http://www.unz.com/article/god-emperor-no-more/

Never betray your friends to court the favor of your enemies. If you betray your friends, the most principled and perceptive among them will drop you, leaving only the delusional and venal. That is not a good trade, given that the approval you gain is bound to be fleeting and contingent, whereas the contempt and distrust you create will be permanent. The people you betrayed may come back to you out of sentimentality or self-interest, but their trust and respect will never return. They will always regard you as a traitor.

Why is such a simple lesson so hard for politicians to understand?

Donald Trump’s dizzying about-face on Syria has won the temporary applause of his enemies, but he has forever lost the respect of his most ardent supporters on the Alt Right, the people who actually believe in and defend his nationalist-populist message, including his America First
foreign policy.

I'm betting you still claim Trump was the best choice of the twenty Candidates for POTUS we had to choose from. Am I right, or does Ben Carson look better in hindsight?

That guy is a real dumb ass and couldn't hold Trump's jock when it comes to intelligence and the art of the deal. He's a real nitwit.

He's got the term "nationalistic" precisely ass-backwards. What happened Thursday was all about nationalism and nothing to do with Syrian babies. That was for public consumption

Ben Carson now has trouble looking good for a number of reasons, including publicly a$$kissing a man who publicly insulted him.

I don't spend time comparing Trump to other candidates. I'm just focused on the fact that only *one* candidate ran an America first, Nationalist/populist platform and in less than 4 months he's demonstrated that it was all just bullshit.

I'm not going to devote any energy attempting to rationalize it into something it isn't.

Trump talked a loud, serious talk, but he can't walk it worth a damn.

Some of the people on here are the worst whiners i have ever encountered. You know who you are. ED K

This, from the comment section, sums it up pretty well in my opinion.

A few points about Trump that have become increasingly clear:
- Trump has no real views or policies. He just has attitudes and infatuations. His flip-flop on Syria was a sincere change in attitude brought on by a surge of emotion. He is not mendacious and treacherous. Rather, he is fickle and superficial. I don’t say this to excuse but to describe him. What he did was disgusting.
- Trump is in over his head. His incredible ability to manipulate the media and put on a good show won him the White House – but it looks like despite his vaunted business executive experience, he is having trouble getting things done. His travel ban got shut down by the judges. His healthcare reform got shot down by his own party. His Russian rapprochement is in tatters. One of his key picks – Flynn – was thrown out like a dog; and his key adviser Bannon appears to be on the way out.
- Trump is making things up as he goes along. Just as he has attitudes rather than principles, so does he have slogans rather than plans. Since making slogans is easy but realizing plans is hard, we will begin to see him deviate further and further from his slogans in order to achieve any concrete goals.

And, in your opinion, you'd MUCH rather have the FLIP as Prez, right?

A Ron Paul type President would be an isolationist President. America would withdraw from the world and just sit here until our enemies built up their warfare capabilities and coordinated an attack against us that would destroy us. The song, "Over There" from The Great War is salient advice. Keep your enemies guessing as to your intentions, and as Teddy said, "speak softly and carry a big stick."

And that idiot who made the above comment is about as flaming left as possible.. And you believe that BS? C'mon, B, even YOU can't be that gullible..

1950 was a long time ago.

Our enemies today are those who would flood our country with Syrian war refugees.

The next narrative you'll be hearing from them is that America is obligated to accept refugees from Syria now that we're active participants in its civil war.

That is likely closer to the truth than many will admit.

But then I figured that going in. No reason to get all chicken little over some cruise missiles launched at a goat pen somewhere in the desert.

Trump is far from perfect, but he was by far the best choice.

Nobody who believes that further American involvement in Middle East wars is beneficial to America has any right to refer to others as "gullible".

If we indeed get mired in another war, then come talk to me. This was almost a mirror image of the Libyan action in 1986 with even less risk as there were no manned aircraft in play.

