. He maintain such a rapid pace of "outrageous" acts that his opponents have difficulty countering.
Amidst today's cacophony he has withdrawn from 66 international agreements. 66 fewer fora in which he can be held accountable by non-Americans.
....
Meanwhile I am reminded of two possible parallels.
The West Africa Squadron
Muhammad Ali.
The West Africa Squadron, based on the moral, but decidely national, authority of ending the slave trade, justified bringing micreants around the world before British courts to face British justice. The Americans hated that. But they have come to realise they benefited from that imposed order. When they stripped the Brits of their control they discovered that they had to foot the bill of maintaining their type of order themselves. Since 1956 and Suez they have no friends. They have clients and subjects.
As the Victorians discovered, principles are expensive and cash is short.
....
As to Muhammad Ali?
Float like a butterfly
Sting like a bee
- Reaction score
- 11,106
- Points
- 1,040
He knows that impeachment (passing the articles in the House) without conviction (in the Senate) just energizes his base. Having gone through it twice, he'd welcome it. As I read somewhere, "impeachment" has been debased to a kind of super-censure.
- Reaction score
- 11,106
- Points
- 1,040
And the odds of a Trump-aligned Republican presidential nominee and president-elect will go up.
"OK, we're not going to behave like Trump" would be a great place for Democrats to start.
A non Trump aligned Republican is impossible at this time. Who is potentially on deck right now? Vance, Rubio? Who do you guess that is unaligned is potentially a candidate?
Swampbuggy
Sr. Member
- Reaction score
- 347
- Points
- 730
The money part…I’ve been thinking that one over and I can’t quite square it. If he were to offer $5m per Greenlander (to whom, then personally??) how the hell would some poor bastard feel in the Midwest when all they recently received or may receive is a couple of grand check from tariffs (that coincidentally have been largely responsible for their economic pain)? I can’t see anyone in the USA who voted for this government being cool with that, while living paycheque to paycheque.
Swampbuggy
Sr. Member
- Reaction score
- 347
- Points
- 730
I’ll find a van and try for a Mohawk if you need a driver…
He'd make the offer but i'd bet the greenlanders would never see the money. To steal a line from someone else "I wouldn't trust an IOU from trump if it was written on the money he owed me".
- Reaction score
- 12,152
- Points
- 1,160
Brad brought up an alternate plan a year ago
The AI take.
The Compact of Free Association (COFA) establishes a unique relationship between the United States and three Pacific island nations—the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and Palau—granting them independence while providing U.S. economic assistance, defense, and security in exchange for exclusive military access and denying other nations strategic access. Key provisions include U.S. financial aid for health, education, and infrastructure, and allowing citizens of these Freely Associated States (FAS) to live and work in the U.S. without visas, supporting U.S. strategic presence in the Indo-Pacific amidst rising competition with China.
All three countries have independent representation in the United Nations.
.....
The Guardian take
Under such a compact, the smaller country retains its independence and is guaranteed Washington’s protection and a potentially lucrative duty-free trade deal, while the US military gets to operate more or less without restriction in a strategically important territory.
Many analysts see this as perhaps the most plausible longer-term outcome, with Greenland’s leaders – post-referendum – likely to see a Cofa or some other form of bilateral agreement as allowing them to combine independence with economic advantage.
www.theguardian.com
....
There will be a convivial settlement.
The AI take.
The Compact of Free Association (COFA) establishes a unique relationship between the United States and three Pacific island nations—the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and Palau—granting them independence while providing U.S. economic assistance, defense, and security in exchange for exclusive military access and denying other nations strategic access. Key provisions include U.S. financial aid for health, education, and infrastructure, and allowing citizens of these Freely Associated States (FAS) to live and work in the U.S. without visas, supporting U.S. strategic presence in the Indo-Pacific amidst rising competition with China.
All three countries have independent representation in the United Nations.
.....
The Guardian take
Sign a ‘free association deal’
Officials in Washington have reportedly been working for months on a possible “compact of free association” (Cofa) deal similar to the arrangement the US has with a number of small South Pacific nations, including the Marshall Islands.Under such a compact, the smaller country retains its independence and is guaranteed Washington’s protection and a potentially lucrative duty-free trade deal, while the US military gets to operate more or less without restriction in a strategically important territory.
Many analysts see this as perhaps the most plausible longer-term outcome, with Greenland’s leaders – post-referendum – likely to see a Cofa or some other form of bilateral agreement as allowing them to combine independence with economic advantage.
What are Trump’s real options for gaining control of Greenland?
The White House has said using the US military is always an option, but few analysts believe it a likely one
www.theguardian.com
....
There will be a convivial settlement.
