Understanding US thread-III

Gus · Post by **Gus** » 05 Apr 2017 22:59

there is a fundamental difference between president playing elsewhere (dirty or whatever) and presidents being played by outside powers. When people say "contacts with russia" now, it is in later context. so doing an == between this and stuff by nixon with vietcong, reagan with iran etc are just that..==.

Gagan · Post by **Gagan** » 05 Apr 2017 23:30

H1B visa squeeze threatens US tech leadership

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI5AwmOBX8Q

Lalmohan · Post by **Lalmohan** » 05 Apr 2017 23:36

don't worry boys, nothing to see here...
the sands of the gobi gloss over all with the shifting winds

Gagan · Post by **Gagan** » 05 Apr 2017 23:59

CNBC Worldwide - H1B Visa Story April 3, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUmuSqYYHtc

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 06 Apr 2017 01:53

Bannon being shifted is probably a firefighting exercise. You don't want your best firefighter/ flamethrower twiddling his thumbs on the NSC while the vandals are setting the palace on fire. Look at the scope of the attack: now the Deep State is fully aligned with PeeAllSee, KSA, Israel and donkeys besides the "Freedom Kakoose".

1. Syria chemical attack is most probably to do an equal-equal with the Russians after the Mosul SNAFU - ISIS parked a VBIED next to a shelter where they had corralled some 300 civilians, drones spotted that and US air strike did the rest
Now, Moderate Terrorists are persuaded to store a few drums of good ol' Sarin in an arms depot, and someone gave SyAF the coordinates for a precision strike.

The usual dimbulbs such as McCain are going full blast, Nikki Halley has declared unilateral US attack on Syria - and I don't see how Putin is going to ask Gen. Vodkov to look the other way when the cruise missiles and strike packets come over. It's a desperate gambit to force the US into war with Russia.

2. Everyone with IQ over 3 knows that the NoKo puppet show is controlled from Beijing. An ill-prepared Trump strike there (like the setup in the early days of the presidency) will give PRC the upper hand as it did with Wrong-Way WongWei and the EP-3 over Hainan. This time I think Taiwan is up for grabs.

On the good side we have an elephan Senator who actually came on CNN and confirmed the Russian version of the "nerve gas attack". Asks the obvious question: What would Assad gain from that? Which is another way of asking who WOULD gain.

3. SC appointee Gorsuch needs a solid elephent vote, no margin. If they backstab the WHOTUS there, it will be another major step back.
4. Healthcare: Now the WHOTUS is taking full responsibility after shunting Ryan aside. Trouble is, the Freedom Kakoose is doing their extreme thing. Bano may be needed to kick some butts there, because they actually have a good chance if they do that. I can't believe how disorganized the elephant performance was the last go-around. Serious discipline problems evident.

I bet Bano is being appointed Chief Whip to bring the herd in line. OTOH, there is a good chance to do some serious tough leadership and blast through all these in short order:
1) Confirm the Russian version of the Syria gas attack and expose the Deep State role in trying to prolong the war and trigger WW3. Make sure McCain is put in his place - the garbage bin.
2) Beat up the Freedom Kakoose and get them to sign on to a more moderate version of healthcare to which the more moderate elephants will agree, then have Bano call any rebellious elephants and make the necessary Play On The Team Or Else.
3) Agree to give the donkeys some hope that the next SC appointee will be more palatable to them. Get Gorsuch to sail through along with several other nominees as the price.
4) Declare that the US policy is the unification of Korea - on SoKo's terms. This simple act will get Hu or what sent to the Gobi desert.
5) Rescind the One China Policy. Taiwan is a loyal US ally. Threaten (quietly) a total trade ban on Chinese imports if they squeal.

komal · Post by **komal** » 06 Apr 2017 02:28

UlanBatori wrote:Bannon being shifted is probably a firefighting exercise. You don't want your best firefighter/ flamethrower twiddling his thumbs on the NSC while the vandals are setting the palace on fire. Look at the scope of the attack: now the Deep State is fully aligned with PeeAllSee, KSA, Israel and donkeys besides the "Freedom Kakoose".

