"Come now, don't exaggerate," said numerous apologists. "How bad can a bad person possibly be?"
It would seem that a bad person, elected to the highest office, surrounded by equally corrupt appointees, can do harm on a global scale. And all of it is home-grown. The entire population of deportees posed less of a threat then what the US has bestowed upon itself in one presidential term.
What do you think American Empire is all about if not controlling the oil rich countries in middle east, as well as extremely oil rich countries like Venezuela?
The only failing here is that America has decaying, hallowed out industrial base where it can't just cheaply mass produce and replenish hi-end rockets and tech to take care of business-as-usual quickly, because everything down to raw materials is just so expensive.
I mean something undeniably WILL happen as the world has roughly 47 years left at current consumption rate of oil.
Whether what's going to happen will be whatever it is you're imagining is completely different story entirely.
Needless to say, If you have a largely deindustrialized country you can't really make any sort of transition happen yourself anyway, not at the grand scale and speed necessary for this endeavour.
Does that make those 47 years irrelevant - just because they will end?
There's no contradiction there. It just makes these last-remaining fossil fuels even more valuable.
Moreover oil use hasn't ramped down, nor is it getting replaced in any substantial way. I suspect people have no slightest clue just how reliant the modern world is on fossil fuels outside of it's use in cars.
I'm starting to believe that China isn't going to make the move. It's winning the hearts and minds of the rest of the world and will be able to leverage its growing soft power well beyond what Taiwan would provide. I just don't see them giving up the position the US has abandoned.
I'm starting to think so as well. The Chinese are typically cautious geopolitically, and very strategic. They may well have made the calculus that for the foreseeable future, they have more to gain from keeping the status quo re Taiwan while their rivals score own goals, waiting for a possible rapprochement with Taiwan on favorable terms.
That's something the factions in the Middle East miss: sometimes great change comes from patiently applying pressure and infiltrating from within, rather than a frontal attack.
China doesn't think in that way. It doesn't make permanent alliances. It is always open to reach limited, scoped deals in fields where it benefits them.
Yeah that sounds like a pretty good deal. Drop the bankrupt Russians and do a deal with us Europeans, a much richer market, to brace against US economic warfare.
I suspect that China might be Russia's Ukraine offramp. If Russia decides to pull out, China can come in and work as a negotiator and win brownie points with the EU. I could see them being able to continue working with both Russia and the EU in that future.
I suspect that they are willing to wait a few more years until they have built up their own chip making capacity so that disrupting Formosa won’t strongly affect their own economy, while it will hinder other developed countries.
I'm not so sure about that. Taiwan pro-reunification party still grows, and its economy is hyper-specialized (not surprising, neocolonialism etc). If china's chip production capacity reach acceptable level (which it will), enough to put downward pressure on lesser chip, Taiwan economy might suffer enough that they vote for a reunification, probably as an autonomous regions (like Guangxi or Ningxia). That would be China's ultimate win.
Not just yet, they should wait for a little bit. The US isn't done depleting its inventory yet, the US might get itself in a lot deeper yet, and the US population will only detest the war even more given time. All of those things will help China take Taiwan. If Iran gets ugly enough the US population will just have that much less willingness to get involved in another major conflict. 3-18 months for Taiwan (9-18 more likely; China still needs some prep). There's no scenario where China isn't going to successfully take the island after this. They now know the US isn't at all prepared to stand off with them in coastal Asia. It would take years of surge production to get ready, the US doesn't have years re Taiwan.
If China is going in, we'll start to see large signs of that. They'll begin a number of prominent campaigns, including sabotage, propaganda, extremely large supply movements, and so on.
Yes, reading articles like this one, I suspect it's going to be the lack of firepower that causes this administration to finally back out of the conflict. And with these number it sounds like it might be sooner than later.
If China were to learn anything important from Russia and the USAs "swift" wars it's: don't do it. They'll have the upper hand but a determined government and population will bog down their efforts for years and potentially destabilize politics at home.
Genuine question for Americans: donyou not think that a Democrat today would be leading the same war? We're talking about a party that facilitated, and took part in, 1 year of genocide.
In what world could you imagine Israel's planned war against Iran not being automatically supported by whatever US party was in power?
The default US policy tends towards starting wars in the middle east. But even very hawkish previous administrations never started this particular one, for the reasons we're seeing right now. So I strongly doubt a Harris administration would have.
You're also ignoring just how far outside the norms Trumps administration is. They're entirely dysfunctional, breaking all kinds of laws and full of unqualified extremist with their own agendas.
