you are such a smooth-brained toad. That's the only conclusion i can come to anyone who thinks Trump is doing a good job on foreign policy. From a strictly practical perspective, removing the US from the global negotiating table by publicly calling out traditional allies, implementing border and entry policies that have not been well-thought out, and engaging directly with foreign leaders without involving advisors or having any fucking clue about what the historical relationship is with the country you are engaging in is a lesson in how NOT to engage in foreign policy.Jay wrote:
I am, yes. I'm not advocating invasion. I think Trump in general is doing a good job on foreign policy. He's been tough, but with an end goal of making deals. I think he's done a good job with North Korea, I think he's doing what is long overdue with China, and he called Europe out on their military spending. These are all good things. Right now he's escalating with Iran to bring them back to the negotiating table. This shit is working. He's certainly made Obama look like a completely ineffectual pussy.SuperJail Warden wrote:
What are you going to do about it anyway? Aren't you against foreign intervention?Jay wrote:
Sure, but do you trust Iran? Would you like to live in a world where they have nuclear weapons? I'm all for reducing the embargoes and allowing them to reenter the world markets, but I draw the line at allowing them to build nuclear enrichment facilities.
"He's been tough!" Can you link to ONE action he has implemented that would lead you to believe this? Do you want to know how NOT to engage in foreign policy diplomacy? Capitulating to North Korea in the form of suspending or ending joint military exercises in South Korea without getting any type of conciliatory action or concession from North Korea is the opposite of being tough. He has done absolutely nothing to move along an agreement with North Korea, because all he cares about is the dog and pony show (I come to this conclusion based on the fact that Trump keeps talking about the meetings and great discussions, using props like the letter and agreements agreeing to meet for more meetings as evidence of progress, as opposed to, you know, actual, measurable and quantifiable points of any kind).
"He is doing what is long overdue with China". You support his protectionist measures? You support import taxes? I must have been reading your last 7 years of forum posts completely wrong, what with the championing of neoliberal market policies. No, increasing taxes and facing retaliatory measures are actually a good thing that benefits the US, because it punishes China at the detriment of the US? What is long overdue wrg to China?
"He is escalating with Iran to bring them back to the negotiating table" that he pulled away! Obama got real concessions from Iran regarding their nuclear program, and was able to get multilateral support for his deal (using global pressure). As of now, Iran has not agreed to anything with the U.S., and is no longer curtailing uranium enrichment, whereas they were under Obama. What a win, Trump!
Trump is acting unilaterally without understanding big pictures and using the threat of force to try to get foreign powers to capitulate. That approach to foreign policy has terrible outcomes, based on historical examples. He is alienating the US in the perceptions of the rest of the world, and calling out traditional allies in the process. He is reversing literal decades of positive political capital the US has built up through diplomacy in the world, and probably set the US back 30 years on the international stage, which will result in future presidents offering numerous good-faith approaches to restore the global standing of the US. The US is stuck watching as the rest of the world is moving on, forming multinational alliances, regional trade agreements and engaging in international diplomacy. In a world where these types of agreements are enacted, it benefits the US to have a strong seat at the table. We don't, and it will take a long time and a lot of effort to restore that.
But yes, he said some stuff about Europe. Did you know Europe already agreed to increase their military spending (and contributions to NATO) before Trump was president?
I could go in to a "Foreign Policy 101" type diatribe but it's pointless. The threat of military action is never the first step in negotiation. Trump doesn't know that because he doesn't care. His idea of making deals was borne out of mafia and 1980's NY business. He is literally a caricature of what people in the '80's thought was a good business man - power suits, strong handshakes and adding positive adjectives when describing anyone. It's like he read an "Intro to Business" book at boarding school and cribbed everything he read and never bothered to learn anything else.
I don't like the overall view the US takes regarding foreign policy, and that hasn't changed. However, within the confines of that approach, Trump is failing. But you're more worried about him proving that Obama is a pussy, so you really are el sapo.