1. Syria chemical attack is most probably to do an equal-equal with the Russians after the Mosul SNAFU - ISIS parked a VBIED next to a shelter where they had corralled some 300 civilians, drones spotted that and US air strike did the rest
Now, Moderate Terrorists are persuaded to store a few drums of good ol' Sarin in an arms depot, and someone gave SyAF the coordinates for a precision strike.

The usual dimbulbs such as McCain are going full blast, Nikki Halley has declared unilateral US attack on Syria - and I don't see how Putin is going to ask Gen. Vodkov to look the other way when the cruise missiles and strike packets come over. It's a desperate gambit to force the US into war with Russia.

2. Everyone with IQ over 3 knows that the NoKo puppet show is controlled from Beijing. An ill-prepared Trump strike there (like the setup in the early days of the presidency) will give PRC the upper hand as it did with Wrong-Way WongWei and the EP-3 over Hainan. This time I think Taiwan is up for grabs.

On the good side we have an elephan Senator who actually came on CNN and confirmed the Russian version of the "nerve gas attack". Asks the obvious question: What would Assad gain from that? Which is another way of asking who WOULD gain.

3. SC appointee Gorsuch needs a solid elephent vote, no margin. If they backstab the WHOTUS there, it will be another major step back.
4. Healthcare: Now the WHOTUS is taking full responsibility after shunting Ryan aside. Trouble is, the Freedom Kakoose is doing their extreme thing. Bano may be needed to kick some butts there, because they actually have a good chance if they do that. I can't believe how disorganized the elephant performance was the last go-around. Serious discipline problems evident.

I bet Bano is being appointed Chief Whip to bring the herd in line. OTOH, there is a good chance to do some serious tough leadership and blast through all these in short order:
1) Confirm the Russian version of the Syria gas attack and expose the Deep State role in trying to prolong the war and trigger WW3. Make sure McCain is put in his place - the garbage bin.
2) Beat up the Freedom Kakoose and get them to sign on to a more moderate version of healthcare to which the more moderate elephants will agree, then have Bano call any rebellious elephants and make the necessary Play On The Team Or Else.
3) Agree to give the donkeys some hope that the next SC appointee will be more palatable to them. Get Gorsuch to sail through along with several other nominees as the price.
4) Declare that the US policy is the unification of Korea - on SoKo's terms. This simple act will get Hu or what sent to the Gobi desert.
5) Rescind the One China Policy. Taiwan is a loyal US ally. Threaten (quietly) a total trade ban on Chinese imports if they squeal.

Or Trump has no idea what he is doing and operates day-to-day while his sycophants praise his strategic insights and depth -- gora (am I using that word correctly?) Digvijaya Singhs.

To the cynic (and to one who believes it was the donkeees who led the effort on civil rights), it seems odd that one has to resign from the NSC to use government resources to go after domestic, political opponents.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 06 Apr 2017 02:55

Admins: Would it be possible to counsel postors to not copy entire posts before adding their awesome one-liners, please? The thread could be shortened by 85% if these were deleted. Thx.

About Bannon's NSC exit as the latest CNN headline: One only has so much time in a day. NSC meetings are full of be-medalled stuffed shirts making PPT presentations - no place for someone whose expertise is political butt-kicking. He was there in the transition, he has given the orders on philosophy, now he needs to be elsewhere. It's not as if the POTUS has quit talking to him.

komal · Post by **komal** » 06 Apr 2017 03:05

^^^^^^
Not sure I understand. NSC membership requires person to be in attendance at all times?

We Amereekans would be well served if Mr. Bannon could still drop on NSC if and when he feels like it. Sort of like when the Collector shows up unannounced at the ration shop. Keeps the peons on their toes.

Dipanker · Post by **Dipanker** » 06 Apr 2017 03:26

People who can not handle CNN should stick to Fox News!

( DT just praised Bill O'Reilly, men will be men after all! Grab them by their meow, the rest of the body parts will follow. Wonder how much the big guy himself has paid as settlements over his entire catcher career, $13 million which FN has shelled out so far for its own big guy O'Reilly must be Chump change for him! )

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 06 Apr 2017 03:39

ramana wrote:
Bannon being shifted could be a peace offering to the Rhinos.

Panwalla info: this is a palace coup. Jared Kushner is the young prince Jalal-ud-din who is ousting this Bairam Khan.

