As everyone is aware, thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing Crime and Drugs at levels never seen before. Right now a Caravan coming from Mexico, composed of thousands of people, seems to be unstoppable in its quest to come through our currently Open Border. On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders. This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country! Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem. We hereby demand that they use this power, and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!
I have had many talks with China about the massive amounts of drugs, in particular Fentanyl, being sent into the United States – But to no avail. Representatives of China told me that they would institute their maximum penalty, that of death, for any drug dealers taught doing this but, unfortunately, they never followed through, and drugs are pouring into our Country, mostly through Mexico, at levels never seen before. Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Comment: This is what Trump said last night on his Truth Social. He seems hell bent on using tariffs as his “go to” solution. But perhaps he’s just prudently testing the waters to see what kind of reaction this would draw. Now he can hear all the pros and cons well before he can sign off on his executive orders. Maybe he hopes Mexico will begin actions against fentanyl and migrants in hopes of avoiding the imposition of these tariffs. That would be quite clever if it worked. It might work under AMLO. He was an old school, “give and take” politician. But Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo is a different breed, “a stern leftist ideologue trained in radical student protest movements, and appears less willing to pacify or mollify Trump.” She has already suggested retaliatory tariffs. Canada, on the other hand, would be just flat screwed. I don’t know what Trudeau could do to stave off Trump’s tariffs. For China, this is all too familiar. If Trump wants a trade war, Xi will give him one.
I can’t fault Trump’s goals in suggesting these tariffs. Stopping the flow of drugs and migrants is a reasonable, and even laudable goal. His solution is as simple as standing in a bunker and pulling the pin on a grenade while daring his adversaries to pull the pins on their grenades. There’s no finesse involved. Who else is in that bunker? A lot of American businesses and consumers. Trump still doesn’t realize that tariffs are not a tax on foreigners, it’s a tax on Americans. Tariffs can be a useful tool to promote American manufacturing and other businesses over foreign competition if used strategically and with a plan for those American businesses in place. I doubt this “bull in a china shop” approach to tariffs will produce the desired results.
TTG
Trump talks a lot, so we will see what will happen, but a tariff is a tax increase and a lot of people who voted for him will pay it, should it happen. Then there is the optics of starting an argument with your two closest neighbors. The unintended consequences of that will eventually arise. Putting on a Trump put at this time is probably not a bad idea. It appears that knowledge, experience and moderation is not a feature of his cabinet choices. Nor is the reality of just barely winning the election with the smallest margin ever and thus shrinking the margin of error substantially.
Lars,
The ‘optics’ of telling Mexico and Canada to stop aiding and abetting an influx of drugs killing Americans? Screw them. Tariffs raise the price of China crap? So what, millions of illegals raise the price of housing and medical care and reduce the quality of the later as well as the education of our own citizens children. Screw China and the plutocratic oligarchy who made us reliant on them while destroying our own industrial base.
312 electoral votes. More of the ‘popular vote’ than Harris. Cry harder.
Fred: “Screw China and the plutocratic oligarchy who MADE US reliant on them while destroying our own industrial base.”
Emphasis mine.
The incestuous relationship between the USG and US business interests did this to US citizens to “promote democracy” abroad decades before US businesses started sponsoring gay pride parades. MBA CEOs didn’t check in with China when promising board members unsustainable growth since compensation consulting firms recommended widening pay gaps between executives and the plebes starting in the 70s.
Fred,
“Screw China and the plutocratic oligarchy who made us reliant on them while destroying our own industrial base.”
Which “plutocratic oligarchy”?
That sounds like a little kid crying to momy “he made me do it”.
TonyL,
Oh woah is me for not linking to allow you to read all about it. https://smallwarsjournal.com/2012/09/06/plutocratic-insurgency/
The Mexican Marxist Jewish President already caved. She’s stopping the caravan. As for the tariffs, Americans would pay more but people don’t give Americans the credit they deserve on solving problems on their own.
We have soo many good used cars and used goods. It would not be hard to get creative and savvy if one truly needed something. At least for a while. I know for myself, I go to local forums or yard sales for tools. I could buy them new and most of the time I in fact do but sometimes I find items used that are just as good as new like a $100 Gorilla ladder. SOLD. They normally go for around $300.
The tariffs would hurt us, no question but it would not be nearly as bad as what people think. China would cave first. Xi’s only real function is to keep that massive population from turning inward just like the olden days making them build that wall instead of revolting.
babelthuap,
She said “Caravans of migrants no longer reach the border,” while presenting a letter she plans to send to Trump in the coming days. She also emphasized Mexico’s efforts to curb the flow of drugs, including the synthetic opioid fentanyl, while noting that it remains “a public health and consumption problem within your country’s society.”
In other words, the caravans haven’t been a factor since the border crossing dropped dramatically early in 2024 primarily due to whatever Mexico did back then.
LOL. Another nice story, TTG. Too bad, like most of your happy little tails, it isn’t true.
If the commie wench really thwarted the trafficking in people and drugs, she’d quickly be dead; just like all of the candidates assassinated during the election cycle that found her coming to office.
Tariffs on Canada will put a huge hurt on Ford, GM and Chrysler. Engines and hundreds of other auto components are made there. It’ll hurt US autoworkers also when US plants go dark waiting for parts.