- Reaction score
- 11,106
- Points
- 1,040
No idea. I claim the probability is less than 100% though, and in general I surmise that the more Democrats squeeze, the more voters will slip through their fingers (again). People who don't like whatever they think MAGA is should not want Democrats to make "which party is more or less inclined to lawfare" a wash, leaving voters to decide on other issues. There are a lot of issues Democrats are still very weak on. Being civil and magnanimous would at least allow them to reclaim one.
Your claim about a non Trump aligned Republican is the issue in your rebuttal.
It isn’t in the cards thus irrelevant if the Dems go after the acolytes of Trump. If they went after Trump maybe. The various podcasters, media personalities, you tubers and sycophants he’s appointed not so much.
- Reaction score
- 11,106
- Points
- 1,040
It's relevant. Even if the nomination is in the bag, the general election isn't ("presidential nominee" and "president-elect" are two separate elections).
Your premise is increasing the odds of a trump aligned candidate.
My rebuttal is that it will be a Trump aligned candidate regardless.
You haven’t said anything that shows it will be a non aligned candidate or even the remote possibility that it will be.
So yes, irrelevant.
- Reaction score
- 6,155
- Points
- 1,260
I think it’s too premature to say the Rep candidate will or will not be a Trump approved MAGA individual.
Three years is a long time, many things can and will happen. Statistically Trump is on the wrong side of the actuarial tables now. Another 3yrs of extra aspirin, super sized fries, Big Macs and diet cokes will sooner of later catch up to everyone.
This is it.
What happens if he dies in office? Who takes over and who runs subsequently. The answer to that scenario is pretty clear.
Swampbuggy
Sr. Member
- Reaction score
- 347
- Points
- 730
That’s true, but it still doesn’t change the likelihood that Americans would not buy into a plan to give that kind of money away while they struggle if it were discussed.
Swampbuggy
Sr. Member
- Reaction score
- 347
- Points
- 730
Strange tactic, no?Brad brought up an alternate plan a year ago
The AI take.
The Compact of Free Association (COFA) establishes a unique relationship between the United States and three Pacific island nations—the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and Palau—granting them independence while providing U.S. economic assistance, defense, and security in exchange for exclusive military access and denying other nations strategic access. Key provisions include U.S. financial aid for health, education, and infrastructure, and allowing citizens of these Freely Associated States (FAS) to live and work in the U.S. without visas, supporting U.S. strategic presence in the Indo-Pacific amidst rising competition with China.
All three countries have independent representation in the United Nations.
.....
The Guardian take
Sign a ‘free association deal’
Officials in Washington have reportedly been working for months on a possible “compact of free association” (Cofa) deal similar to the arrangement the US has with a number of small South Pacific nations, including the Marshall Islands.
Under such a compact, the smaller country retains its independence and is guaranteed Washington’s protection and a potentially lucrative duty-free trade deal, while the US military gets to operate more or less without restriction in a strategically important territory.
Many analysts see this as perhaps the most plausible longer-term outcome, with Greenland’s leaders – post-referendum – likely to see a Cofa or some other form of bilateral agreement as allowing them to combine independence with economic advantage.
What are Trump’s real options for gaining control of Greenland?
The White House has said using the US military is always an option, but few analysts believe it a likely one
....
There will be a convivial settlement.
I have a beautiful old car that I’m not interested in selling. It’s been in the family for decades. But, everything as they say has a price. So, if someone were to come to my home and tell me they wanted it and either I sell it to them or they’d possibly kick the shit out of me and take it, I’d be fairly unlikely to acquiesce quietly. Even if they geared down enough to make an offer, I’d remember the threat and triple the price I might have accepted from someone who bargained in good faith and respect. So, I’d have to wonder how much more this initial belligerence drives up the cost of the transaction, should it ever take place.
- Reaction score
- 6,155
- Points
- 1,260
This is pretty much what Bolton, Trumps former Security Adviser, has been saying all day yesterday and today. This issue should have been handled quietly behind closed doors by professionals and deal may very well might have been done already. Instead Trump blew the lid off this and the horses have bolted the barn.
- Reaction score
- 12,152
- Points
- 1,160
Quick question.
We have a system built on laws. Just like the US version of liberalism envisioned after WW2.
What would we make of our system if our parliament and courts were inhabited by thieves, murderers, rapists and fraudsters?
Who vets the General Assembly of the UN?
The system is predicated on good people doing good things for good reasons.
At what point do the right thing and the legal thing diverge?
We have a system built on laws. Just like the US version of liberalism envisioned after WW2.
What would we make of our system if our parliament and courts were inhabited by thieves, murderers, rapists and fraudsters?
Who vets the General Assembly of the UN?
The system is predicated on good people doing good things for good reasons.
At what point do the right thing and the legal thing diverge?
