Pelosi’s disastrous legacy

[Scott Tracy]

Limitation on terms? She was elected by the people...are you saying the people are wrong?

[LomSak27]

17 hours ago, Hanaguma said:

Politicians like Pelosi, Biden, McConnell

 

17 hours ago, Hanaguma said:

There is no reason on God's green earth why dinosaurs like this need to linger in Washington for decades

Looking at the young fluff politicos; Lauren Boebert, Madison Cawthorn, Josh Hawley, can't think of a better argument for keeping dinosaurs in office. 

 

[hotchilli]

18 hours ago, webfact said:

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi decided to stopover in Taiwan, which China viewed as a violation of its “One China” policy.

This women is a walking disaster... 

[teelac777]

Let's not forget who started this January 21, 2017 when his first call as President went to Tsai Ing-Wen.

I can't imagine what the US thinks it will gain by continuing to poke the panda.

I'd have hoped after the 20 year long failures in Vietnam and Afghanistan, the US would have finally caught on.

[captpkapoor]

China is the biggest bully in this part of the world. Grab, grab, grab, is all they know. Disputes and what is called "salami slicing" with each and every one of her neighbours, from tiny Bhutan and Nepal where they're quietly siezing small territory each time, to India, Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan - you name it. Everything was "theirs" historically. So I fully support any country that has the guts to stand up to them. Nixon and Kissinger unleashed a monster country on the world. And Western companies in their greed for cheap labour and what they thought was a big market, let the Chinese copy their products and get the technology for free. Look at the way they've got small countries like Sri Lanka by the short hairs and taking control of their ports because of unpaid debts with BRI projects.

[xylophone]

35 minutes ago, captpkapoor said:

China is the biggest bully in this part of the world. Grab, grab, grab, is all they know. Disputes and what is called "salami slicing" with each and every one of her neighbours, from tiny Bhutan and Nepal where they're quietly siezing small territory each time, to India, Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan - you name it. Everything was "theirs" historically. So I fully support any country that has the guts to stand up to them. Nixon and Kissinger unleashed a monster country on the world. And Western companies in their greed for cheap labour and what they thought was a big market, let the Chinese copy their products and get the technology for free. Look at the way they've got small countries like Sri Lanka by the short hairs and taking control of their ports because of unpaid debts with BRI projects.

Totally agree with your post, and anybody that can't see that China poses perhaps the greatest threat here, is living in an alternative universe.

 

They will seize anything they can, even if it's in the territorial waters of another country, and if they don't do that they will extend very large loans (as they have done in the Pacific Islands, which is very worrying for me) to countries in which they wish to establish a base, knowing full well that the loans can never be repaid, thereby seizing assets to compensate – – conquering by money and stealth.

 

So no problem for me that Pelosi decides to go to Taiwan, however the only problems I have are with the whole of the US government, inasmuch as previously there was a dumb, lying, cheat as a president, whose supporters included "the proud boys" and "the oath keepers" and who tried to overturn democracy in the US, only to be replaced by Joe "bumbling" Biden, who looks as if he should be followed by an ambulance wherever he goes, and Nancy Pelosi likewise.

 

Surely, this once great nation (many decades ago I will admit) can do better than this?

[Eric Loh]

Looking at the reaction of East Asia stock markets, all indexes including Taiwan have positive gains. Markets remain calm and don’t think that there will be any escalation of tension. The military exercise will end on 7 August and tension will de-escalate. Don’t think China will go to war over Taiwan when general public sentiments are not too pleased with the government over the poor economic situation and the long lockdown. Xi will be very cautious to worsen public sentiments ahead of the party Congress. 

[xylophone]

22 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Don’t think China will go to war over Taiwan when general public sentiments are not too pleased with the government over the poor economic situation and the long lockdown

IMO that is a worry because some governments in the past when they haven't been doing too well at home, need a diversion to take the peoples gaze/attention away from those problems, and to "unite" the people against a common enemy.

 

In addition, ofttimes, the act of going to war and gearing up for it, can stimulate the economy – – more jobs, more money. Frightening thought.

[blazes]

1 hour ago, captpkapoor said:

China is the biggest bully in this part of the world. Grab, grab, grab, is all they know. Disputes and what is called "salami slicing" with each and every one of her neighbours, from tiny Bhutan and Nepal where they're quietly siezing small territory each time, to India, Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan - you name it. Everything was "theirs" historically. So I fully support any country that has the guts to stand up to them. Nixon and Kissinger unleashed a monster country on the world. And Western companies in their greed for cheap labour and what they thought was a big market, let the Chinese copy their products and get the technology for free. Look at the way they've got small countries like Sri Lanka by the short hairs and taking control of their ports because of unpaid debts with BRI projects.