But what does donOld care? His rides were Rolls Royce, Mercedes Benz, and Lamborghini Diablos.
We use to have a surplus with Mexico not that long ago. Clinton and the neo-cons screwed it all up and even admit it. Hillary was still getting beat up over it when she ran which was kinda unfair though since that was Bill but she did own it I give her that much.
Regardless, the tariffs are likely just a threat but a good one. These countries will bend. Trump is not running for election anymore so what does he care. He’ll absolutely do it if they start running their mouths like this Jewish Mexican Marxist. The cartels will tell her to calm down and that will be that.
Leith,
The car companies should do business in the US. Screw ’em.
You’re a funny guy. You hate capitalists, but then cry for capitalists if you think it makes Trump look bad.
Bring the manufacturing back home.
Eric –
I don’t hate capitalists, never have.
And I’m not crying for the US big 3 automakers, but I am concerned what will happen to US autoworkers if Trump follows through on the threat. Just one example: GM has 163,000 American autoworkers in 34 plants. And not just in Michigan either. They have factories in Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, NY, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas. None of that counts any of their hundreds of US suppliers.
PS – I’m thinking Musk might stop Trump from going through with it. Tesla has two factories in Canada and Musk is planning a gigafactory in Mexico. Plus he has factories in China, Germany and the Netherlands.
leith,
When did Justin Trudeau become Premier for Life? Don’t they have elections in Canada any longer? Or is their government as incapable of changing economic and migration policy?
Fred,
Justin is our Prime Minister. He keeps winning elections. His approval is real low right now – I think he will lose the next one (which has to happen no later than Oct 2025).
Screw the Mexican Oligarchy and little Castro of Ottawa. “de oppresso liber” right? How many dead Americans does it take to get those two countries on ‘our’ side? Better yet how many Mexicans die every year because of the cartels? “de oppresso liber” and lets make Mexico Great! We have millions of Mexicans here who would be happy to see that done. (They would even help if asked.) The bankers probably wouldn’t like that much.
World Leaders…The Ones Who Thrive on Drama…Spin the Cylinder on that Wheel Gun..Pull The Trigger..Get a Rush..All Remind Me of Marlon Brando….
But Now…That 12 Cylinder BMW…Packard…Ratta…is Getting its
Rebuild Done…Inside a Garage Full Nitro..and Nuts..
The Engine is Put together..EachMechanic ..from the G (V) 12s…Reaches in.
Torgues One More Nut..and then so do they All.. Until They Start the
Engine…Its Blows Up..and They each Blame the Other…and Thats
How Pig Farms Get Started..
Happy Dank Fest,,,
Jim.
Fred,
I have been saying for many years that the US should invade and subjugate Mexico for the betterment of our country and the betterment of the Mexicans. Run the place as a US territory under a military governor. I hope it comes to that. Cartels should be deemed terrorist organizations and they and those who aid, abet and profit from them, including US officials, elected and unelected, should be dealt with as such in the harshest sense of “dealt with”. I strongly suspect here’d be a lot vacancies in the US congress, especially on the democrat side of the aisle. The Mexican govt would disappear totally, making replacement by a US military territorial Governor easy and necessary.
@Eric Newhill
Errrrr…
You overdosed on something?
jld,
We’ve invaded and tried to control countries over far less; in recent times too. And taking Mexico is a lot more feasible than some country on the other side of the world. Heck, we controlled the Philippines for decades, quite successfully. There is a model.
I think you’re one of those who makes excuses for Russia invading Ukraine (apologies if wrong about your position). Well, I would say that Mexico represents a greater threat and affront to the US than Ukraine ever did to Russia.
I also toy with the idea of invading and running Canada too, but I think they may straighten themselves out. The Trudeau/Stalinist element seems to be on the way out.
Eric Newhill,
Bring it!
OK – just kidding, we couldn’t stop you militarily. But I don’t think you would have the stomach for subjugating people who look and sound just like you.
James,
Trudeau and his ilk do not sound just like me.
When I was a kid growing up in Michigan, my hockey team would travel to Canada in search of worthy competition. I used to fist fight Canuks in the parking lot after games as well as on the ice during the games. No hesitation with me and teammates doing our best to punch their lights out. We enjoyed it, actually.
That wouldn’t be good for Wall Steet, which launders the drug money. See Catherine Autin Fitts below;
https://ratical.org/co-globalize/narcoDollars.pdf
!It’s a big club, and you ain’t in it”! as George Carlin said.
Trump will always have his Amen Corner, even when they have moved to the churchyard. But let me remind them of the Pottery Barn Rule: If you break it, you buy it. The reality is that we will have an incompetent President again and this time he is being the B team. He caused a lot of damage the last time, which unfortunately too many ignored. Now we will deal with a second bite of the apple and not even his buddies on the Supreme Court will be able to ignore the effects. The House is up for election in 2 years and they will own every negative outcome created by Trump and the potentials are endless. It may start with concerns and move on to panic, but by that time, it will be too late. There once was a question about what you did in the war, Daddy. Now it will be: Did you vote for Trump? And if yes, you will own the results.
Lars,
Must have been terrible being a contracting in FL and not being able to make a living in the Trump years. You could always go back to that land you emigrated from.
Fred,
Are you Eric Newhill Sr.? I got tired of reading this from Eric Jr. posts: “You could always go back to that land you emigrated from”. If you guys are not related, my appology. I have the impression Eric is a college student posting from his mom/dad basement.
