Trump campaigned on the most sensible foreign policy that I've heard come from any Presidential candidate in a general election for quite some time. He promised a strong national defense, an end to freeloading from US "allies," an end to squandering our national treasure on foreign aid or on "nation building," and a transactional approach to negotiation with other countries (allies and adversaries) rather than multilateralism. So far he's mostly delivered on those promises or at least done his best to do so.
Nobody except the 63 million people who voted for him.
Deal making is his element - It's where he shines.
He didn't make his fortune selling government secrets and favoritism.
Making legal deals is how he earned several billon dollars.
What the hell. A lot of us saw this. These absent minded idiot #nevertrumpers kept watching the ping-pong ball, back and forth and couldn't see the trick. The trick was getting them to watch the political ping-pong ball going back and forth and never looking at the fact that this was entertainment and the real action was elsewhere.
There are a few fundamental rules of negotiation - like, when you can get a better deal not dealing than dealing then you walk. And you belittle your opponent and make him look like the fool he is trying to make you look like. Rule #2 - you don't negotiate a deal that the other side can't live with.
The problem is that for the professional negotiators - the functionaries at State or the lawyers who do trade deals, a negotiated deal is always better than walking - because negotiating deals is what they get paid for. But that is all tactics rather than grand strategy. And it explicitly accepts what the famous so-called Nash equilibrium - a game solution in which no one side can unilaterally improve his position.
But such negotiations have put us in an impossible strategic position, where we are far better off walking, taking our military, money, and marbles and going home, declaring that their rules are void and that we are going to follow OUR rule - which places the US constitution supreme.
Don't think Trump understands strategy - what are his two most famous properties? 1. Trump Tower, which was able to build because he negotiated the air rights for the next door Tiffany's; and 2. The Old Post Office redevelopment - which is simply the best hotel location in Washington DC. You can burn down the swamp, exile 80% of the population and bureaucrats and the Old Post Office is so centrally located that it will still have superb occupancy rates.
Tell me how grand geopolitical strategy is any different. What is different is when you think that you are stuck with the negotiated position given you by the professional bureaucratic class who claim that only they understand the language of international diplomacy.
It's the old trick = Rule #1 I get to write the rules. Rule #2 - see Rule #1.
You swindled yourself, Dave. Take your eye off the bouncing ping-pong ball inside the beltway, walk outside into the fresh air, breath deep, and take your sun-glasses, because sunshine is bright.
Your shame should be bottomless.
Bill Kristol, Max Boot, all of you stand up and please voluntarily go into the stocks and throw rotten veggies at yourselves.
You should be ashamed to speak. Yep, the entire left-leaning foreign policy establishment as well.
All of you.
Going to save that segment to gobsmack a few around here when they pop up with their yadi yada.
The man keeps winning.
Why surprised? From a hard RE businessman and builder’ point of view, dealing with Kim and Khameinei are the same thing as dealing with Dem0crats and Gopes. He knows who he is dealing with, knows his opponent’s weaknesses and knows how to get what he needs from anyone. Intuition topped by a high intelligence.
I am convinced that Trump was waiting for 20+ years for a true American leader. He did not really want to be President. When no one came along, he had no choice but to roll-up his sleeves and to it himself.
He told us.
We should have known. He’s been doing business internationally for decades.
This is one area I had no doubts, plenty in other areas but not this one.
Trump did business all over the world. If anything he knew the world better then any other president we have had.
Others may have known the politicians or military. He knew the other 90% of the counties as well.