Whether you meant to or not, you have described very well what happens when a country with imperialist ambitions (like Portugal, Spain, France, Britain and finally America) begins to think it can rule the world. 

 

Your mention of Vietnam and so on should awaken everyone on this thread to what America's contribution to the horrors of imperialism has been since WW1.

 

And now China wants to get in on the imperialist action, since for so many centuries it had to suffer the rule of various foreign commercial interlopers from Europe and especially from Japan.

 

 

Mrs Pelosi?  Who she?

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2022 by blazes

[blazes]

6 minutes ago, xylophone said:

IMO that is a worry because some governments in the past when they haven't been doing too well at home, need a diversion to take the peoples gaze/attention away from those problems, and to "unite" the people against a common enemy.

 

In addition, ofttimes, the act of going to war and gearing up for it, can stimulate the economy – – more jobs, more money. Frightening thought.

Your mention of "diversions" is 100% correct. 

 

Mrs Pelosi has her own reasons for creating a "diversion' of attention from her husband's dealings on the stock market, which have attracted the attention of the Wall Street gatekeepers.

 

I hope I am 100% wrong in the implied assumption that an American politician would go so far as to abuse her position in public life in order to divert attention from investigations into her disgusting private life.

[TKDfella]

20 hours ago, John Drake said:

This is the most important question for those of us living here. For years now, things have been on a slow boil making life increasingly more dangerous for Americans and Europeans in SE Asia. Had Xi managed to cancel Pelosi's trip indirectly through appealing to the Pentagon generals or Biden or directly through threats, our position would have been degraded. It may not have been a tipping point, but it would have been a landmark leading to one. I just hope that Pelosi has in fact united a bipartisan position against Xi in the US. BTW, let me hasten to add, that I like China and the Chinese. You could even say I'm smitten with their history. But their leader is a totalitarian dictator who wants to turn the world into a mirror image of his surveillance state. I don't want that.

I have just come across a list that apparently backs China. There is no point in providing a link as it will probably not be on the forum's list of acceptable news outlets. The list is on 'Gravitas: world reacts to Chinese military drills near Taiwan' episode (also includes some details about EU stance). Thailand is on the list. Yesterday, the Thaiger gives both the Chinese (embassy) and Thai quotes.. One can only hope that the situation deescalates.

[candide]

44 minutes ago, blazes said:

Your mention of "diversions" is 100% correct. 

 

Mrs Pelosi has her own reasons for creating a "diversion' of attention from her husband's dealings on the stock market, which have attracted the attention of the Wall Street gatekeepers.

 

I hope I am 100% wrong in the implied assumption that an American politician would go so far as to abuse her position in public life in order to divert attention from investigations into her disgusting private life.

Really? He sold Nvidia shares at loss, before a bill will be discussed at the House, about subsidizing the semi-conductor industry in order to trigger the development of a domestic supply chain. This bill is likely to increase the value of semi-conductor firms such as Nvidia.

It looks like he actually sold them in order to avoid a conflict of interest. I can imagine how the MAGA folks would have reacted if Nancy had subsidized a firm while his husband was holding shares of it.

Edited August 5, 2022 by candide

[earlinclaifornia]

20 hours ago, Wrwest said:

I am playing Devil’s Advocate … so we should restrict, void the will of the citizens who chose to elect her?

Putin style

 

[billd766]

On 8/4/2022 at 1:15 PM, John Drake said:

The author, I believe, is a well known mouthpiece for authoritarian dictators and is hostile to anything American. Pelosi did the right thing, here. I hope China-US relations have been upset permanently, because China is an enemy. If so, Pelosi will have been instrumental in turning policy away from American surrender to the dictator, Xi. There needs to be an accounting in the US for all those alive and dead who were responsible for this disastrous policy. I don't care how old and feeble he is, Kissinger should be in prison, along with the Bushes, especially George W., and the Clintons, especially Bill. 

I followed the link and it seems that the author's name is Kavi Chongkittavorn. He also writes for the "other" EL paper.

 

https://hrrca.org/kavi-chongkittavorn/

 

Kavi Chongkittavorn is a senior fellow at Chulalongkorn University’s Institute of Security and International Studies. He has been a journalist for over three decades with the Bangkok-based English-language newspaper The Nation, first as correspondent in Phnom Penh and Hanoi and later as leading writer and editor.

[stevenl]

4 hours ago, blazes said:

Your mention of "diversions" is 100% correct. 

 

Mrs Pelosi has her own reasons for creating a "diversion' of attention from her husband's dealings on the stock market, which have attracted the attention of the Wall Street gatekeepers.

 

I hope I am 100% wrong in the implied assumption that an American politician would go so far as to abuse her position in public life in order to divert attention from investigations into her disgusting private life.