“Trump still doesn’t realize that tariffs are not a tax on foreigners, it’s a tax on Americans.”
That is true, but what people forget is that part of the reason for the huge trade deficit of the US is currency pegging from foreign countries.
China, EU, Japan, South Korea peg their currency at too low a value to the US dollar – which inflated the dollar value and thereby the purchasing power of the US consumer.
The US is getting an artificial living standard boost with a strong dollar.
The price has been the export of American industrial capacity to the trade surplus countries. A tariff eliminates that boost in living standard and helps create a return of industry by protecting domestic industry. (not necessarily a lot of jobs but the industrial capacity. The US can barely build their own naval ships)
Worth reading on the topic of trade.
https://www.hudsonbaycapital.com/documents/FG/hudsonbay/research/638199_A_Users_Guide_to_Restructuring_the_Global_Trading_System.pdf
https://carnegieendowment.org/china-financial-markets/2024/07/which-country-should-design-us-industrial-policy?lang=en
indeed. a policy shades of “If You Don’t Buy This Magazine, We Will Kill This Dog”, if a half-century out of date. about right… shallow state / old world order.
TTG,
Trump is willing to fight against tremendous evil in the form of cartels and their government partners. Funny that you have no problem taxing Americans to fight Russians in Ukraine, but are a surrender monkey of the first order when it comes to defending the US> Classic leftist government employee thinking.
Yes, the tariffs Trump is proposing would hurt Americans some for a time. They would hurt Mexico and Canuckistan more. There’s going to have to be some pain to overcome the pain that your camp created. Better an acute pain now, than a chronic pain under your defeatist ideology. You are to the US border and the cartels/illegal immigration/child trafficking/illegal drugs what English Outsider is to the Ukraine/Russia conflict.
Many MoHs have been awarded to guys with armed hand grenades desperately defending and attacking bunkers when everyone else is a casualty or hugging the deck in abject fear.
Eric Newhill,
Those tariffs will hurt Mexico and Canada only if US companies stop importing those taxed goods. They will definitely hurt those US companies who will pass the hurt down to the consumers.
TTG,
Yes, that is true. But the US companies raising prices to adjust to the tariffs means that demand will fall off and the US companies will both 1. decrease purchases from Mexican companies, which hurts Mexico 2. Begin to seek manufacturing INCONUS.
The trick is to set the tariffs at the right level so as to make it more affordable/profitable to bring manufacturing INCONUS than to continue with Mexico. Set the tariffs too low and, you’re correct, it would merely hurt the citizens of the US and US companies because it would still be cheaper to go to Mexico. Set them high enough and manufacturing comes home because home becomes cheaper than Mexico. Under that scenario, it will hurt US citizens and companies during the transition phase; the temporary pain to which I referred.
I think democrats are funny. All about taxation and the working class until it comes down to brass tacks, then it’s all about keeping prices as low as possible and needing sweatshop labor in foreign countries.
An economy is like a balloon. You squeeze it at one end and it bulges on the other. Everyone always wants to talk about the magnificent effects of their particular squeeze. You have to look at the whole balloon and tweak the squeeze so that the air is redistributed in a rational way.
These are not all or nothing situations
Eric Newhill,
True. If done with finesse and done with a plan, tariffs can be useful to shape both business and consumer behavior.
TTG,
No argument. Finesse and a flexible plan are the keys.
Btw, a related concept – there are only three ways to grow an economy.
1. Export more than you import
2. Become significantly more efficient with regards to use of your resources
3. Discover and develop new resources that are in high demand.
I include a better educated population under point 2
I earned a masters degree, in economics, from research 1 university. I know what I’m talking about. This is accepted science.
Eric Newhill,
Since you have an economics degree you know that every econ 101 textbook says that free trade is good and tariffs are bad because of the theory of comparative advantage.
Studwell’s book ‘How Asia Works’ describes in detail how Japan, South Korea and Taiwan used tariffs effectively – but it also describes how Indonesia and Philippines used them poorly.
It is a lot easier to use tariffs wrong than it is to use tariffs right – and I don’t here Trump talking about how he is going to create a US MITI.
James,
Yes, as TTG and I agreed, tariffs must be applied with finesse and the policy must be flexible so it can adjust rapidly.
Some economists of the free market stripe are absolutists. They can afford to be because they exist within academic bubbles. I have always been interested in – and worked in – the real world. I do believe in free markets to the extent realistically possible. However, when we are talking about international trade between very different cultures, where one of the countries has a material unfair advantage – like sweatshop labor, low work place safety regulations, minimum energy and environmental regulations, then tariffs can be used to bring the cost enjoyed by the advantaged country back to the level it would have if it faced the same labor inputs and same regulations.
Simultaneously, Trump can cut regulations and other costs in the US, another means of making US manufacturing more attractive that off-shoring. As he achieves that approach, he can proportionally lower tariffs.
Do you really think it is fair that the US must adhere to all manner of “green” laws and taxes while China does not have to? That is not a free market. That is a market rigged, by the international community, against the US.
I know we’re talking about tariffs as a weapon – or perhaps more a lever – against the corrupt government of Mexico, but as Fred noted, all of those immigrants and all of the illegal drugs impose huge social cost on the US.