I'ma hold judgement until we see what transpires over the next few weeks to a month.
Lobbing 50-60 missiles into that chit hole from the ocean is one thing. Mass soldiers on the ground is another.
There seemed to be multiple 'intent' with the action taken.

Trump's representative at the UN, Nikki Haley, is saying that there will be no peace in Syria until Assad is ousted.

Do you disagree with that statement?

I doubt peace will occur in ANY event.

Our enemies today are the people bring in Islam and sharia law.

If only there had been somebody who had foreseen this, and could have warned you.

If only.

My My...How quickly things change.

Seems like just yesterday that Bristoe was starting multiple threads every day touting Trump's brilliance.

Truly a piece of work....funny at times...but a piece of work.



I supported Trump solely because of the SCOTUS hoping he would be true to his word on that issue.
He was and I applaud him for it but other than that he's turned out to be nothing more than the carnival barker with a third grade vocabulary I thought he was all along.

Say what you want but he is and always has been a lot closer to being a Democrat than a Republican let alone a true Conservative.




Flame suit on.

Sounds like a whiney azz kid needing a tune up.

Ain't that the truth!

No chit Barry....

I remember when we got our first TV back in the early 50's the first time I watched a news cast in my life they were all excited about turmoil in the middle east.
Why would anyone think that simply getting rid of one goat humping mad man will change anything now.
It'll always be something in that chit hole.

I supported the Nationalist agenda that Trump espoused during his campaign. I still support it.

I'm disappointed that Trump no longer does.

He wasn't strong enough to handle the pressure. There's no reason for those who supported his Nationalist/populist message to support him any longer.

Right. All indications are that this is merely stage one in the neocon/deep-state regime change agenda, in the service of Israel. There is zero benefit for America in this, but much harm.

"No chit Barry....

I remember when we got our first TV back in the early 50's the first time I watched a news cast in my life they were all excited about turmoil in the middle east.
Why would anyone think that simply getting rid of one goat humping mad man will change anything now.
It'll always be something in that chit hole."

Not ALL of the despots gas their own....and while most countries over there are FUBAR, a few are not.

i hope he kicks all these country's asses or puts them in their place.....

Your only answer was Ted Cruz.

He wasn't and isn't.

neroclons

Classic Campfire derailment.

I'll take Trump ANY DAMN DAY over ANY AND ALL of his opposition. The man loves his country from a businessman's perspective. Precisely what we need at this critical juncture.

F'n Hillary'd have us marching 5 wide to the train station by now. Residential camp construction would be her economic boost plan.

Good post, Bristoe. I am becoming disillusioned. He needs to stop listening to his son in law.

It could also be that certain representatives of Israel and our own intelligence community sat him down and said, "look, we don't give a rat's ass what you do with your negroes or immigration policy or your economic relations with China, but if you don't do as we tell you in the Middle East we're going to kill you, plain and simple."

Not saying it happened but I wouldn't disregard it out of hand, either.


Added: It wouldn't have mattered who was elected, they would have told any sitting president the same thing. Except with Hillary they wouldn't have had to make threats, she had already gladly sold herself to them.

If it were only that easy.....you and the rest of the Kool Aid crowd made your bed....time to lie in it....

Maxine Waters is calling for 100K more Syrian refugees. How many n. koreans should we take in?

KOTY CONTENDER>>>

And the mindless marionette shows up right on time...

He delivered on his most important job, Gorsuch. The rest is just a bonus.

If criticism of your ridiculous, uber-kook fringe comment of the Israelis threatening a US president to do their bidding is mindless, Your comments surely must be the epitome of profundity... Just ask TRH..

This!!

Hillary suggested it,..Trump did it.

http://www.occidentaldissent.com/2017/04/06/hillary-clinton-trump-should-take-out-syrias-airfields/

Folks are going to have to get used toi the fact that with 8 years of Zero making the US look like a bunch of Frenchmen there is going to be a few chest puffing incidents to make the world realize that America is back and the pussies are gone.

We don't need to get into any wars but the chest puffing is going to have to happen and done the right way no wars will happen.