Yes, I think the Democrats would be fighting this war for Israel, just like they did in Gaza. If anything, it's almost good that Trump is leading this as it means the war does not have the support of the neoliberal citizens (politicians are another story). He's also even less competent, "saying the quiet parts out loud"... This is true accelerationism. Clearly it would be better to abandon Israel and not fight any of their wars for them, but flailing incompetently, sinking Israel and creating an Iranian super-power is the second best outcome.
You are being downvoted for stating the truth - you are absolutely right that the Democrats too would have fully supported Israel's attack on Iran. Let us not forget that Biden played a major role in Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza (and now in West bank) by helping the IDF spread its propaganda hoax that "Hamas beheaded babies", in the western media (Biden lied that he had personally seen the "horrific pictures " - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamas_baby_beheading_hoax ). Of course, unlike Trump, a Democratic party administration would have resorted to hypocrisy and propaganda that the war was for "democracy", "human rights", "save jews", "fight terrorism" etc. etc. But it would have been much shorter - they would have killed the Iranians leaders too, and struck military targets and then stopped.
There’s a tweet by Radigan Carter from a few weeks ago that has a great historical perspective - If you’re not interested on the possible financial outcomes skip to the “How This Started” section.
>In Shia theology, standing against injustice is obligatory especiallywhen you cannot win in conventional terms. Defeat and death are not failure, capitulating in the face of overwhelming injustice is the failure.
Still, the war is very complete, pretty much, according to the most powerful man in charge of the most powerful military...practically every day since day 3.
Was there ever a plan or even a goal?
So now the US is spending more of its own vital weapons, which will leave Taiwan largely undefended on a war without goals and without end.
China must be laughing about.
Once all these US weapons have been squandered on an unwinable war with Iran, then China surely must invade Taiwan, as a better opportunity may never present itself.
* What's with the downvotes? Don't like the truth?
"President Trump has cemented his legacy as The President of Peace."
"Stopping regional conflicts before they spiral into global wars that drag down
whole continents is worthy of the Commander-in-Chief’s attention, and a priority for this administration. A world on fire, where wars come to our shores, is bad for American interests."
"The key to successful relations with the Middle East is accepting the region, its leaders, and its nations as they are while working together on areas of common interest."
"America will always have core interests in ensuring that Gulf energy supplies do not fall into the hands of an outright enemy, that the Strait of Hormuz remain open, that the Red Sea remain navigable, that the region not be an incubator or exporter of terror against American interests or the American homeland, and that Israel remain secure."
"But the days in which the Middle East dominated American foreign policy in both long-term planning and day-to-day execution are thankfully over—not because the Middle East no longer matters, but because it is no longer the constant irritant, and potential source of imminent catastrophe, that it once was. It is rather emerging as a place of partnership, friendship, and investment—a trend that should be welcomed and encouraged."
Next time you look at the gas price when topping up your car think about this strategy was either hallucinated by your administration or AI.
Reminder that the US is responsible for the precision strike murder of at least 175 people including 150 school children[1] and Trump, Hegseth and the entire rest of that criminal administration are still not in prison without the possibility of parole.
Before the war started, they thought they could mobilize the protesters by just whacking some top officials. That failed.
Then they thought that they could mobilize the usual proxies like the Kurds against Iran. Unfortunately, the Kurds have been used and dropped multiple times in history already. And they see what happens to a US proxy in Ukraine. So it failed.
Now Hegseth has fired the top general and replaced him with a loyalist. Probably the previous general opposed depleting all stock piles for the Führer's great vision.
Most likely: After 48 days Trump will declare "mission accomplished", retreat, leave the FUBAR situation in Hormuz to other people and prepare for the next grand excursion in a year or so. While his cronies are selling US oil and gas to the EU morons.
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I guess hard power is next.
The American Empire, burnt down by its own Nero/Caligula hybrid, while the population just watches it happen...
It would seem that a bad person, elected to the highest office, surrounded by equally corrupt appointees, can do harm on a global scale. And all of it is home-grown. The entire population of deportees posed less of a threat then what the US has bestowed upon itself in one presidential term.
> while the population just watches it happen...
About 1/5 of America voted for this guy after seeing the trainwreck of his first admin.
At the same time, protests response is continually growing and breaking records as economic disparities and totalitarian responses intensify.
49.8% of voters voted for this.
A more accurate claim might be "More people voted for Trump in 2024 than any other candidate".