Mexico does have an unfair labor cost advantage over the US with regards to manufacturing. So we have some interesting juxtaposition with unfair labor costs, specific industry advantages, social costs and tariffs. I’m interested in how it play out. All I know is that something as to be done about illegal immigration and hard drugs. Mexico must become motivated. The Tariffs can incentivize Mexico to act in the desired way. The US has an option. Produce domestically, lower superfluous regulations and taxes and endure some pain getting there. Mexico really doesn’t have an alternative except to complete the decline into 100% failed narco state – or they cam simply stop the flow of illegals and stomp out the cartels with US help. If I had to bet, I’d say Trump wins this hand.
Eric – it’d be better if the tariffs started off small so as not to cause too much disruption.
Better too if they could be imposed by arrangement with the affected countries. Give them time to plan for the necessary adjustments at their end.
That said, and although tariffs go against all economic orthodoxy, they’re essential. It’s quite impracticable to hope to bring industry back home whilst competing with cheap labour and concealed subsidies. Ricardo is dead!!!
Er, on the matter of taking over Canada, do please bear in mind it’s a member of the British Commonwealth. They are therefore our pals. Any territorial encroachments such as you propose and we’d have to come over and sort you out. Like we did in 1812.
EO,
By the time Trump is inaugurated will you even have a military at all?
Midnight over here, Eric, so I shall merely remark that it only takes one ship. Be very afraid.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capture_of_USS_Chesapeake
EO,
Sleep tight. Here’s a little 1812 story for you to wake up to.
Back in the 70s, we did an exchange training tour in Australia. A few of us were sitting/drinking in an Australian officers club. Along with us Yanks and Aussies, there were a few officers from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. They started singing some of their tunes. The Aussies did the same. Somewhat stumped because we don’t have a great tradition in such things, we belted out a spirited rendition of Johnny Horton’s Battle of New Orleans. The Aussies enjoyed it immensely. One of the Brits had a tear in his eye as he then recounted the experience of the 93rd Highlanders at New Orleans. They suffered horrific casualties at the hands of General Jackson’s boys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjXM6x_0KZk
Worst case scenario he’ll get some American industrial jobs back, which is not nothing.
Best case scenario, Mexico actually does something to secure their side of the border. I think that’s unlikely though. They would rather lose the industry and cry about it. It’s just easier.
I did quite well as a contractor in FL. I had Father Time and Mother Nature on my side. But I joined the Happy Monday Club a decade ago. Other than that, I have spent most of my time here on earth in the US. Mainly in FL. Since at an early age I found out that if there are no palm trees, you don’t want to live there. But it seems the Flat Earth Society is making a comeback and they will still be wrong.
I seemed to have missed Trump’s suggestions about curbing the DEMAND for illegal drugs in the US. As long as there is demand for something there will ALWAYS be someone willing to supply it.
A quick reading of US history would prove this point to anyone, but Trump isnt so big on reading is he? Maybe he reads his McDonald’s Big Mac boxes?
We, as a country need to ask ourselves why there is such demand for illegal drugs in the US. As a country, we seem hell bent on killing ourselves. A quick trip to a Walmart in flyover America will show you this. The amount of handicapped parking slots in these areas is easily double those in most urban Walmart areas. Why? Because there are so many Americans in flyover America that are completely unable to walk to shop for their groceries because they are morbidly obese. Massive rates of obesity and related health issues, people over dosing by the tens of thousands every year. Mass murder…..1 million Americans killed with firearms alone since the 1960s.
America is a country in love with killing themselves and each other. Figure out why and the drug issue will largely solve itself. But the American obsession with death, dying and suicide is a VERY hard question to get to the bottom of and Trump isnt interested in hard questions with no easy answers.
The “Make America Great Again” mantra seems to want to harken back to the days that created all of these issues in the first place.
Back when Mao was busy making China great again, his commies rounded up all of the opium addicts and shot them, hundreds of thousands, even a million+. I’ve seen videos of it (smuggled out of China).
In Islam they execute the dealers. In Singapore too.
Why are these non-American societies potentially so addicted to drugs and in love with killing themselves?
Why do you eat the extra pastry and then another and then another when you know you shouldn’t. Because you can afford it, it tastes good/makes you feel good, it takes no effort to put it in your mouth and the negative consequences aren’t immediate. Same as anyone else. Same as why people use drugs.
Since you are dripping with so much disdain for Americans, maybe you should join TonyL on his great bon voyage to some happier place.
“Why do you eat the extra pastry”
It’s a “known problem” AKA hyperbolic discounting of reward.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/480073.Breakdown_of_Will
JLD,
Interesting. I might purchase that book. Thx
Stefan,
Here is the scene in Canada – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwcp2mcOH0Y
Looks awful. No different than the worst American cities.
I also scanned videos about other countries. Looks about the same from Thailand to Scottland.
My son was a company commander in Afghanistan and worked closely with the ANA. The ANA were largely untrainable and combat ineffective for several reasons, but one big one was that they were zonked out of their gourds on cannabis and opium 24/7.
Social justice warriors, like you, ever searching for ways to demoralize the west by emphasizing tainted unflattering versions of history, like to point at Britain getting China hooked on Opium. The Chinese had no agency? They were the slant eyed version of the rural Walmart shoppers you hate so much?
