Oh sorry I can't answer I can't out as fascist. My parents aren't happysturg, do you think the US should not be a super power any longer, and are you ok with China replacing us as the head honcho?
sturg, do you think the US should not be a super power any longer, and are you ok with China replacing us as the head honcho?
i think the wet dream that thethe and sturg have been nursing all these years has been a grand alliance behind Vlad the Bad, very poorly chosen one, Marine Le Pen, Victor Orban and Nigel Farage against the Cosmopolitans of Davos and the Woke Mob.
Vlad the Bad's invasion of Ukraine shattered the illusions underpinning this wet dream. But not entirely. Witness thethe valiantly amplifying the deza about chemical weapons labs and sturg's passive aggressive whataboutisms. Dreams die hard sometimes.
The erosion of the bipartisan post-war consensus has been going on for a while now. In 2016 we had two major presidential candidates, very poorly chosen one and Bernie Sanders, who clearly rejected it. One of them was actually elected. It was fed by public dissatisfaction with the outcomes of various foreign interventions, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. It included an anti-NATO strand (of which thethe and sturg are enthusiastic members). Most (but not all) of this anti-NATO strand was willing to at least tacitly accept Russian interference in our elections.
Vlad the Bad's war in Ukraine has significance. Among other things, it has upended this slide toward isolationism that could well have culminated in the emasculation of NATO. The reaction in public opinion has been strong here, but even stronger in Europe. The big question is how lasting the change in public opinion will be. Will there continue to be strong support for a more militarily muscular Germany.
I think China has actually been a peripheral issue among those who have been opposed to the post-war consensus. It could possibly become a central issue. It could be a unifying issue as part of a new consensus. Or it could remain peripheral in terms of what it means for the North Atlantic alliance. In Asia, we probably need an entirely different coalition. Its outlines are not difficult to discern. Japan, India and Australia certainly. Maybe South Korea. And some smaller countries such as Singapore. Taiwan obviously. I think events in Ukraine could influence the development and cohesiveness of this Pacific alliance. But not in a major way.
For now, Russia/Ukraine and China look like different propositions to me. Not wholly isolated from each other. But not strongly linked either. Could change, especially if China takes an active role in helping Russia circumvent the effects of the sanctions.
For now, Russia/Ukraine and China look like different propositions to me. Not wholly isolated from each other. But not strongly linked either. Could change, especially if China takes an active role in helping Russia circumvent the effects of the sanctions.
Recent elections in SK and India show that a strong sense of nationalism is alive and well in all parts of the world.
Russia influenced our elections just like we influence elections around the world. What you think happened was actually Deza from the Obama/HRC unholy alliance. But you were very happy to spread that....
I think SK has a political system that oscillates between conservative/more hardline toward NK candidates and more liberal ones like the outgoing president. The election was very close (less than 1% separating the top 2). I wouldn't read too much into it. But I do think we should be paying attention to how Ukraine reverberates in upcoming elections.
Here's an article on polling for the upcoming French elections. Macron was building a lead even before Ukraine. I imagine he will get a boost from it and Le Pen will be hurt.
https://graphics.reuters.com/FRANCE-ELECTION/POLLS/zjvqkomzlvx/
The real test is when either Zemmour or Le Pen are not on the ballot.
France is a good indicator what “Western” Europe will do though so I agree with you on that.
Interestingly, the far left candidate (Mélenchon) is also anti-NATO. He has been gaining in the polls. But I don't see him making the runoff.