The US Hamster Wheel

[Undried Plum]

[Magnus]

Forest fires are natural, regular and awesome. There are plant species which REQUIRE fire to trigger seeds into activity. There's an issue with human proximity to such fires. If we are to allow nature to take its course while protecting human life and property, we need fire breaks, some litter clearance and felling in order that we can contain fires and allow them to develop and die naturally without impacting on our way of life. Nothing wrong with that, unless we let the huggy-fluffs stop effective forestry management. The wickfuts don't seem to realise that rebuilding homes and communities will use far more timber than would be lost in a firebreak programme.

[Slasher]

Here's one just for you for Mr Plum!

https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/1 ... .mp4?tag=2

I don't agree with its denigration but quite well done nonetheless.

[Undried Plum]

Ivanka Trump used a personal email account to send hundreds of messages discussing official White House business last year, officials confirm.

A review into her emails revealed she had used her private address to contact government officials.

In 2016, her father Donald Trump accused Hillary Clinton of putting the US "in danger" over her use of a private email while secretary of state.

Austin Evers, from a group called American Oversight, which submitted the freedom of information request that led to the discovery of Ms Trump's use of personal email last year, said the "president's family is not above the law".

During his presidential campaign in 2016, Donald Trump said that Mrs Clinton's use of a private server to send official emails while in her post as secretary of state in 2009 was a scandal "bigger than Watergate".

He repeatedly criticised her conduct, calling her actions "illegal" and a threat to the security of the US.

At the time of his campaign, Mr Trump frequently encouraged crowds at rallies to chant "lock her up" and threatened to imprison Mrs Clinton over the saga.

[Boac]

Lock her up!

[Jetex Jim]

[Boac]

You never know - President Chump is so stupid that maybe even a Republican would notice?

Still, the DOW is still soaring, isn't it.......... so that's all that matters.'The Military reckon 'support' for the clown is fading, but not to worry - he's still got Ben.

Oh, I nearly forgot, of COURSE, the Ivanka email story is FAKE NEWS.

[Alisoncc]

Are there no depths to which Trump will not sink? Does he have no morals or ethical standards. Choosing to ignore the involvement of the Saudi Arabian hierarchy in the death of the guy in their embassy/consulate in Turkey is unbelievable. Is "making American great again" acceptable at any cost?

Alison

[Seenenough]

Are there no depths to which Trump will not sink? Does he have no morals or ethical standards. Choosing to ignore the involvement of the Saudi Arabian hierarchy in the death of the guy in their embassy/consulate in Turkey is unbelievable. Is "making American great again" acceptable at any cost?

Alison

So what in your opinion should Trump do about it?

[Slasher]

Governments bump off who they don't like. Period. The US, the Norks, Russia, its a fact of life. Where MbS fuct up was by not simply paying $5 mill to a sniper and bump off that journalist in the street iso doing it the silly way it was done. Problem with his grand plan was it didn't include the unforeseen fact his fiancée was waiting for him outside.

I'm not condoning the incident but it's being blown out of all proportion by the Clinton loving networks and other leftist media in their ubiquitous quest to fukk the POTUS.

I'd hate to be in Trump shoes at the moment walking the current tight rope of having to be seen bollocking the ragheads on one side and protecting the US economy on the other. Damned if he does damned if he doesn't. To me it's a very unenviable position indeed.

I'd also be interested in what our Trump-hating readers think he should do right now.

[Cacophonix]

Governments bump off who they don't like. Period. The US, the Norks, Russia, its a fact of life. Where MbS fuct up was by not simply paying $5 mill to a sniper and bump off that journalist in the street iso doing it the silly way it was done. Problem with his grand plan was it didn't include the unknown fact his fiancée was waiting for him outside.

I'm not condoning the incident but it's being blown out of all proportion by the Clinton loving networks and other leftist media in their ubiquitous quest to fukk the POTUS.

I'd hate to be in Trump shoes at the moment walking the current tight rope of having to be seen bollocking the ragheads on one side and protecting the US economy on the other. Damned if he does damned if he doesn't. To me it's a very unenviable position indeed.

I'd also be interested in what our Trump-hating Hillary-adoring readers think he should do right now.

Well certainly more than he is doing. He shows all the "world" leadership ability of a boiled cabbage!

How can such an egregious and vile crime be overblown! If you see the wordlwide censure of the Saudis, and Trump's woeful approach to this crime, only through the prism of an attack on Trump then I worry that your moral compass may be well misaligned!

Caco

[Slasher]

Nope it's yet another tool for the never ending attacks on Trump mate. Do you really honestly think if the Dems were in power that their precious Hilary would be under the same attacks, or as ubiquitous, if she was following a similar path as Trump? The Nork bump-off in KL backfired as leftist media ammo against the POTUS and it failed miserably.

Don't let personal hatred of Trump the man overrun pragmatism, practicality and real life. I don't like the prick either as you know.

I pose the same question again as did Seenenough: what should Trump be doing about it right now without wrecking the US economy? What...ban SVA flights to JFK and LAX?

[Cacophonix]

Nope it's yet another tool for the never ending attacks on Trump mate. Do you really honestly think if the Dems were in power that their precious Hilary would be under the same attacks, or as ubiquitous, if she was following a similar path as Trump? The Nork bump-off in KL backfired as leftist media ammo against the POTUS and it failed miserably.



I pose the same question again as did Seenenough: what should Trump be doing about it right now without wrecking the US economy? Ban SVA flights to JFK and LAX?

You miss the point here Slasher.

What this fool Trump could do is actually critcise the Saudis instead of coming out and licking foetid Saudi arse. Not supporting the genocidal Saudi war in Yemen with might be a good start.

Don't let ideology overrun practicality and real life.