It isn’t the American problem you want it to be. Drug addiction is a universal human problem. Fentanyl is the worst b/c it is so much more powerful, addictive and lethal. It’s everywhere and even less dangerous drugs are being cut with it.
My son was a company commander in Afghanistan and worked closely with the ANA. The ANA were …
Eric, I am sure it was a culture shock for most American troops …
What’s your & sons take on Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense? Would you say he is a perfect choice, since he probably thought & thinks about the US GWOT generally and Afghanistan and Iraq exactly what you and your son thought then? Post 9/11?
Leander,
I think I am accurately depicting my son’s perspective – he thought the rules of engagement were idiotic and stacked the deck against US troops. Same with the policy of transferring the fighting to the ANA. He also thought that the entire hell hole wasn’t worth trying to democratize and that it was mission impossible. He thought the US wasted huge amounts of money on all manner of stupid projects over there. He thought COIN was useless with such people. Basically, he thought the US shouldn’t be there other than to kill all of the Al Qaeda fighters and punish the Taliban sufficiently for hosting them. He thought the Army was too full of chicken shit, politically minded officers. That was after his first deployment as a company XO.
2/3 of the way through his second deployment as Company CO he was wounded in the head (that will probably make Stefan happy to hear). Now he’s 100% disabled and lives at a VA halfway house type arrangement. His opinion on Hegseth wouldn’t be fully coherent, if he even has one. My opinion is that Hegseth at least understands what my son and so many like him had to endure and will rectify some of it.
My daughter was Naval Intel (attached to the DIA). She does some contracting work now. I’ll have to ask her about Hegseth.
Correction – temporarily soft in the head on my part. She was *assigned* to the DIA, not “attached”.
She thinks Hegseth is a fine choice. A soldier’s soldier. Not a stuff shirt working first and foremost for the MIC or the woke movement.
He thought COIN was useless with such people.
Thanks, Eric. I thought about PL’s comments on COIN when I read an article on Hegseth by someone who, while he did not personally know him, came from the same place and by now wound up in the same profession. He assumed they both went to the same school, agewise slightly apart. It triggered a lot of memories about years gone by.
At what point post-9/11 did PL’s blog draw your attention?
Leander,
It was the build up to the invasion of Iraq. I called 100% BS on what the lying media and lying Bush admin was saying. I also called BS on the democrats for going along with the whole thing. I felt alone, howling in the wilderness, then I found Pat’s blog. I suspect that is the path many of the old regulars took.
Sadly, Pat’s anti-Iraq invasion and anti-neocon stances – both of which I agree with – also attracted leftists and agents of assorted foreign enemies who believed Pat’s stance left an open door and opportunity for leverage available to them. But mostly the “correspondents” were a mix of well-intentioned and knowledgeable folks. It was a good place to exchange ideas.
I really wasn’t very interested in politics at the time of 9/11. As you know, I have no warm feelings for muslims and I knew Bin Laden would bring terrorism to the US in a big way as he had been working his way up to it, but I knew that Saddam was far more secular and that, if the US attacked, he’d be replaced by Iranian aligned religious goons. I also became aware that Syria was on the neocons’ hit list and I was very familiar with the multiconfessional nature of Syria and the fair treatment of Christians, having some distant relatives still living there with whom my family periodically kept in touch and who had visited us a couple of times.
At the same time my son, who was a freshman in High school, was already thinking about an ROTC program for college – I barely talked him out of skipping college and straight up enlisting at age 17. Some of his friends had older brothers that enlisted soon after 9/11. They all wanted to go get those bastards that perpetrated 9/11. I understood that sentiment and respected it (still do). I knew he’d be in the thick of things some day. So “things” became more salient to me. My daughter is a couple years younger. She surprised me when she enlisted in the Navy right out of high school. I didn’t see that coming, but she’d be involved too. Pat’s blog was one of the few places where intelligent discussion occurred, and I learned quite a bit from the discussions.
Eric –
Let’s hope your Syrian cousins are OK because Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham terrorists are on the loose. out of Idlib and into Aleppo province. Although I don’t think they’re in the city yet thankfully.
Probably the Izzies bombing IRGC and Hezbollah in Syria has something to do with allowing terrorists to exploit the situation. Plus Putin being handed his arse in Ukraine.
It’s those unintended consequences that get you in the end.
Eric –
Reportedly video that terrorists are now inside Aleppo city limits. I don’t know if it’s true or bogus. But if true I’m hoping your kin can hunker down and stay safe.
https://bsky.app/profile/thomasvlinge.bsky.social/post/3lc3s6isie22t
Never would have happened if Putin had not sent his army into his neighbor’s country and lost several hundred thousand of them KIA, WIA, MIA.
He’s definitely NOT the four dimensional chess player that some useful idiots in the West believe him to be. He’s just a poor cretin trying to play checkers.
leith,
I will respectfully say that I think Putin recognized that the US/UK/Israel were going to filter insurgents into Russia through Ukraine the way we filtered insurgents into Syria using Turkey.
Russia has performed poorly in Ukraine militarily but I think one has to recognize that Elvira Nabiullina has done a damn good job fighting the economic war.
James,
Nabiullina has performed magnificently, but even she admits she’s running out of miracles.
Leith,
If you’re trying to get inside my head and cause me to turn on Israel, it won’t work. Same tactic has been tried by others. I do not blame Israel for doing what she needs to do to defeat her enemies – her core enemies are my core enemies – and they should be yours if you have any common sense.
