North Korea

Iraq War, “Operation Iraqi Freedom”, Began 14 Years Ago Today—And Now On To Likely War Against North Korea

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14 years ago, Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Iraq War, began, leading to an eight year and nine month war, the longest war in American history except for the war in Afghanistan.

It also caused the death of close to 4,500 Americans and loss of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, and the collapse of stable government, and the rise of ISIL (ISIS), leading to the horrific destruction and terrorism threat of the past three years.

It was a war based on falsehoods about “Weapons of Mass Destruction”, and undermined the reputation of President George W. Bush and his administration.

And now, there are strong hints that we are on the way to another major war against North Korea, with uncertainty whether that means nuclear war or a massive invasion.

And the effect on South Korea and Japan of the threat from North Korea is unnerving with their massive standing army, and what it means for US Troops in South Korea.

There is no debate about the dangers of North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong Un, but the question is what can or should be done about it.

The fact that we have a very unstable President in Donald Trump, with his recklessness in dealing with other nations in diplomacy, adds to the tension and nervousness about what is likely to occur soon.

Donald Trump’s Deleterious Effect On Americans’ Physical Health, Mental State, And Sense Of Security

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Donald Trump has been President for eight weeks, and it has been more than four months since he was elected the 45th President.

In those 56 days since he was inaugurated, Trump has created more tumult and disarray than any President in American history.

In so doing, he has had a deleterious effect on the physical health, mental state, and sense of security of tens of millions of Americans.

Cardiologists have reported that more of their patients have come in with heart palpitations and worse.

High blood pressure has become more common, and mental depression has worsened dramatically.

And the sense of security has deteriorated for African Americans, Latinos, Muslims, Jews, liberals, and the news media, as white supremacy, racism, antisemitism, and nativism have been encouraged by Donald Trump, Stephen Bannon, Stephen Miller, and others on the Trump staff.

Foreign nations have become unnerved about Trump’s weird and unstable behavior, and therefore, nations which are our closest allies–Great Britain, Germany, Australia, Canada, Japan–and other nations as well, have become concerned about the future foreign relations with Trump, as he is a revolutionary ready to destroy the international system.

War seems more likely, particularly with North Korea and Iran, as if we need another war to enrich corporations and the defense industry, and we see Trump promoting attacks on the environment, the safety net, and even the organization of the federal executive branch.

Donald Trump, Liar In Chief, Who Cannot Be Relied Upon To Be Honest And Forthright: The Danger To America In The World Community

Ronald 42 Comments

America is in the midst of crisis, as it is clear we have elected a President, Donald Trump, who is incapable of ever telling the truth about anything!

Usually, we say the President of the United States is the “Commander in Chief”, but a more appropriate term for Donald Trump is that he is the “Liar in Chief”, and that is not said in jest.

Trump has lied all of his life, but it is one thing to lie in business, or to lie in personal relationships including wives and cheating, but to lie when one is the leader of the “free world”, and to refuse to ever admit mistakes or shortcomings, is a disaster for the nation and the world.

This man’s constant lying will end up causing America to be in a major foreign war, or cause an economic collapse that will make World War II or the Great Depression seem to be minor in comparison.

How can any nation in NATO or in Asia ever trust Trump, when he lies and deceives so much?

How can our rivals–Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, ISIL (ISIS)–figure out what Trump really means, when he is so unpredictable?

How can any child look up to a leader who goes against the traditional George Washington quote taught to school children, that Washington could never tell a lie, when the reality about Trump is that he can never tell the truth?

America On The Road To War With President Who Has No Clue On Diplomacy, And Craves To Be Flattered!

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America is on the road to war under President Trump, and expect it before the midterm elections of 2018, possibly late in this first year of the term.

Donald Trump has no clue on diplomacy, and craves to be flattered constantly, and one can be sure that Iran and North Korea are not going to flatter him, and he will overreact to insults, and will have a National Security Adviser, Michael flynn, who will give him bad advice.

Trump also has two many military people in his administration, and too many corporate types who see war as a way to promote the defense industries and obscene war profits.