Kushner, ironically, was responsible for elevating Bannon to head of the Trump election campaign, and for dismissing both Corey Lewandowski and Paul Manafort who ran it previously.

Kushner is a lot more similar to the GWB-era Neocon Republicans... Cheney, Wolfowitz & co. than to Steve Bannon and the nativist/deconstructionist/isolationist/populist brigade. He (correctly) saw the value of Bannon's media manipulation skills to win over huge masses of disenfranchised white voters via platforms such as Breitbart, Infowars, and the Alt-Right.

But now things are different, particularly after the forced dismissal of Mike Flynn as NSA (a Bannon pick), the constitutional quagmire that has swallowed up two separate immigration bans (Bannon initiatives), and the colossal defeat of the AHCA (not directly Bannon's fault, but Bannon has been portrayed as an embodiment of the political divisions that alienated mainstream Republican legislators, leading to a failure of consensus). Trump lamented publicly that Kushner was away on a ski trip during the AHCA deadlock... obviously Bannon was not much help to Trump in resolving it, and Kushner is now moving rapidly to replace Bannon as Trump's go-to strategy guy.

Kushner (and McMasters) will pursue a much more familiar Republican course (from the outside world's POV). Bannon is against foreign military interventions, favors protectionism, supports Russia (seeing Putin as a frontline champion of White Christendom and its traditional values), and is suspected by some of being anti-Semitic. Kushner is the opposite: fervently Jewish, hardcore pro-Israeli, pro-business in the greatest tradition of Hamiltonian crony capitalism.

As Bannon fades and Kushner rises to greater prominence, here's what we will see:

1) Strident US initiatives in line with neocon policy. Kushner is pro-Israel and by extension pro-GCC. As if on cue, a fake "chemical weapons atrocity" has been staged in Syria by GCC agents. Immediately the US is making belligerent noises against Assad (and by extension, against Russia). Kushner 1, Bannon 0.

Possible future moves: US going into full John McCain-approved aggressive mode against Assad. Reciprocally, McCain grudgingly accepting Trump's "leadership" in Congress (helping to unite the Republican legislators and secure passage forTrump-blessed initiatives in future). Meanwhile, Russia-US relations going into deep freeze and inches away from hot war, even worse than they were during the Obama administration.

2) A more "pragmatic" approach to China, friendly to American corporations, and true to the traditions of US presidents since Nixon/Reagan/Clinton. Affirmation of one-China policy, quiet backing down on belligerent positions Trump used to espouse against international trade regimes involving China. A return to status quo with Japan and SoKo and effectively conceding to China's agenda re: NoKo. This is likely happening at the (Kushner-arranged) Trump-Xi meeting in Mar-A-Lago as I type. Kushner 2, Bannon 0.

Note that the above, in worst-case-scenario mode, could get really bad for India. If China convinces Trump/Kushner that CPEC/OBOR is a great idea with lucrative prospects for their family business... watch for the US to start jumping on the Cashmere bandwagon. The recent statements by Nikamma Haley could be feelers in this direction. We must watch out.

3) A more "pragmatic" approach to outsourcing, H1-Bs, and international trade in general. Again, this will involve quiet policymaking that amounts to a 99% reversal of the strident Bannon-inspired nativist rhetoric during the campaign. Some "bakraas" may be offered for public consumption, but as long as India can use its lobbying heft to stay clear of obviously scapegoated areas, this deviation from the Bannon program may actually be beneficial to us.

See the whole thing is that bones need to be thrown to the "non-Trump" factions of the GOP, otherwise GOP control of WHOTUS/Senate/House means nothing.

These factions include (a) small government "constitutional conservatives" (b) big business "fiscal conservatives" i.e. supply siders (c) Christian EJ "social conservatives" (d) so-called "libertarians" (e) National-security conservatives i.e. Neocons, or Bush-Wilsonians. Trump's core base, the nativist/protectionist/isolationists, is none of these. But these others have made their power known... anything Trump wants to do via legislation (as opposed to executive order), he needs their support.