That said, I do blame the US. The McCain/Clinton faction allowed Christians to be slaughtered and driven from their homes by ISIS and Al Qaeda, the latter being supported by the US and the former by the Saudis/Gulfies.
The US has too long a history of playing with fires that get out of control. The US should realize that islamic maniacs cannot ever be controlled and used – and any perceived gain derived from assisting them is strictly short-term.
US troops are in Syria. Why they are not stopping these insurgents who do, indeed, appear to be into the suburbs of Aleppo? Why isn’t Blinken negotiating with Syria – something along the lines of “back-off on Israel and we will back-off on sending the jihadist at you”? The answer is obvious and you know what it is too. You can blame the Russians all you want, but I blame the US for this one.
The positive news is that Trump, Gabbard, et al will put an end to this “Assad must go” nonsense. The damn fools in DC have learned nothing about creating vacuums in the MENA. Lord help us – how did we ever become cursed with such rotten knot heads in charge of such big matters? Again, their days of causing bloody trouble are coming to an end, thank goodness.
Eric –
Nobody is trying to get in your head. You are one suspicious son of a gun. I blame Russia more than Israel for allowing this terrorist revival. Iran IMO is a terrorist state. The Izzies were well within their rights to strike at the IRGC whether in Syria or Lebanon or Iraq or Yemen or Iran itself.
America never supported al Qaeda, you’re listening to too much Putin propaganda. US CentCom made numerous airstrikes against al Qaeda and ISIS in Syria. And elsewhere.
US bases in Syria are far from Aleppo. Al Tanf on the Iraq border blocks Iran from sending missiles by road. Ditto for Rmelan in the NE. And I doubt Centcom will send a/c from Iraq, Jordan or Qatar to bomb the terrorists in Aleppo City and risk killing innocent civilians. That’s a Putin tactic.
Leith,
Fair enough reasoning, on your part, on some of what you say. However, the US government’s – the McCain/neocon faction’s – “moderate” rebels were all al qaeda affiliated. Some, perhaps you among them, like to excuse that fact by saying they were not al qaeda affiliated at first, but then later joined forces with al qaeda because they were desperate or something when Al Assad wouldn’t just surrender and go into exile. The excuse really isn’t clear or well thought out – and it’s complete BS. McCain himself liked that excuse in the late phase of his and ISIS’ career.
My understanding is that they were always all jihadist factions under one flag or another and joining forces with al qaeda really wasn’t a big step for them ideologically. It was more a matter of accepting al qaeda’s command and control. So, yes, the US was supporting jihadists and, yes, also supporting al qaeda in the end.
a jihadist is a jihadist is a jihadist. The particular organization is of little importance. The ideology is the same. The means are the same and the desired end state is the same. I repeat that the US government is populated with fools who don’t seem to understand that; or, if they do, they mistakenly believe they can make deals with the devil and come out on top.
Then the US screwed around pretending that we couldn’t defeat a small bunch of cavemen driving around the open desert in technicals. The hope was that the maniacs could still be contained and aimed at the Syrian government. When the whole thing got totally out of control, the US allowed Russia to attack and the US began making a better effort itself.
Russia cannot allow Syria to fall because it needs the naval port. The US would like to deny the port to Russia while Israel would like to destroy the Syrian government because it is aligned with Iran. The fight in Syria is another front in NATO v Russia.
Eric –
You are correct about the Russian Naval Base in Tartus. It is their only overseas base. It is the only place for the repair and resupply of the 15 warships and auxiliary vessels of Putin’s Mediterranean Task Force. Without it those ships will have to leave the Med. Probably north to the Baltic because Turkey won’t let them into the Black Sea until there is peace in Ukraine. But Tartus and Russia’s Hmeimim Air Base are in Assad’s old neighborhood of Latakia province and I would bet that the rebels will never be able to take over there.
But you are dead wrong about al Qaeda. America has never supported them and has bombed the hell out of them and hit them with Special Forces raids whenever and wherever the opportunity arose – in Syria and elsewhere. Those airstrikes and SF raids were authorized by both Trump and Obama. Plus, American forces helped to protect thousands of Armenian and Syriac Christians in NE Syria from both al Qaeda and ISIS. It was American support to NE Syria that allowed those Armenians to finally teach schoolchildren in the Armenian language that had been banned by the Assad family for years.
By the way, Trump seems to have been a bigger enemy of Assad than McCain or Obama or Clinton ever was. It was Trump that sent in those huge air and missile strikes on the Syrian military after Assad’s chemical attack on Douma in April 2018. Don’t let your politics override historical facts.
Leith,
I don’t know where you are getting your info re; Armenians in Syria, but it is so far from reality I don’t even know what to say other than to wave the red flag and announce, “Maggie’s drawers”.
The primary Armenian community in Syria is in Aleppo. There have been Armenian churches and schools in Syria for hundreds of years – and Armenian has always been spoken in them. My grandmother attended on of the schools, which is how she managed to avoid dying when the Turks and Turks sacked her town; Urfa. The number of churches and schools has increased since 1920. I have never heard that Al Assad banned the language. If there was some effort to ban it, there was no follow through. Armenians have been speaking Armenian in Syria for centuries and right up to this very day.