Trump is the kind of person who will potentially use nuclear weapons, if he feels aggrieved.

He does not have the experience and judgment of Richard Nixon or George H. W. Bush, or the calm, cool demeanor of John F. Kennedy, or the confidence and common sense of Ronald Reagan.

Trump does not have the ability to make foreign policy decisions, and he will upend American foreign policy, including alienating our NATO allies in Europe by cozying up to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin who knows how to manipulate him. He also is likely to alienate China, which could cause troubles for Japan and South Korea, and complicate dealings with North Korea.

We are entering a nightmare scenario, with an unhinged, mentally unstable Commander in Chief!

Widespread Protests Against Trump Inauguration Grow Day By Day!

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Widespread protests against the Trump Inauguration are growing day by day.

No significant entertainers are willing to perform at his inauguration in Washington DC on Friday, January 20, 2017.

The Rockettes are divided over performance, with some dancers refusing to do so, although under pressure to follow orders.

Some members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir are also reluctant to sing for the incoming President, on moral and ethical grounds.

This is all perfectly understandable, as many see performing for Trump as equivalent of performing for Adolf Hitler, right or wrong.

The fact that Trump consorts with other dictators, including Vladimir Putin of Russia, and the leaders of such nations as Turkey, and the Philippines, and even has had praise for North Korea’s leader Kim Jon Un as a “strong leader”, is indeed alarming.

One gets the feeling that Trump’s willingness to ignore security information that shows Russia hacked our election process, and therefore helped Donald Trump, and seems to be engaged in a “bromance” with Putin disgusts and alarms millions of Americans, does not phase him one bit.

The Republican Party is starting to split with Trump on this, with Senator John McCain calling for hearings on Thursday, January 5.

So there are fireworks ahead, and it is expected that there will be widespread protests against Trump centered around Inauguration Day, totally appropriate freedom of assembly and nonviolent civil disobedience, and it is all a harbinger of the next four years!

So we can wish for a Happy New Year 2017, but there are warning signs ahead of a very difficult, tumultuous year!

The Clinton-Trump Debates The Most Significant Since Lincoln-Douglas Senate Debates In Illinois In 1858!

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Presidential debates have occurred since 1976, and also, originally took place in 1960, but no debate has mattered as much as the one coming up on Monday between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.

No more significant debate has occurred since Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas had model debates for the Senate race in Illinois in 1858.

Hillary Clinton is super qualified to be President, while Donald Trump is totally unqualified, and were he to win, American democracy and constitutional order would be endangered.

Donald Trump is a Fascist demagogue, who has no credentials, and has the diplomatic, military, intelligence, and economic experts up in arms over the threat he presents.

Much of the Republican Establishment, including the two living former Republican Presidents, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, and much of the conservative media and intellectual class, are deplored by his candidacy.

Trump has insulted, degraded, ridiculed, belittled, and shown a lack of respect toward women, African Americans, Mexicans, Muslims, and the disabled, and has worked to divide Americans, and gained the backing of racists, nativists, misogynists, xenophobes, and all kinds of white supremacists who also are anti semites.

He has praised dictators, including Kim Jong Un of North Korea and Vladimir Putin of Russia, and talks loosely about using the nuclear button.

The man is a clear and present danger who must be prevented from winning the Presidency, and we must all root on Hillary Clinton to score a win over this demagogue on Monday night!

70 Years Of American Foreign Policy Challenged By Donald Trump

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It seems clear that Donald Trump, were he to become President, would totally upend American foreign policy, under both Republican and Democratic Presidents, from Harry Truman to Barack Obama.

His “love affair” with Russian leader Vladimir Putin is very dangerous, and will create instability in Europe, with the issue of the Baltic States being under threat, and undermining NATO in the process, which has been in effect since 1949.

His compliments of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un will destabilize South Korea and Japan.

His lack of understanding of the complex Middle East will cause more disarray in an area already in turmoil.