I was commenting on how your knee never fails to jerk spasmodically like a marionette at the mention of any subject relating to Israel - it's an autonomic reflex with you, that's the mindless part, just like resorting to calling anyone you disagree with a kook right off the bat. No need to offer a counter-suggestion when you immediately go right to the ad hominem kook label. I have noticed that it is the only weapon in your arsenal and shows that otherwise you have nothing, nada, el zippo to offer.

So how about this - why don't you offer your take on things instead of just your same old tired attacks on someone else while contributing exactly nothing? I have an open mind and am willing to learn, so please tell us in great detail exactly what is going on with Trump and Syria.

WTF is wrong with you?

Sounds about right, but they would communicate it to him more ambiguously than that.

When boots hit the ground in "nation building" numbers get back to me. A cruise missile strike is NOT nation building nor is it any reversal of Trumps policies. It was a strong message meant for everyone not a neoconservative readjustment of priorities. Jeez there's a lot of chicken little's on here. Trump made clear during the campaign that we would be a strong nation that won't be pushed around anymore and he just bloodied the nose of a playground bully. All the other bullies took note, therefore Trump abided by his campaign promises. It's tough to be a strong nation on the international stage by being scared of your own shadow.

I'm not into committing one more American life to the Middle East but fully support flattening it from afar.

The sky is falling, the sky is falling.....a phenomenon that I want my enemies to experience as missiles rain down upon them. Not an attractive phenomenon from my countrymen when they'd rather stick their head in the sand and blame the Jews for all their problems.

For anyone to compare a missile strike to full on intervention is not only intellectually dishonest but ridiculously childish in its interpretation. Apples to oranges.

And you're surprised that he disappointed you? I'm not.

The notion that Israel prefers a Syria run by ISIS and that radicalization of Syria is in Israels best interest is beyond stupid. I do believe that getting rid of Assad is not a good idea and our track record of replacing deposed despots in the Middle East is terrible. I'm of the mindset that there's many millions of muslims that need to die before there'll be anything resembling peace in the Middle East and in the world. We're less than 2 decades into the new 100 year war and it'll get uglier before it gets better.

http://news.antiwar.com/2016/06/21/israeli-intel-chief-we-dont-want-isis-defeated-in-syria/

Ok we got Gorsuch- that's a big one but I still have questions:
Where is the wall?
Where is the repeal of Obama care?
Where is tax reform?
What does ME involvement ever fix - or more to the point, not cause further pain? Wasn't this a reason I voted for him?
A carrier group off N Korea helps America because...?

I supported\support Trump but saying one thing then doing another has me fearing that may start to wane.

So I dug deeper and reminded myself:

• HE froze federal hiring (and refused a salary)
  
• Withdrew federal support for allowing bathroom of choice- leaving it to states
  
• Reinstated Mexico City policy barring funding to international non gov. agencies supporting abortions
  
• Ordered agencies to cut two regulations for every new on they enact
  
• Executive Order to withhold funds to sanctuary cities
  
• approved the Dakota Access pipeline
  
• Killed TPP trade deal
  
• My favorite might be his playing of the liberal fury over his taxes- that was worth the cost of admission.
  

Not a bad start.

I don't think Bristoe or TRH or anyone is saying they would rather have Hillary so why go there. Questioning actions of the guy you voted for seems to me better than blind loyalty.

Bunch of defeated pussies in this thread.

Geezzz guys, it has been less than 90 days since he took office and some of you think he should have all of his campaign promises completed by now. He11 you can't even get a home building permit in under 90 days. The mid east is always going to be a colasal cluster f u c k no matter who's plan is put out there. He has garnered the attention of the world as of last week and the thought process of many has been altered in a big way.

Jus say'n

Yeah, he's won the approval of Deep State big wigs. Awesome!

You nailed it SCOTUS is within our grasp. One or two appointments will have the biggest effect on this country imaginable.