No, I believe morality should guide one's actions in life. Kasshoggi's blatant murder, dissection and dissolution in an acid bath is certainly the thin edge of a moral wedge and can never be countenanced in any normal state of affairs in any country.

Realpolitik's writ can only run so far.


Caco

[Slasher]

I reworded the highlighted mate just before you posted.

Don't let personal hatred of Trump the man overrun pragmatism, practicality and real life. I don't like the prick either as you know.

[Cacophonix]

I reworded the highlighted mate just before you posted.

Don't let personal hatred of Trump the man overrun pragmatism, practicality and real life. I don't like the prick either as you know.

I do know that Slash and in this case it is not my well known detestation of Trump that is my driver.

It is also true that it is not just Trump that is being mealy mouthed here, our useless excuse for a government here in the UK (and governments elsewhere) continues to support this disgusting Saudi regime who are emboldened to think they can get away with anything. The Saudi's should face the the same kind of censure as the Iranians. It is time people, from whatever ideological standpoint, stood up and told their respective governments to firm up on these people.

One of my best mates is currently teaching mathematics to would be Saudi Typhoon (Eurofighter) pilots in Saudi Arabia. As you might imagine, our conversations can become very heated over this issue! As for you Slash, me old China, I am not going to allow this issue to disturb our subtly flown ILS into Cape Town airport together!

Caco

[Jetex Jim]

An interesting look at Trump. Produced before he became President.

[Slasher]

No this is just a discussion Caco and nothing more. I wouldn't let something as useless as politics ruin our potential to fly together Gravesend down to Kaap Stad down the West African coast and experience the wonderous rotting stench of Libreville and that dumb refueller in Naomey. Besides, the granny flat here and moonshine is all ready for ya! Then there's the Cub you have to chauffeur me around the sky in.

Don't get me wrong - I agree what you say above. But having been in the ME a few years one learns the raghead mindset. Your average saudi in the street isn't all that bad a native. It's the rulers who are the pricks. They have banned their locals from entering Thailand because of some silly necklace that wasn't returned to a local princess 25 bloody years ago. Insults run deep with those buggers and can last for generations whatever the unjustified cost. While I see their reason for **** on Iran, cutting off Qatar completely for example is just plain stupid and ignant. Their cutting of flight services to Toronto was another.

However, treating the Sandpit as Iran just cannot work given the present commercial ties and billions the Kingdom has invested in the US. This came about mainly in the 1970s and Dubya cemented it through the Carlyle Group early this century. If Iranian style sanctions were imposed on Sandy Ragheadia it'll be the US who will lose economically big time.

Also the Wahabis in the 'pit are just itching to replace any vacuum should the House of Saud fall (which I predict it will in this generation) and god help the ME (and the world) if and when that happens.

So what I'm saying is that Trump in taking strong measures is not as straightforward as it may seem.

[Cacophonix]

The religion, culture, politics, mores and internecine wars of the Arabs and the Persians have long been useful levers in the West to manipulate the situation in Middle East to our advantage while allowing, the Arabs, to squabble amongst themselves, as was, and still is, their tribal wont. Time was when Britain led the world in keeping the pot boiling as it poured Arabists and linguists out of its top flight universities. For all their knowledge at one time, it might be said, ultimately, that the British screwed the region and no more so than in defining the artificial borders that delineated the state of Iraq, a mistake whose consequences echo down the decades to today.

Whilst there is black gold under the sand in that cauldron of heat and religion then great powers such as the USA will see their way fit to ignoring the worst extremes of states and particularly, the one under the thrall of the House of Saud, whose economic clout and position in the Muslim world serves as a check to the power of its Persian foe Iran. All this notwithstanding we are not beholden to states like Saudi Arabia and it is in our purview to act in a concerted way to ensure that they stay within certain bounds lest even greater problems arise in the region to blight our world. What is happening in Yemen is a crime, a humanitarian disaster and will rebound on us here in the West just as surely as the effects of the Arab spring did. Allowing the vile murder of Khashoggi to go unpunished or uncriticised, is a failure of understanding and leadership and plays to the worst tendencies in that region and is not beneficial to our best interests there.

Caco

[Slasher]

Good points Caco. But the fact is after all is said and done they knocked off one of their own in IST. Had it been a foreign national from elsewhere that would've been an entirely different case and warrant sanctions albeit of a temporary nature.

The Ragheads have no doubt learnt a strong lesson that they can't go around knocking off whom they dislike on foreign ground. Don't forget that that journo was offered many times by the House to return to home soil and get a good job, salary etc and he wisely chose not to do so. Why the hell he foolishly decided to visit the embassy in IST on the pretext of "discussions" is beyond me. Had he stayed put in America he'd be still wandering around and writing for the Washington Post today.

[Cacophonix]

Good points Caco. But the fact is after all is said and done they knocked off one of their own in IST. Had it been a foreign national from elsewhere that would've been an entirely different case and warrant sanctions albeit of a temporary nature.

The Ragheads have no doubt learnt a strong lesson that they can't go around knocking off whom they dislike on foreign ground. Don't forget that that journo was offered many times by the House to return to home soil and get a good job, salary etc and he wisely chose not to do so. Why the hell he foolishly decided to visit the embassy in IST on the pretext of "discussions" is beyond me. Had he stayed put in America he'd be still wandering around and writing for the Washington Post today.

A fatal mistake for sure!

The Saudi crime in killing Khashoggi is akin to what the Russians did here in the UK in attempting to assassinate Sergei Skripal and his daughter, although that egregious offence was worse in that it threatened hundreds, if not thousands of citizens and resulted in death and harm to British civilians. However by not chasing the Saudis we tacitly concede to the non-punishment of crimes of this sort against citizens of any country and the world just becomes a worse place and a playground for unrestrained gangster states. Without the rule of law the world is simply a barbaric place.

Caco