So the process of throwing bones that appease all these other factions will begin. "Normalization" of China relations, for example, is a bone to the fiscal conservatives and business interests. Trashing of regulations across the board (environment, finance, etc.) is a bone for the fiscal conservatives, the small-government conservatives, and the "libertarians". Attacking Russian proxies in Syria and threatening Russia in eastern Europe will be a "bone" for the Neocons.

During the George W Bush administration, the bone thrown to the social-conservative Republicans, i.e. the EJ Christian Right, was... Hindu India. USCIRF, Modi visa denial, coordination with Sonia Gandhi regime on Kandhamal, the fabrication of "Hindu Terrorism", and many other things. We should be wary of Kushner deciding that this is a good option for coalition building within the GOP today.

komal · Post by **komal** » 06 Apr 2017 03:41

^^^^
Putin will not go down quietly. He spent much to get Trump elected and he is not going to play second fiddle to McCain.

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 06 Apr 2017 03:50

Komal, don't let your emotional opposition to Trump blind you to the way things are.

Putin didn't really spend all that much... Russian hackers are not expensive. And I don't think that even in his wildest dreams did Putin believe his efforts would lead to Trump's winning the election.

Putin wanted to do a psyop against Hillary Clinton by undermining her trustworthiness amongst the American public at large (via Wikileaks, DNC hack, etc.) and thus pre-empting her assumption of an interventionist moral high-ground before she became the POTUS. The point of the Russian hacking was to undermine her legitimacy by exposing her in front of the whole world as a scheming, dishonest, bought-and-paid-for, hypocritical shrew (which she IS).

Meaning: he fully expected her to become the POTUS, and just wanted to weaken her in anticipation.

I think Putin was as surprised as Hillary when she did not win.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 06 Apr 2017 04:15

RD, Put all that info in a matrix/table format and makes it useful.

I think everybody hacked the DNC server and the game is to blame Putin who also had it hacked.

Let see. Modi is no MMS.

UP win was gigantic and has its own dynamics.

komal · Post by **komal** » 06 Apr 2017 05:29

Rudradev wrote:Komal, don't let your emotional opposition to Trump blind you to the way things are.

Meaning: he fully expected her to become the POTUS, and just wanted to weaken her in anticipation.

I think Putin was as surprised as Hillary when she did not win.

All the more reason Putin will not so easily allow the USA to leave his clutches. He has been handed an opportunity that comes, perhaps every few centuries. He is not going to waste it so soon.

And the behavior of Nunes and Howdy Gowdy shows Putin's tentacles run deep into the Elephants. He has reserves.

GShankar · Post by **GShankar** » 06 Apr 2017 06:40

Is putin evil and massa (especially donkeys) damsel in distress? sdre nris (dark knights) to the rescue?

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 06 Apr 2017 06:45

sdre White Knight Protectors of Democracy are racing in like Don Q. de La Mancha to defeat the evil Rooskie Election Interferors, Rooskie Spies, Rooskie Bribers, and Syrian Genociders.

komal · Post by **komal** » 06 Apr 2017 06:50

GShankar wrote:Is putin evil and massa (especially donkeys) damsel in distress? sdre nris (dark knights) to the rescue?

Alas, NRIs, regardless of skin color or dietary habits, can do little.

In many ways, Trump reminds me of Nehru -- vain, pompous, incompetent and surrounded by sycophants. But with a core vote bank.

Trump's economic policies echo Nehurivian socialism -- companies must make decisions that please the federal government not the interests of their share holders.

W took the country close to financial ruin. Trump might succeed where W failed. And 40% of the nation will point that Hillary used an insecure server that resulted in the deaths of millions at BenCasey.

GShankar · Post by **GShankar** » 06 Apr 2017 06:58

komal wrote: Alas, NRIs, regardless of skin color or dietary habits, can do little.

But then why so much of

about b'ry/email?

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 06 Apr 2017 07:00

Trump doesn't belong to DC and is feeling his way around.
His style is throw a stone at the various beehives and see who makes noise.