I didn't know I was a deep state big wig. Wow wee.

and their unwitting dupes. LOL

Some of your posting on this subject seems quite worthwhile, but have seen nothing from you that soundly supports your above statement. Would you care to provide something solid - more than opinion?

You are COMPLETELY off the mark when it comes to my views on Israel COMPLETELY. And just aas obvious, you've never paid attention to the literally VOLUMES of posts on this and many other subjects, but the KOOK moniker is apropos when stupidshit like that gets posted.

Sure, no problem, but your OP about Israel manipulating Trump (like a marionette) defies logic, but instead of asking an open ended undefined question without specifics, I really can't comment on. If you want my opinion on a specific issue (and saying Israel made Trump do ANYTHING you have my view on that) and I will be glad to answer. In detail

So post your take on it, right here. Denying someone elses opinion is easy and risk free, placing your own opinion out for the world to criticize takes courage.

Do you have the courage to do that?

Rest assured, you will never see an opinion like the one you posted coming from me and if you look at other threads on this subject that I've posted on, my position is there, crystal clear and it had nothing to do with Syrian babies (which IDGAF) about, and EVERYTHING to do with American prestige and stance in the world and certainly nothing to do with the jews.

Truer words were never spoken. Lots of guys take the safe ground and slam someone else but never go out on a limb in a discussion. I call them trolls.

This keeps getting better,now I'm being called a troll by Fireball . Below is just one of the many posts I've written:

"I supported this action because it served as a mechanism to put our prestige as the world's only superpower that we act when and how we please in support of OUR national interest and our national interest had NOTHING to do with the dead kids, it was all about sending a message. I'll say it again: NO NATION BUILDING. Now it begs the next question, is going "in" to eradicate ISIS in the national interest? That's a fair question."

SUMMARY: Trump does one thing the Jew haters don't like and the Jew haters abandon Trump.

He was never going to be a perfect president, but as long as we don't have a major "boots on the ground" situation Syria I'm still good with Trump. There will be more missles to come I'm sure, as he already has stated in his campaign speeches.

If he loses Bannon though, his unwavering support from the masses will evaporate.

It does seem like the alt-right is being played in a direct effort to separate Trump from his base.

No sir, not at all. My statement was purely general in nature and not directed at you or anyone in particular, although I could name names if pressed.

B., alla' the TV you're watching is making your Bi-Polar switch trip,....turn that phoucin' thing OFF, or better yet, SHOOT the damned thing.
Go to your favorite fishing hole, take the Old Lady to the Keys, go for a ride on your scoot,....but for chrissake, knock off the spastic flip / flop break dancing.

GTC

Just assume that I'm too lazy to verify your lazy references to vague old posts, nor do I follow you on Facebook.

Once again, I am challenging you here and now to post your opinion on why Trump reversed his stance, his promises to his election supporters, on US interference in the Middle East.

Here, I'll show you how it's done in case you don't know how.

In my opinion, Israel - not the Jewish people at large - but the government and intelligence apparatus of the state of Israel, is behind much or most of our policy in the ME. Further, it is my opinion that Israel uses blackmail or outright threats of physical harm to sway our policy. I can't prove that, it is just my opinion on things based on a bunch of other vague articles from various sources.

See, wasn't that easy? It only took three sentences to summarize my opinion on this topic.

To the post that got your knee jerking this time, I opined that that may be one reason why we are seeing this reversal. I did not state unequivocally that was the only reason, just that it was one possible reason. The exact quote is "Not saying it happened but I wouldn't disregard it out of hand, either." I do admit to a fondness for hyperbole in how I state things, but that's just my snappy writing style.


Your turn...

Wait, Rome wasn't built in a day?

My opinion isn't from the TV. In fact, the talking heads on TV are pretty much all in with Trump's attack on Syria.

Maybe I shoulda said "where are we on...rather than Where is... May re-post it in a year and who knows, maybe everything will be answered.

On Obama care I am not sure what to think, Maybe not passing the original plan may turn out a good thing. We'll see.

On the wall - I have not liked what I have been hearing.