So a visit to Taiwan will throw the Wall Street gatekeepers of her track.

No idea if there is anything to the claim the dealings were inappropriate, but your post doesn't make sense.

[nauseus]

On 8/4/2022 at 1:09 PM, DeaconJohn said:

She already did, but had some difficulty getting up again.

All that drama just to go bowling.

[riclag]

 wrong thread

Edited August 5, 2022 by riclag

[arithai12]

17 hours ago, hotchilli said:

This women is a walking disaster... 

Especially true if you see her actually walk. How about a mandatory retirement age and a fitness certificate?

[arithai12]

14 hours ago, teelac777 said:

Let's not forget who started this January 21, 2017 when his first call as President went to Tsai Ing-Wen.

I can't imagine what the US thinks it will gain by continuing to poke the panda.

I'd have hoped after the 20 year long failures in Vietnam and Afghanistan, the US would have finally caught on.

That.

Or you could consider for a moment that the biggest world market is in weapons and associated activities, and to sell them you need to stir conflicts. From this perspective, things make more sense.

[candide]

China will invade Taiwan only when it is ready, and also when circumstances are favourable. There is no way China may be "baited" by Pelosi's visit. It is a non-event.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, arithai12 said:

Especially true if you see her actually walk. How about a mandatory retirement age and a fitness certificate?

And a gag to stop the verbal diarrhea

[Eric Loh]

7 hours ago, candide said:

China will invade Taiwan only when it is ready, and also when circumstances are favourable. There is no way China may be "baited" by Pelosi's visit. It is a non-event.

Agree with you militarily China is not ready for a full scale invasion of Taiwan. China will not invade Taiwan as long as the constitution of Taiwan maintain the One-China principle. President Tsai said that Taiwan will remain the status quo in her speech during Pelosi’s visit. That is a big statement that will soothe the China hawks. Also as long as US maintain their One-China policy and don’t change their Taiwan Relations Act to direct military intervention, China unlikely to have reason for physical military aggression. The TRA only provide defensive arms to Taiwan and not intervention. China is just flexing their muscles after being provoke by Pelosi’s visit. Non event as you rightly said. 

. 

[JonnyF]

What a narcissist.

 

Stirring up political tensions and  instigating Chinese sanctions on Taiwanese businesses for what? Her ego and imagined political legacy. 

 

Pelosi is a disgrace. A total disgrace.

[gamb00ler]

On 8/4/2022 at 1:31 PM, Hanaguma said:

Also, just as an aside, has Speaker P ever had a job outside of politics? I was reading her bio, she has been in Congress for 34 years, hasn't participated in a candidates' debate in nearly all that time, runs unopposed... the classic politician's politician.  But no experience outside of politics that I can see. 

That reminds me..... I'm going to insist my next doctor has some plumbing experience.

[Eric Loh]

13 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

What a narcissist.

 

Stirring up political tensions and  instigating Chinese sanctions on Taiwanese businesses for what? Her ego and imagined political legacy. 

 

Pelosi is a disgrace. A total disgrace.

Sanctions on fish and fruits, not chips. Little impact of Taiwan economy. Stock markets shrugged off storm in the tea cup tension. 

[JonnyF]

3 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Sanctions on fish and fruits, not chips. Little impact of Taiwan economy. Stock markets shrugged off storm in the tea cup tension. 

I'm sure the Taiwanese fisherman and fruit farmers will take great comfort from that.

 

Pelosi only destroyed their businesses. 

[stevenl]

28 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

What a narcissist.

 

Stirring up political tensions and  instigating Chinese sanctions on Taiwanese businesses for what? Her ego and imagined political legacy. 

 

Pelosi is a disgrace. A total disgrace.

You think this wasn't discussed with Taiwan in advance and Taiwan wanted this visit?

[placeholder]

3 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I'm sure the Taiwanese fisherman and fruit farmers will take great comfort from that.

 

Pelosi only destroyed their businesses. 

Some people are very selective in their sensitivity about politicians destroying certain sectors of a national economy.

[JonnyF]

2 minutes ago, stevenl said:

You think this wasn't discussed with Taiwan in advance and Taiwan wanted this visit?

Yes I am sure the US made their usual reassurances, before abandoning them as other issues take priority.

 

I'm sure you know the examples.

 

Good luck Taiwan, Pelosi will have another pet project/photo opp to amuse her next week while you pick up the pieces of the sanctions for years.

[teelac777]

9 hours ago, arithai12 said:

That.

Or you could consider for a moment that the biggest world market is in weapons and associated activities, and to sell them you need to stir conflicts. From this perspective, things make more sense.

Yes for sure.

I hope, just for fun, the US has an exit strategy in place prior to starting the fireworks.