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[wierd]

Did I link to the wrong vid?  Fucking Youtube.  I am at work, and fighting to post is hard.

[Sergarr]

Did I link to the wrong vid?  Fucking Youtube.  I am at work, and fighting to post is hard.

You linked to Putin's 2016 speech. I don't know what the hell Neonivek is getting at.

[Neonivek]

Did I link to the wrong vid?  Fucking Youtube.  I am at work, and fighting to post is hard.

You linked to Putin's 2016 speech. I don't know what the hell Neonivek is getting at.

I am doing SOMEWHAT of a nonsequiter (except spelled correctly)

Well only somewhat... But the reference is so obscure I doubt many people on Bay12 would even know it.

[Max™]

Also, bonus "Trump met Kislyak last year as a candidate" story: https://thinkprogress.org/trump-personally-met-with-russian-ambassador-during-campaign-cc59ae305032#.s0xs4j5wg

Busy man that ambassador. Meets with everyone. I should double check that I've never met him. I mean it's the kind of thing you'd think you'd remember but apparently not. Busy guy but very forget-able.

There were three other ambassadors, though, and it's easy to forget because they didn't really talk to each other during that event, other than the usual platitudes. Hell, if Trump didn't say that "he had no contacts with Russian officials", he wouldn't have any big problems with it - it's not illegal to meet ambassadors of foreign nations, after all (even though it should totally be a punishable offence for everyone not authorized and pre-screened by intelligence agencies)

Yeah, I don't see how anybody could give a fuck about bumping into someone at a luncheon, maybe if it was named "Super Secret Russoamerican Branch of the Illuminati Planning Event" and it only included a few high rollers it would be worth discussing.

On the other hand, if you go so far as to deny having ever met someone, and it winds up a matter of public record that you did indeed meet them, even for ordinary citizens one starts to wonder what was up there.

Shitboxes running for the highest office in the land stating emphatically that they never met an ambassador from another world power, when in fact they have, well, best case they're a bumbling moron, worst case we're starting to wonder whether "collusion" or even "treason" are words we should be dusting off and getting ready.

[wierd]

I am thinking French Revolution hysteria actually.

"I have never met Mr. Robespierre! I have no idea!" et al. (Because the people in power are afraid of losing their heads, in the figurative sense.)

[Max™]

Never crossed my mind that a fat little spoiled fuck like trump would have the slightest understanding of punishment and costs, those are things that happen to other people.

While Spicer, he is something that happens to himself: https://twitter.com/TheTylt/status/839269320446226432

"The stack of paper filled with our bill is smaller, so it's better."

[sluissa]

Yet seriously... what is there to fight over?

Ideological differences, of course. USA, Russia and China all want to be hegemonies, to dominate and rule over the world. Thus, they're natural enemies to each other.

They've all, to some extent, become regional hegemonies* though... and based on some theories, that's the most stable position we can be in, outside of a full global hegemony which, by the same theories is impossible to achieve simply based on the scale.

That doesn't mean fighting will stop once these hegemonies have established themselves and bumped up against each other, but instabilities will minimize as the powers balance each other out. The problem we have now is that Russia is in an odd position. The US or NATO based regional hegemony has squeezed in through Europe on one side, and China is snuggled right up against them on the other. Russia has lost a lot since the heyday of the Soviet Union. They're left with a relatively economically weak main country, and no-where to expand/consolidate but into NATO territory or south into the Middle East. We saw this instability manifest itself violently over the last decade or so, first with Georgia then Ukraine (and I might be missing something or other in there, but those two spring to mind without further research.) Attention seems to be focused on the middle east now as far as overt power. But they're still destabilizing things with their covert and diplomatic actions as well.

Granted this is all my simplified and novice interpretation based upon my reading of one theory which I don't completely agree with. So add salt as desired.

*Yes, John Mearsheimer was required reading in my international politics classes in Uni. Agree with him or not, but he makes a good argument.

[Sergarr]

Never crossed my mind that a fat little spoiled fuck like trump would have the slightest understanding of punishment and costs, those are things that happen to other people.

While Spicer, he is something that happens to himself: https://twitter.com/TheTylt/status/839269320446226432

"The stack of paper filled with our bill is smaller, so it's better."

And that's not all:

In a flurry of tweets Saturday morning, Trump said he had “just found out” about being wiretapped and pointed the finger at Obama, possibly referring to a recently published Breitbart article that addressed claims from right-wing radio host Mark Levin. Trump called his predecessor a “bad (or sick) guy” and likened the situation to “Nixon/Watergate” and “McCarthyism.”