His lack of knowledge of foreign policy will cause other nations, particularly our allies, to believe that he a dangerous, unstable individual to lead the most powerful nation in the world.

His temper, and poor judgment, will lead to foreign interventions out of pique.

We cannot afford someone as Commander in Chief who lacks the respect of the military and the intelligence community.

The Donald Trump Connection To Authoritarian Leadership

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It is very disturbing that Donald Trump has a connection to, and admiration for, authoritarian leadership.

Trump’s Russian connections are very troubling, and his lying about his past connections and relationship to Vladimir Putin are alarming.

The fact that Trump has suggested strongly that NATO needs to be reconsidered as part of American foreign policy, and his threat to stand aside if Putin were to try to seize the Baltic States–Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia–is an opening for Putin to take action, threatening the stability of the entire European continent.

The reality that Trump has his top aide, Paul Mantafort, having had connections to a pro Russian government in Ukraine, is horrifying. Trump has said that Russia does not control the Crimean area, which is delusional.

And Trump has also praised Kim Jong Un, the maniac who runs North Korea and has threatened nuclear attack against its neighbors and the United States.

It is clear that Trump is ignorant of the effect of his statements on national security and relations with our allies.

Were he elected President, the whole world would be harmed by his reckless speech and actions.

Barack Obama Visit To Hiroshima Reminds Us Of Dangers Of Nuclear War, And Of Unstable Donald Trump Having Nuclear Codes!

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Barack Obama’s visit today to Hiroshima, the site of the first atomic bomb attack on August 6, 1945, was a sobering moment.

Obama did not apologize for the attack initiated by the orders of President Harry Truman, but he spoke of the horrors of over 140,000 people dying from that event, and the aftermath of thousands dying from exposure to nuclear radiation there, and at Nagasaki three days later.

He spoke of the concern over the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and the threat to the peace and tranquility of the world in the long term future.

While he did not say anything about Donald Trump at Hiroshima, it was clear there is, and should be, great concern over the thought of an unstable, egomaniacal, narcissistic Donald Trump ever having control of the nuclear codes, which would occur if he was elected President in November.

The world faces not only the threat of Kim Jong Un of North Korea and the Iranian government possibly breaking the agreement it has with the United States and five European powers about avoiding the development of nuclear weapons potential, but also that we could face a person in power who would be a threat to the entire world, or own potential future President!

Donald Trump Is An Ignoramus On Public Issues, And Refusal To Debate Should Eliminate Him From Presidential Race!

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Donald Trump is a demagogue, buffoon, jerk, and a coward!

He is also an ignoramus, promising to make everything better, but giving absolutely no details!  He has no clue as to how diplomacy works, or how to deal with Congress and the news media!

He has no knowledge, no background, no depth, no diplomatic skills, and is only focused on his own narcissism.  He is a bully and a braggart who needs comeuppance!

Donald Trump is a danger to American democracy and the Constitution, as he struts like Benito Mussolini; promotes racism and nativism and scapegoating of whole populations of particular ethnic and religious groups; and is backed by the most extreme right wing fanatics and hate groups that exist in this nation!

Trump also praises the leadership skills of dictators, including Kim Jong Un of North Korea and Vladimir Putin of Russia as “models” to admire, making Trump dangerous as a sociopath!

Only those in public life who are “lowlifes” back him, as no decent person would consider putting a person with his lack of any experience in governing, in charge of the military and nuclear weapons!

This man has led an immoral, unethical life, with four bankruptcies and scandal all around him, and he and his wife would damage the image of the President and the First Lady and proper public behavior!

His refusal to debate in tonight’s seventh Republican Presidential debate in Iowa, due to his distaste for Fox News Channel’s Megyn Kelly, should disqualify him from the Presidency, as it is a hint that he might decide to forego Presidential debates in the fall, and that is something that is totally unacceptable!

Donald Trump should resign from the race if he does not show up tonight at the GOP debate, clear and simple!

If not, the voters, starting next week, should visit their repudiation of this narcissistic moron on him, and send him back to his real estate business pronto!