Many Armenians serve in the Syria armed forces. Armenians are very loyal to Al Assad and Al Assad has, in turn, smiled favorably on Armenians. The relationship is solid. The Syrian army has been quite capable of protecting Christians. I know nothing of your alleged special protection by the small US armed forces contingency. As far my info has it, the US SF types were more interested in protecting (and working with) the Kurdish jackals than they were with protecting Christians. The Kurds are the kind of people that snake eaters gush over. Christian civilians and soldiers in the Syrian Army, not so much.
As an aside, where were the useful idiot bleeding hearts that cry over “genocide” in Gaza when savage jihadists were slaughtering Christians (and even a lot of non-Sunnie Muslims)? For the most part, the widespread murdering didn’t even make the MSM. The lefties’ and useful idiots’ hatred Christians probably had something to do with it.
I was not implying that the jihadists would seize Tartus in this most recent terrorist rampage. Rather, that the rebels could destabilize the Syrian govt and the new govt might be a problem for Russia. I’m sure that is the neocon wet dream.
I absolutely dispute your defense of McCain and your version of the history. The “moderate rebels” we kept hearing about from US govt people – and who they said we need to “support” – were indeed jihadists who did, indeed, join forces with Al Qaeda over time. That is a fact whether or not you like it.
Fortunately, the Syrian armed forces and Russia seem to have recovered from their initial shock and are now dealing death on the jihadi scum. The news feeds out of Aleppo are wonderful. They don’t censor like we do and they show film footage of the fighting and piles of dead jihadis. Love it. Will be a lot of grass growing in jihadi sectors in the Spring.
Leith,
” Trump that sent in those huge air and missile strikes on the Syrian military after Assad’s chemical attack on Douma in April 2018.”
The gaslighting is strong today. Did you miss all the commentary on the White Helmets regarding gas attacks in Syria? Trump’s “yuge” attack was a few cruise missles that destroy a hanger and killed a handful of people who didn’t get the message to be elsewhere. Is the official message from DOD that we are now at Taniff – inside Syrian sovereign territory – to stop Iranians? Great never ending war. Unlike Ukraine.
Col. Lang’s view of what we were doing in Syria differed from what’s be spoken about now.
https://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/2020/11/httpswwwdefenseonecomthreats202011outgoing-syria-envoy-admits-hiding-us-troop-numbers-praises-trumps-mid.html
Eric –
I’m aware that the majority of Syrian-Armenians live in Aleppo. There are also some smaller northeastern communities in Qamishli, Tell Abyad, Al-Hasakah, Al-Malikiyah and Ras al-Ayn. And there were also Armenians in Raqqa and Deir ez Zor but no longer. Many of those formed their own militias to protect themselves from ISIS. Later some formed a regular unit and joined the SDF.
https://anfenglishmobile.com/rojava-northern-syria/armenians-form-brigade-in-northern-and-eastern-syria-34462
https://www.newarab.com/news/syrian-armenians-start-studying-their-own-language
Fred –
That 2018 Trump strike was against the Barzah chemical research facility. It was completely destroyed. Two B-1B bombers hit it with 19 JASSM missiles and the USS Monterey, USS Higgins & USS Laboon hit it with 100 Tomahawks. Plus they also took out some SAM sites and suckered others with decoys. The Brits and the French took out the warehouses you mentioned.
Afterwards at a news conference Trump said of Assad’s use of poison gas: “These are not the actions of a man. They are crimes of a monster.”
By the way Trump also attacked Shayrat Airbase in Syria in 2017 with Navy Tomahawks. They destroyed hardened aircraft shelters, petroleum and logistical storage, ammunition supply bunkers, SAM defense systems, and radars. Initial U.S. reports claimed “approximately 20 planes” were destroyed.
Leith,
“It was completely destroyed”.
No it wasn’t.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barzah_scientific_research_centre
As Fred and I have said, Trump’s missile attack was a almost completely symbolic gesture for the US press. You don’t like Trump. That doesn’t mean you get to make up facts and create false history that fits with your ideology.
Eric Newhill,
Did you look at the before and after aerial photos of the facility at the top of that article? The three buildings allegedly involved with chemical weapons were obliterated. It was not a matter of liking or disliking Trump. Those buildings were obliterated by the Trump administration.
TTG,
First off, Leith said the facility was completely destroyed. It clearly was not. I don’t know what those three buildings were and neither do you. Maybe they were showers and a latrine.
The plant is still functional and its capacity to create chemical weapons has to be inspected. Here’s a relatively recent article – https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/03/1086462
Trump did not go full Roman on Syria as neocons wanted him to do once the White Helmets propaganda was released. He didn’t erase the plant and he didn’t even eliminate the plant’s ability to produce chemicals. He did the bare minimum to satisfy the blood thirsty neocons. It was pure theater.
Trump gave Syria a heads-up and did not blast Syrian targets with the full might of the US Armed Forces that were available to the operation.
I can’t even remember what the point is here. I think Leith is trying to say that Trump is just another war monger because he responded to the white helmets/MI6/CIA BS. Fred and I said that he really didn’t respond like a neocon. Then, somehow, the fact that he hit the chemical plant and said that Assad is a monster is supposed to be proof that Trump is wildly bellicose and just as bad as McCain, et al.
Then you come along and support the Leith’s assertion, sort of, by saying that, indeed, three whole buildings got flattened; failing to note that the plant is still producing chemicals to this very day.