But the Justice Department, not the president, would have the authority to conduct such surveillance, and Obama has said that neither he nor any White House official had ever ordered surveillance on any U.S. citizen. As Salon’s Matt Rozsa reported on Tuesday, FBI Director James Comey is “incredulous” and has asked the Department of Justice to join him in debunking Trump’s assertions.

Still, the White House has called on Congress to investigate allegations only made by Trump and conservative media figures.

“Where is the proof?” CNN’s Jim Acosta asked Spicer on Tuesday, who initially tried to hold the untenable position that the White House wouldn’t comment on the matter any further until Congress investigated it.

“It’s not a question of new proof or less proof or whatever,” Spicer responded, admitting that he had not seen any proof himself. Still, Spicer insisted that Trump has “absolutely” no regrets about claiming that President Barack Obama ordered a wiretap on him.

Admittedly, it's a very tough job trying to defend the indefensible, but still, he could've at least did a "no comment" spam!

[smjjames]

Can I add how pissed I am that Russia is the USA's enemy again... I thought we put it behind us.

THEN AGAIN... the current leader of Russia is a super douche... Soo I guess he is an enemy of a lot of people... such as me.

Not like we haven't tried to make the relationship better, but the Russian government is the one choosing to make an enemy out of the US.

But the Celestials from Aladdin the animated series will destroy them... (making posts at 4:30 am is a bad idea folks)

I don't remember any Celestials from Aladdin the animated series.

[misko27]

Yet seriously... what is there to fight over?

Ideological differences, of course. USA, Russia and China all want to be hegemonies, to dominate and rule over the world. Thus, they're natural enemies to each other.

They've all, to some extent, become regional hegemonies* though... and based on some theories, that's the most stable position we can be in, outside of a full global hegemony which, by the same theories is impossible to achieve simply based on the scale.

I disagree quite strongly that Russia is yet a regional hegemon. It's worth noting that that article you use cites neither Russia nor China as regional hegemons. Russia in particular has some influence in its neighborhood, but it's certainly not undisputed, and a lot of its influence is beyond its borders. The same is true with China: very powerful, and influential in many places, but South Korea, Japan, the Phillipines, Vietnam, above all India; these countries stand as clear bulwarks against China's claim to regional hegemony. Absolutely regional powers, but not regional hegemons.

[Sergarr]

Donald Trump's Obamacare replacement officially named 'World's Greatest Healthcare Plan of 2017’

lol

[da_nang]

As lawmakers wade through the document to make revisions over the coming months, they might notice that the Trump administration’s boast that it has taken away the parts of Obamacare that people do not like, for example, being fined if they do not purchase coverage, is inaccurate. The penalty still applies but this time Americans will pay to their insurance provider, not the government.

I don't even....

[Sergarr]

As lawmakers wade through the document to make revisions over the coming months, they might notice that the Trump administration’s boast that it has taken away the parts of Obamacare that people do not like, for example, being fined if they do not purchase coverage, is inaccurate. The penalty still applies but this time Americans will pay to their insurance provider, not the government.

I don't even....

It's the World's Greatest Healthcare Plan of 2017, how dare you doubt its Greatness!

[sluissa]

Yet seriously... what is there to fight over?

Ideological differences, of course. USA, Russia and China all want to be hegemonies, to dominate and rule over the world. Thus, they're natural enemies to each other.

They've all, to some extent, become regional hegemonies* though... and based on some theories, that's the most stable position we can be in, outside of a full global hegemony which, by the same theories is impossible to achieve simply based on the scale.

I disagree quite strongly that Russia is yet a regional hegemon. It's worth noting that that article you use cites neither Russia nor China as regional hegemons. Russia in particular has some influence in its neighborhood, but it's certainly not undisputed, and a lot of its influence is beyond its borders. The same is true with China: very powerful, and influential in many places, but South Korea, Japan, the Phillipines, Vietnam, above all India; these countries stand as clear bulwarks against China's claim to regional hegemony. Absolutely regional powers, but not regional hegemons.

I wasn't quite clear, sorry. My point was that they've all had a taste. Russia used to be the Soviet union. You could still argue they weren't quite a regional hegemon since they were bumping up against western Europe, but within Eastern Europe, much of Asia, and sections of the middle east, they were certainly the leading power for a long time. They've declined since then, but they still remember being that sort of power. China on the other hand is just beginning to slip into that role. Nothing is solidified yet, what is there is messy and scattered. But it's definitely something they're aiming for.

This is probably outside of the scope of the Ameripol thread though, sorry for the slight derail into non-ameri politics.

[Neonivek]

I don't remember any Celestials from Aladdin the animated series.

Maybe it was the Ethereals.

They were the robe and mask people who would go to any civilization after it reached the apex of its achievements and would pass judgement upon them.. which if they deemed you unworthy they would destroy you.