UB wrote:

I bet Bano is being appointed Chief Whip to bring the herd in line. OTOH, there is a good chance to do some serious tough leadership and blast through all these in short order:
1) Confirm the Russian version of the Syria gas attack and expose the Deep State role in trying to prolong the war and trigger WW3. Make sure McCain is put in his place - the garbage bin.
2) Beat up the Freedom Kakoose and get them to sign on to a more moderate version of healthcare to which the more moderate elephants will agree, then have Bano call any rebellious elephants and make the necessary Play On The Team Or Else.
3) Agree to give the donkeys some hope that the next SC appointee will be more palatable to them. Get Gorsuch to sail through along with several other nominees as the price.
4) Declare that the US policy is the unification of Korea - on SoKo's terms. This simple act will get Hu or what sent to the Gobi desert.
5) Rescind the One China Policy. Taiwan is a loyal US ally. Threaten (quietly) a total trade ban on Chinese imports if they squeal.

I think 2 is underway with the sudden revival of AHA!
I also think regarding 3) McConnell will change the 60 votes for confirmation rule as it is a recent one. Even Sotomeyer got 58 votes and Alioto got 52 votes. Looks like Reid put his 60 votes rule for future use. Trump might nominate Garland as his second justice and take the wind out of the sails.

Korean unification on SoKo terms as reform of Asian Socialism was proposed in 1992. SoKo blew it by saying they would accept the NoKo nukes as a hedge against japan and China. Clinton then stepped in gave that deal as he wanted NPT extended in perpetuity.
5) Will drive China to become bitter. Undoes Nixon China trip.Wont happen.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 06 Apr 2017 07:02

One thing to understand Trump got elected by the electoral votes of the American voters.
What ever shenanigans of email hacking etc did was to reinforce the vote.

krishna_krishna · Post by **krishna_krishna** » 06 Apr 2017 07:15

Ramana & Rdev Garu,

What do u think about Bannon being removed , here is what I see coming ( from Toilet report today banno is removed)

Some how old dispensation being allowed to put old policies during kerry' s term being bought back ( or was always establishment plan but now leadership has given in , in return to protection from impeachment kind of porkis way of doing business where deep state drives the agenda)

I see too many co incidences with mediation remarks and Chinese take over of Pok. Massa gives ihelp here and eases Pacific for free South China for Chinese. They take care of noko. In return chinki supply chain goes through gulf blessed by massa.Ruskies do not get to be part of it(although they offered complete land route to China).

Issues are three here astan, India and Persia. Massa has bases here but unviable in future and they want control but chinki do not want this jugular in Massa hand hence want them out and put talibunnies in control, hence Massa wants Persia as backup.if Massa can squeeze desh on Pok chinkis will do their part of bargain.

I see Persians not happy with chinkis, porkis it Massa. They would want deals with India very badly and very big opportunity for desh. I see Russian and indian interest co incide and with this project out for nstc for everyone in the game to benefit.

"A new memorandum about the council's composition was published Wednesday in the Federal Register. The memo no longer lists the chief strategist as a member of the Principals Committee, a group of high-ranking officials who meet to discuss pressing national security priorities.
Tom Bossert, the assistant to the president for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, also had his role downgraded as part of the changes.
A senior White House official said Wednesday that Bannon was initially placed on the national security council after Trump's inauguration as a measure to ensure implementation of the president's vision, including efforts to downsize and streamline operations at the NSC."

GShankar · Post by **GShankar** » 06 Apr 2017 07:41

Whenever there is a change in management, they come with new "ideas" (for lack of better word). Happens with every regime. When those new ideas are being thought out in detail, they understand that some are more complex than others (who'da thunk healthcare is jo complex? hello!). And then some of the ones that they progress to the next level also would fail. When these things happen, there would be a shakeup saying this particular (fall) guy is not good at this. Let's bring some other (fall) guy. And so it goes.

Like Ramana says, it is too early for the new regime to have done anything useful. They are just making noise and learning on the job, what it means to run a country.

There be more noise before more quiet!

Dipanker · Post by **Dipanker** » 06 Apr 2017 08:03

ramana wrote:One thing to understand Trump got elected by the electoral votes of the American voters.
What ever shenanigans of email hacking etc did was to reinforce the vote.

Minor nitpick, American voters don't cast electoral votes, only the 538 designated electors cast electoral votes. Electoral votes are not in direct proportion to the population of the states but favor smaller states. A voter in Wyoming has 3+ times more weight than a voter in California!