The only failing here is that America has decaying, hallowed out industrial base where it can't just cheaply mass produce and replenish hi-end rockets and tech to take care of business-as-usual quickly, because everything down to raw materials is just so expensive.
Top reserves by country, historical data on consumption (including by country).
These basic data points explain US foreign policy better than anything.
There is no data or trends that supports the notion that oil is becoming irrelevant, much less quickly.
US with it's current reserves and oil consumption rate would last roughly 12 years, btw.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_oil#/media/File:US_Whale...
US farm horse population over time. Looked like it was gonna grow endlessly in the 1920s. It didn't because the whole thing became obsolete.
Whether what's going to happen will be whatever it is you're imagining is completely different story entirely.
Needless to say, If you have a largely deindustrialized country you can't really make any sort of transition happen yourself anyway, not at the grand scale and speed necessary for this endeavour.
Expect fireworks.
> There is no data or trends that supports the notion that oil is becoming irrelevant
> the world has roughly 47 years left at current consumption rate of oil.
This is contradictory?
Does that make those 47 years irrelevant - just because they will end?
There's no contradiction there. It just makes these last-remaining fossil fuels even more valuable.
Moreover oil use hasn't ramped down, nor is it getting replaced in any substantial way. I suspect people have no slightest clue just how reliant the modern world is on fossil fuels outside of it's use in cars.
I think that applies most everything he does in a way.
That's something the factions in the Middle East miss: sometimes great change comes from patiently applying pressure and infiltrating from within, rather than a frontal attack.
If China is going in, we'll start to see large signs of that. They'll begin a number of prominent campaigns, including sabotage, propaganda, extremely large supply movements, and so on.
> The US isn't done depleting its inventory yet
Yes, reading articles like this one, I suspect it's going to be the lack of firepower that causes this administration to finally back out of the conflict. And with these number it sounds like it might be sooner than later.
In what world could you imagine Israel's planned war against Iran not being automatically supported by whatever US party was in power?
You're also ignoring just how far outside the norms Trumps administration is. They're entirely dysfunctional, breaking all kinds of laws and full of unqualified extremist with their own agendas.
Is this how we debate now?
Why do we need stealthy cruise missiles now?
https://x.com/radigancarter/status/2035073252134129757?s=46
>In Shia theology, standing against injustice is obligatory especiallywhen you cannot win in conventional terms. Defeat and death are not failure, capitulating in the face of overwhelming injustice is the failure.
Was there ever a plan or even a goal?
So now the US is spending more of its own vital weapons, which will leave Taiwan largely undefended on a war without goals and without end.
China must be laughing about.
Once all these US weapons have been squandered on an unwinable war with Iran, then China surely must invade Taiwan, as a better opportunity may never present itself.
* What's with the downvotes? Don't like the truth?
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-N...
"President Trump has cemented his legacy as The President of Peace."
"Stopping regional conflicts before they spiral into global wars that drag down whole continents is worthy of the Commander-in-Chief’s attention, and a priority for this administration. A world on fire, where wars come to our shores, is bad for American interests."
"The key to successful relations with the Middle East is accepting the region, its leaders, and its nations as they are while working together on areas of common interest."
"America will always have core interests in ensuring that Gulf energy supplies do not fall into the hands of an outright enemy, that the Strait of Hormuz remain open, that the Red Sea remain navigable, that the region not be an incubator or exporter of terror against American interests or the American homeland, and that Israel remain secure."
"But the days in which the Middle East dominated American foreign policy in both long-term planning and day-to-day execution are thankfully over—not because the Middle East no longer matters, but because it is no longer the constant irritant, and potential source of imminent catastrophe, that it once was. It is rather emerging as a place of partnership, friendship, and investment—a trend that should be welcomed and encouraged."
Next time you look at the gas price when topping up your car think about this strategy was either hallucinated by your administration or AI.
I am not sure what is worse.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Minab_school_attack
Then they thought that they could mobilize the usual proxies like the Kurds against Iran. Unfortunately, the Kurds have been used and dropped multiple times in history already. And they see what happens to a US proxy in Ukraine. So it failed.
Now Hegseth has fired the top general and replaced him with a loyalist. Probably the previous general opposed depleting all stock piles for the Führer's great vision.
Most likely: After 48 days Trump will declare "mission accomplished", retreat, leave the FUBAR situation in Hormuz to other people and prepare for the next grand excursion in a year or so. While his cronies are selling US oil and gas to the EU morons.