Feh. Enough.
Eric Newhill
His first attack on the Syrian airfield was much as you described. That was 59 Tomahawks targeting aircraft, hardened hangers and POL infrastructure. That was more symbolic. The supposed chemical weapons facility a year later was hit precisely where the weapons were the suspected weapons were produced. The rest of the sprawling facility was not involved in chemical weapons production. Two suspected storage sites near Homs were also struck. Over 100 missiles were used against those three targets. You’re right in saying Trump was not aiming for regime change. His aim was to deter future chemical weapons attacks. It was not political theater
Eric –
It looks damn destroyed to me: https://metro.co.uk/2018/04/14/first-look-burning-remains-syrian-chemical-lab-airstrikes-7467036/
BTW I was praising Trump for authorizing those two strikes on Assad, not mocking him. Good on him for doing it. If they were symbolic gestures they did a hell of a lot of damage. Trump may not be my favorite, but he makes good use of his ‘good-cop-bad-cop’ routine.
The idea of invading Mexico is just lunacy. I have traveled there numerous times, starting in 1974. Large areas of the country is a guerilla’s dream. It would also be prohibitively expensive and you have millions of Mexicans living in the US and they would not be very happy about any such action. As has been pointed out, it is better to focus on the demand side. Once it may have been able to rule at gun point, but those days ended a long time ago. Just look at what happened in Viet Nam.
The biggest problem that I see, is that a radical right wing government will embolden a radical leftist response, with most people caught in the middle, but dealing with both intended and unintended consequences. I do find it interesting that Musk made some improbable suggestions and Trump put him in charge of implement them, for which he is not capable of, but when it becomes apparent that he can’t, he will be left holding the bag. But that is just one aspect of the circus coming to town. There is a lot more.
Lars,
Classic defeatist, anti-American, ignorant rhetoric. I have come to expect nothing less from our several foreign born whiner leftists.
Musk, who does better than NASA and makes $billions, can’t solve problems? As a complaining, small time, “contractor” you understand such matters better than Musk? Sure you do.
Drug cartels can take over Mexico, but the US government, properly led, cannot? The US could smash the Japanese empire and win against Germany in western Europe, but wouldn’t be able to defeat the Mexicans because guerillas?
Are you suggesting the Mexicans prefer to be run by murderous cartels?
I like how you assume that Americans of Mexican ancestry would oppose an invasion of Mexico to the point of causing trouble in the US. Do you understand that you’re saying that Mexican immigrants and the offspring of Mexican immigrants are as disloyal, treasonous and general lousy citizens as you are? You are actually making an argument that they shouldn’t be here, but, again, it is merely projection on your part. You are also lending support to the reasoning behind putting Japanese in interment camps during WW2. Bravo. Take a bow.
Mexican Americans – the legal ones at least – are, on a whole, good Americans and have served and fought with valor in every US foreign conflict.
Lars,
” you have millions of Mexicans living in the US and they would not be very happy”
They can go back, including all the ones who claim citizenship while being disloyal. Let them make Mexico great.
Hmmm…Fred what makes US citizens of Mexican heritage “disloyal”. During my military service time I served with several such who were very loyal.
Another figment of your biased imagination?
Al,
Why don’t you read what Lars you so you will understand that thing called ‘context’. Maybe you can ask Lars why those loyal Americans wouldn’t support the policy of the government of deporting people here illegally. Cheerio and happy thanksgiving.
Fred, you equate “not happy” with “disloyal” . From reading your prior posts it was apparent you were “not happy” with Biden’s administration.
Certainly “disloyal” per your own standards then!
Al,
Did you read the news about Biden sitting down and discussing the peaceful transfer of power to the man who is an existential threat to democracy?
They are all going back.
I learned a long time ago that for every complex problem there is a simple but wrong solution. Some of us also know that the world has changed a lot since I was born during WWII. Regarding Musk, let’s see how he deals with the Ikarus effect when it kicks in. Trump has already set him up as a patsy.
Oh look, now it comes out the Kamala knew she was behind the whole way…
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kamala-harris-campaign-polls_n_67462013e4b0fffc5a469baf?ef
I was sorry for her as a person but really, a Harris victory wouldn’t have done. You don’t get a primal force like Trump coming along very often and it would have been a pity to waste him. I don’t know whether it’s likely at all, but one hopes the genocide and Ukraine are out of the way by inauguration so he can get on with his reforms. Though one hopes that in any case. So much death.
Biden’s legacy. Trump’s not so big on leaving corpses all over the planet so even if they manage to block his reforms, he will not leave a similar legacy.
Is this man on the level? He’s very articulate when giving his reasons for changing sides.
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/marc-andreessen-tells-joe-rogan-why-he-backed-trump
James –
You claim “Putin recognized that the US/UK/Israel were going to filter insurgents into Russia through Ukraine the way we filtered insurgents into Syria using Turkey.”
That pure horsepucky James. Any insurgents from the US or UK would be DOA. FSB and the GRU have infiltrators within overseas Russian dissident groups and they would know in advance. The israelis probably have Mossad et al within Russia. But they are busy elsewhere and they’ve been trying to maintain good relations with the Kremlin.
Ukraine has thousands of spies and saboteurs within Russia but have not yet started any insurgent uprisings that I know of. Maybe soon?