Gus · Post by **Gus** » 06 Apr 2017 08:20

GShankar wrote:Like Ramana says, it is too early for the new regime to have done anything useful. They are just making noise and learning on the job, what it means to run a country.

some amazing learning we saw with the healthcare bill

GShankar · Post by **GShankar** » 06 Apr 2017 08:40

It is a different matter that everything might not not be visible in the beginning for some. For few others, never

Gus · Post by **Gus** » 06 Apr 2017 08:53

yea yea whatever...

the dude throws his weight around spending his political capital and gets nowhere and it is passed off as some learning and some secretly chanakyan stuff that is only discernible to the wise ones here..

GShankar · Post by **GShankar** » 06 Apr 2017 08:57

No chankian. Say the orange face got muddied. I meant, moving shahbano out as learning. May or may not be wise to say so. Let's see..

g.sarkar · Post by **g.sarkar** » 06 Apr 2017 09:27

Just a internal political struggle, like the friendly ones between Himmler and Göring. No need to get our desi kachhas in a twist.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/b ... cil-236921
Bannon's departure solidifies McMaster's control over the NSC
President Donald Trump's national security adviser is reverting to a model established by another general who held the job: Brent Scowcroft.
By BRYAN BENDER 04/05/17 06:13 PM EDT
National security adviser H.R. McMaster quietly slipped out of the White House grounds last week to seek the counsel of one of his aging predecessors, another three-star general who ran the National Security Council in a time of political turmoil and congressional probes.
McMaster's session with 92-year-old Brent Scowcroft, who served as national security adviser for Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush, was the clearest indication yet that McMaster, who took the reins of the NSC in February after his predecessor Mike Flynn was ousted, intends to radically depart from the approach taken by Flynn and President Donald Trump's chief strategist, Steve Bannon, who was removed from his seat on Wednesday.
Trump's directive reorganizing the National Security Council gives McMaster the lines of authority and independence he sought when offered the job and restores the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joe Dunford, as a regular member of the NSC, along with the director of national intelligence, former senator Dan Coats.
An administration official with direct knowledge of the deliberations said the changes are part of broader reforms McMaster is implementing, including reducing the size of the NSC's professional staff, which ballooned to about 450 under President Barack Obama.
It's also seen as a major victory in reviving the so-called "Scowcroft model," in which the national security adviser avoids pushing his own policy agenda in favor of serving as a referee for proposals put forth by NSC staff and the career professionals from national security and foreign policy agencies that also participate in high-level meetings. Scowcroft also established a process in which the national security adviser is heard but rarely seen, his or her influence measured by how much they have the president's ear in private.
“On paper it is the layered committees, an immensely orderly process,” explained Peter Feaver, who served on the National Security Council staff of President George W. Bush and now teaches at Duke University. “You decide everything at the lowest possible level so only the really tough decisions get kicked upstairs. And no meeting about you is without you. Everybody who has an equity gets to play and gets their say.”
.....
But Rothkopf and others noted that giving McMaster control over the NSC doesn't give him sole authority over national security decision-making inside Trump's White House, where Bannon remains top strategist and where son-in-law Jared Kushner holds enormous sway.
“Does [Trump] respect the process he created?" asked Rothkopf. "He is a mercurial guy. He can’t allow himself the luxury of backsliding. He can’t allow Bannon to back-door this process. This is easy to undo.”