We can recap in a year. All I have to do to feel better is remember the too-good-to-be-true feeling that morning after election.

There will be a myriad of 'one year' threads started on 1/20/18. Those will be interesting.

Are you saying the POTUS isn't super-human? Doesn't have super-human powers? That D.C. actually is a sesspool of slow-mo action?
Is that what you're saying?

Was the SIL really the breaker on getting Bannon out?
I hope like hell not.

Mountain out of a molehill. Gorsuch is on the court. We won. Deep breath.





Some of us simply underestimated the resistance and complexity. There is still a lot of winning going on. hiliary is looking even worse.

One thing i have learned in the last few months is this:Who knew there were so many of Trump's advisers on the Fire.

Another thing,if the so called brilliant folks that think they know what is going on it his mind know it why are they not there?

This thing is a long race and some thing it's the 40 yard dash.
You can't make this crap up.

What good is Gorsuch if trumpco starts wars in Syria and N. Korea and drives the world economy into meltdown. The last time it took less than 7 years to do it and the US was running $10 trillion in fed debt. We're at $20 trillion and counting today.

It aint a war it's a message.

Putins boy Assad got slapped with Trumps USA tattooed dick and the fat little Nork might be next, with China's blessing.

Not tired of winning yet.

With all due respect, IMO, you are a bit ahead of yourself

And even the plausibility of what you are posting is well, in the realm of fantasy. And I did quote my post above and said NOTHING about FB, but since (sic) you claim to be lazy, here is my take on it AGAIN: "I supported this action because it served as a mechanism to put our prestige as the world's only superpower that we act when and how we please in support of OUR national interest and our national interest had NOTHING to do with the dead kids, it was all about sending a message. I'll say it again: NO NATION BUILDING. Now it begs the next question, is going "in" to eradicate ISIS in the national interest? That's a fair question."

ISIS is done despite Zero and Hillary.

Thank you. I guess I need to be more literal and quit using metaphors, but that's beside the point.

So, now that we're on friendly terms again, what do you think of the article opinion below? I don't agree with every point and think some it was premature, but I can see Trump doing this for his own ends while still satisfying the Israel/neo-con folks - to which you and I will just have to politely (I hope) continue to disagree on Israel's role in our government.

And getting back to the subject of this post, I have not lost faith in Mr. Trump, but I am wondering if he is still playing 3d chess in our world of chutes and ladders or whether he really is succumbing to something else.



The Syrian Air Base Attack

As I blogged yesterday, the claim that Assad ordered a chemical attack on his own people in the past week doesn’t pass my sniff test. For Assad to order a gas attack now – while his side is finally winning – he would have to be willing to risk his life and his regime for no real military advantage. I’m not buying that.

But let’s say the world believes Assad or a rogue general under his command gassed his own people. What’s an American President to do? If Trump does nothing, he appears weak, and it invites mischief from other countries. But if he launches 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian military air base base within a few days, which he did, the U.S. gets several benefits at low cost:

1. President Trump just solved for the allegation that he is Putin’s puppet. He doesn’t look like Putin’s puppet today. And that was Trump’s biggest problem, which made it America’s problem too. No one wants a president who is under a cloud of suspicion about Russian influence.

2. President Trump solved (partly) for the allegation that he is incompetent. You can hate this military action, but even Trump’s critics will call it measured and rational. Like it or not, President Trump’s credibility is likely to rise because of this, if not his popularity. Successful military action does that for presidents.

3. President Trump just set the table for his conversations with China about North Korea. Does China doubt Trump will take care of the problem in China’s own backyard if they don’t take care of it themselves? That negotiation just got easier.

4. Iran might be feeling a bit more flexible when it’s time to talk about their nuclear program.

5. Trump’s plan of a Syrian Safe Zone requires dominating the Syrian Air Force for security. That just got easier.

6. After ISIS is sufficiently beaten-back, the Syrian government will need to negotiate with the remaining entities in Syria to form a lasting peace of some sort that keeps would-be refugees in place. Syria’s government just got more flexible. It probably wants to keep the rest of its military.

