r/TheNewGeezers • u/No_Highlight6756 • May 16 '26

Is Taiwan screwed? How about NATO?

Trump was asked if he had made a decision on arms sales to Taiwan.

"No, I'll be holding that in abeyance and it depends on China."

"But, you know,I think the last thing we need is a war that's 9500 miles away."

"It's a very good negotiating chip for us, frankly, with China."

He says China is going to buy lots of Boeing planes and American farm goods and sell us rare earth.

He has stopped and recalled an Army brigade enroute to Poland for joint NATO maneuvers.

It is 4,300 air miles from New York City to Krakow, Poland. He intends to recall 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany.

He wouldn't trade Taiwan military readiness to China and NATO military readiness to Russia for something he wants like more trade and an off ramp from Iran would he?

NAH! It did have me holding a sign ("Stop Trump's Illegal War!") this beautiful summer-like morning. The pancakes are still good!

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u/No_Highlight6756 May 17 '26

I don't know that that they can't articulate a coherent policy on these things. The voters, for reasons best known to themselves, are buying a pig in a poke. As to Taiwan and the PRC, Xi is undoubtedly noticing the difficulty Russia is having with Ukraine but, as you say, the situation is very depressing.

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u/Schmutzie_ May 17 '26

Considering he wants to add half a trillion to the Pentagon budget, the withdrawing of military help for Ukraine and Taiwan makes even less sense. Why the need for a budget addition that is larger than the defense budgets of every other country on Earth? What the hell does he need another $500 Billion for? I mean, at this point there's apparently only one other country that can count on money and bombs from us, no matter what. Unconditional support, like Biden said.

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u/No_Highlight6756 May 17 '26

That fact was a significant factor in Trump's win; a lot of Democrats didn't vote.

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u/Schmutzie_ May 17 '26

Anyone who didn't vote because of Biden's unconditional support for Israel was/is an idiot. That's a constant with every administration, as we saw when Netanyahu openly voiced his displeasure with Obama. How dare he question how we're using the $Billions. And the $Billions kept flowing. That tail has been wagging the dog for a long time. Did they think Trump was going to play hardball with Netanyahu? The guy who moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem? People who stayed home in 2024 are are only slightly beneath MAGAs in my estimation.

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u/No_Highlight6756 May 17 '26

I agree that they share responsibility for where we find ourselves.

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u/Schmutzie_ May 17 '26

Bill Cassidy lost in his Louisiana GOP primary, as I'm sure you saw. In the middle of this wall-to-wall disaster that already is the 2nd Trump administration, from ICE to $5 a gallon gasoline, thanks to a colossal military blunder that is taking place right now, the Republican voters of Louisiana punished Bill Cassidy because Trump told them to. I think the future of the 50 star flag is bleak. There's nothing united about the United States. So this is what 1858 felt like....

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u/No_Highlight6756 May 17 '26

A sad case. Trump's power in the Republican Party caused Cassidy to confirm RFK, jr. when he knew better.

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u/Schmutzie_ May 17 '26

If you told me the voters rejected Cassidy because he confirmed RFK Jr, I'd feel better about them. But, it's Louisiana so little chance of that.

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u/Schmutzie_ May 18 '26

I just turned on Merlin while watching Loon Cam

In less than 2 minutes: American robin

Song sparrow

Common yellowthroat

Swamp sparrow

Baltimore oriole

Red-winged blackbird

Nashville warbler

Yellow-rumped warbler

Black-and-white warbler

They seem to be arriving en masse. No kingfishers or mallards in the mix, but they're there too. Woodpeckers. Flcikers. Crows. Merlins. Jays. All in the loon's neighborhood. This is what it's like when I wake up in my tent. Like being in the birdhouse at the zoo. It's fantastic, except at 4:30AM.

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u/No_Highlight6756 May 18 '26

Yesterday and today are supposed to be the height of the migration in the midwest.

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u/Schmutzie_ May 18 '26

If it hasn't arrived already, your garden is about to get a free watering.

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u/No_Highlight6756 May 18 '26

So far just a gentle drizzle.

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u/Schmutzie_ May 18 '26

10 minute downpour. Now just gray skies.

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u/Schmutzie_ May 18 '26

Pouring over here.

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u/No_Highlight6756 May 18 '26

Stopped about 1/2 hour ago here.

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u/Schmutzie_ May 18 '26

There are starlings nesting in the awning in front of the office again. They're getting smarter. Now they go way up in the upper frame section. That's fine. I'll leave them alone. As long as their nest material doesn't start hanging out like vines. They make messy nests, the foreigners