Gautam

g.sarkar · Post by **g.sarkar** » 06 Apr 2017 09:39

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/ ... ina-214980
Trump’s Bad Deal With China
The early signs suggest Xi Jinping will run the table at Mar-a-Lago.
By CHARLES EDEL and MIRA RAPP-HOOPER April 04, 2017
One of Donald Trump’s winning themes on the campaign trail was the notion that nobody was better suited to getting a better deal from China than the man who literally wrote a book on how to win at the negotiating table—his 1987 business memoir, “The Art of the Deal.” But from what we’re seeing so far, any Trump wins will be no more than tactical, while the Chinese are more likely to succeed over the long term.
Trump will meet this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago, the sprawling Florida resort he’s branded the “Southern White House.” In comments and tweets ahead of the summit, the U.S. president has signaled it will be a “very difficult” meeting because he will go after China’s aggressive trade policies and seek to hold Beijing to account for failing to crack down on North Korea. Over the coming months, Trump may be about to learn some harsh lessons in foreign policy deal making.
James Baker, one of the most effective secretaries of state in U.S. history, had a famous mantra: “Prior preparation prevents poor performance.” From all evidence, however, the Trump administration seems woefully unready to handle a summit of this magnitude. The United States and China are the two most powerful countries in the world. Their relationship is layered and complex, and there’s no sign the president is approaching this task with the seriousness and sophistication it requires.
For starters, this meeting will occur before the Trump administration has had time to undertake a full Asia policy review, or develop a coherent strategy for the region. It’s hardly surprising that just 70 tumultuous days into its term, the Trump team hasn’t done so. But, failing to develop a holistic strategy before hosting a summit meeting with Xi is grossly irresponsible—and it risks giving China the upper hand.
First, Trump’s transactional approach could cede the initiative to the Chinese, who will come to Mar-a-Lago with detailed lists of demands based on their years of experience navigating the U.S.-Sino relationship.
Perhaps more significant, the summit has the potential to cement the impression that America’s Asian strategy is built around a great-power arrangement between the United States and China. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, unfortunately, sent that message during his recent trip to the region, when his adoption of longtime Chinese talking points caused great concern among America’s Asian allies. Returning to the same script in Florida would raise deeper questions about the Trump team’s basic intentions.
....

Eleven may get the better of him?!!!
Gautam

GShankar · Post by **GShankar** » 06 Apr 2017 10:35

During elections we have polls and predictions by eggspurts. When there are no elections, the same eggspurts are into predicting meetings!?

I am sure they have to do something to be relevant.

The z did not do bad deals with un-united K and Germany. Not sure why he will do a bad deal with 11.

However there is a danger that either a good or bad deal for massa could be a worse deal of India. Here's to hoping the pigeon visited couple weeks ago with some tips.

Yagnasri · Post by **Yagnasri** » 06 Apr 2017 10:44

Making up of stupid news on stupid thing becoming a national game in the US. Trumpizee shall get great for exposing it. The idiots in the press do not know their a&& from their elbow. As expected golden monkey is giving lot of entertainment for lot of people. We had utopian operas singer for 8 years with little real action and tragic endings and now the turn of dark comedians.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 06 Apr 2017 20:06

The best explanation why Bano is out of the din-2-din hot air of the NSC:

it's also seen as a major victory in reviving the so-called "Scowcroft model," in which the national security adviser avoids pushing his own policy agenda in favor of serving as a referee for proposals put forth by NSC staff and the career professionals from national security and foreign policy agencies that also participate in high-level meetings. Scowcroft also established a process in which the national security adviser is heard but rarely seen, his or her influence measured by how much they have the president's ear in private.
“On paper it is the layered committees, an immensely orderly process,” explained Peter Feaver, who served on the National Security Council staff of President George W. Bush and now teaches at Duke University. “You decide everything at the lowest possible level so only the really tough decisions get kicked upstairs. And no meeting about you is without you. Everybody who has an equity gets to play and gets their say.”

The traditional model is that Policy Decison Advice Making (PDAM) is a 3-pronged process:
State Department argues for diplomacy.
Pentagon argues for war
NSC listens and suggests that the POTUS do neither, just send the CIA to mess up things further.

IOW:

Let's To Bed! Said Sleepy Head.
Tarry a while, said Slow.
Put on the Pan! Said Greedy Nan
Let's sup b4 we go!

A PPT-studded, days-long process that generally accomplishes nothing. This is why GOI eagerly emulated this Process in setting up an NSC to sound very important. Remember how well it worked when the IA flight was hijacked to Kandahar? The buggers needed a chaprassi to get a call from his 6th cousin thrice removed who was sitting at the airport in Lucknow, to even hear of the news and wake them up.

In the US, this where the Red Telephone rings, the Jarnails are woken up at 2AM by their mistresses/Interns, and they stagger out to be taken in Highly Secure Black SUV with Black-Painted Windows through the Marilyn Monroe Tunnel straight into the War Room by 4AM.