7. Israel is safer whenever an adversary’s air power is degraded.

On the risk side of the equation, we have the possibility of getting into war with Russia. I’d put those odds at roughly zero in this case because obviously the U.S. warned Russia about the attack. That means we knew their reaction before we attacked. And it was a measured response of the type Putin probably respects. I expect Russia to complain a lot but continue to partner with the U.S. against ISIS.

If it turns out that the sarin gas attack that sparked this military action didn’t come from Assad, it doesn’t much matter. President Trump will bank all of the benefits above even if the attack turns out to be a hoax. We know Assad had some chemical weapons at one point, and probably used them. No one will be crying for Assad if the attack was unnecessary. And realistically, the public will never be 100% sure who was behind the attack.

I doubt this is the first step in a larger plan for war to depose Assad. But if Assad thinks it might be, we have a stronger position over there.

I’m not pro-war, so this military action alarms me the same way it alarms most people. But objectively speaking, the risk-reward ratio for this attack on Syria’s air field was exceptionally good. You rarely see so many benefits arise from one limited military action.

I thought President Trump would hold off on military action in the service of regime change. That still seems to be the case. But once our intelligence services traced the plane that allegedly dropped the gas back to a specific air base, it opened the option that Trump took. I didn’t realize that our military knows what every aircraft in Syria is doing at all times. That’s impressive, bordering on hard-to-believe.

+1

The first job of every tyrant or bureaucrat is to remain in power. If they think too small too bad for them.

Aces??

I will hold to my posit, it was a message to not only the Syrians, but the NORKs specifically. The Russians are the only ones that could have done this besides the Syrians and even they are not that stupid. Even if the attack was "staged" which I do not for a moment believe as Serin Gas use was confirmed by the Turks, and if it served as the vehicle to send a message, I'm all for it. Why? because the whole world will now wonder how Trump will react if you piss him off. It still begs the question though, what do we do about ISIS, let them continue to take over Europe, exacerbate the refugee crisis, etc? I don't have an answer, but to me military option, complete annihilation of an enemy down to salting the earth is what I propose. The arabs were not hard to control, the Brits and French did it without too much trouble. Divide them along tribal lines, keep them in-fighting thus removing most semblances of a nation state and exploit their resources.

As far as the airplane ID goes, pretty simple really. Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) is your friend, I can almost guarantee that between our overhead assets and what the Israelis can gather up, not only do we know what kind of jet is flying, but call signs, squadrons and even individuals from their radio traffic. That strike was a thing of beauty, we successfully destroyed 20% of their crappy Russian inventory. I will be shocked if Trump takes any kind of action to unseat Assad with men on the ground. Now as far as ISIS, I would support it 100%. With an exit strategy of course.

Apparently, America is going to assist radical Islam by continuing to create failed states in the Middle East until a Caliphate is established that covers the entire region.

*Then* America will get to have a war against the whole bunch,....by itself,....while it's 30 trillion dollars in debt and after its manufacturing capability has been gutted.

Cui bono?

A complete dodge of the question. As far as the strike went, WE cue bono.

Pissing off anti-Semites = WINNING

Bullshit. There's not one single, solitary benefit to be had by America from continuing to participate in the Middle East wars.

America's participation there has only served to make an even bigger mess of the place and cost this country trillions of dollars,.....as Trump pointed out many, many times during his campaign.

I realize that old school conservatives are notorious warmongers. It's their calling card.

But to have Trump run on the platform that he did and then to start blowing hell out of Syria barely 3 months into his Presidency is a betrayal of epic proportions,.... Regardless of how the warmonger old school conservatives try to rationalize it.

Trump isn't what he ran as,...at *all*.

Only time will tell how big of a disaster he turns out to be.

Israeli Intel Chief: We Don’t Want ISIS Defeated in Syria

Either someone has hacked your account or you have lost your good sense.