Long b4 that, Bano and the 'Zee toss a coin and see what to do - and the Zee pockets the coin to auction off like his First Ferrari.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 06 Apr 2017 20:13

As for Lt. Gen (Retd) Brent Scowcroft, his CV says it all:

Following his graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point and commissioning as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force in 1947, he subsequently completed USAF pilot training in October 1948 and then served in a variety of operational and administrative positions from 1948 to 1953. In the course of his military career, Scowcroft held positions in the Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Headquarters of the United States Air Force, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. Other assignments included faculty positions at the United States Air Force Academy and the United States Military Academy at West Point, and Assistant Air Attaché in the American Embassy in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 06 Apr 2017 20:17

Oops! Sorry. This is why he didn't fly in combat.

I just enjoyed flying. Shortly after I got my wings, I was in an aircraft accident and spent two years in the hospital. I was told then I would never fly again, so I started rethinking what I should do. The opportunity came to go back to West Point to teach, so I took advantage of that and went to Columbia and got my master’s degree and ultimately a doctorate.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 06 Apr 2017 20:26

A snippet from there, that may be ominously relevant:

but I thought we had not gotten into Vietnam on any kind of a thoughtful strategic basis. [Dwight D.] Eisenhower was the first to have to make a decision on Vietnam, and that did happen while I was teaching at West Point. Eisenhower said, "No, we’re not going to get involved in that, and certainly we’re not going to use nuclear weapons at Dien Bien Phu."

But (sorry can't resist the opportunity)

The Donkey that followed, muddled right into the Gulf of Tonkin, and the next Donkey made it a whole lot worse, and it was left to poor Tricky D1ck to extract the much-stepped-on American D1ck from there. A true Patriot, who paid the price for his herrowism in telling the American people that the Vietnam War was lost.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 06 Apr 2017 21:07

With all due respect to Lt. Gen/ Dr. Scowcroft, his contributions as NSA span most of the worst decisions of US foreign "policy". Note that Ronald Reagan apparently did not hire him as he proceeded to overturn all assumptions about the Cold War and MAD - and won the Cold War. So much for bringing Scowcroft Wisdom back into the NSA.

Dipanker · Post by **Dipanker** » 06 Apr 2017 22:45

Reagan "won the cold war" is one of the biggest misconception of the history. USSR broke down more because of its own internal contradictions, leadership policies of "glasnost", "perestroika", and in general weaker leadership at the center, and lastly Yeltsin's own ambition. Weakening of the economy due to the protracted cold war was also a contributing factor, but Reagan alone can not be given credit for that, he was just last but one in line.

Republican need to study the history to educate themselves.

Yayavar · Post by **Yayavar** » 06 Apr 2017 22:47

yep! Gud-bud-shove did more to that than ray-gunn eye in the sky guy

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 07 Apr 2017 00:47

Dipanker wrote:Reagan "won the cold war" is one of the biggest misconception of the history. USSR broke down more because of its own internal contradictions, leadership policies of "glasnost", "perestroika", and in general weaker leadership at the center, and lastly Yeltsin's own ambition. Weakening of the economy due to the protracted cold war was also a contributing factor, but Reagan alone can not be given credit for that, he was just last but one in line.

Republican need to study the history to educate themselves.

s the writer of famous series House of Cards also wrote "Fall of Big Brother- Collapse of Soviet Union" and essentially makes the same argument.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 07 Apr 2017 01:34

Same as saying that Cassius Clay/ Mohammed Ali never won any fights. The other fighters suffered from weakening of the knees, blurry vision, inner ear infections, and temporary loss of consciousness as a result of a long series of successful fights over their stellar careers. Ali just happened to be there when they collapsed against his outstretched fist.

The British version of House of Cards is blatantly liberal/Labor, in the way they picture the central murderous figure - an arch-Conservative.
The US imitation is likewise quite blatantly donkeystani, although the hero/villain's bibi comes across as a perfect HiC caricature. So I am not surprised that he would ascribe the victory over the Soviet Union to the brilliance of Jimmy The Great, Vanquisher of Killer Rabbits , ~~Rescuer~~of Hostages, and originator of The Mawral Equivalent Of War (MEOW) and author of the Cold Blunt Memo to the yindoos. IIRC, Carter is the one who actually initiated the Pakiban and the Al Qaeda (ISI Safehouse at Peshawar), though "credit" for that also goes to Reagan.