The Kra Canal

[neverfail]

True. But I have this funny feeling that Thailand - like the Philippines - may prefer China to the US... At least the Chinese are polite while they screw you...

Sertorio,

Nobody in SE Asia prefers the Chinese to the US and that includes Chinese dominated Singapore.

It is only leftists or Socialists like yourself that does not like the US and prefer the enemies of the US no matter how odious.

Sertorio seems to be blind to the possibility that any foreign power, if dominant, might offer those incorporated within its sphere of influence a worse deal than the United States does,

[SteveFoerster]

True. But I have this funny feeling that Thailand - like the Philippines - may prefer China to the US... At least the Chinese are polite while they screw you...

Sertorio,

Nobody in SE Asia prefers the Chinese to the US and that includes Chinese dominated Singapore.

It is only leftists or Socialists like yourself that does not like the US and prefer the enemies of the US no matter how odious.

Sertorio seems to be blind to the possibility that any foreign power, if dominant, might offer those incorporated within its sphere of influence a worse deal than the United States does,

He's long expressed indifference to the plight of those living under even the most repressive regimes, so long as those regimes are geopolitical rivals to the U.S.

[cassowary]

True. But I have this funny feeling that Thailand - like the Philippines - may prefer China to the US... At least the Chinese are polite while they screw you...

Sertorio,

Nobody in SE Asia prefers the Chinese to the US and that includes Chinese dominated Singapore.

It is only leftists or Socialists like yourself that does not like the US and prefer the enemies of the US no matter how odious.

Sertorio seems to be blind to the possibility that any foreign power, if dominant, might offer those incorporated within its sphere of influence a worse deal than the United States does,

He's long expressed indifference to the plight of those living under even the most repressive regimes, so long as those regimes are geopolitical rivals to the U.S.

That's what scares me most about the left. Some of them take the side of the most repressive regimes. They are dangerous people.

[Sertorio]

True. But I have this funny feeling that Thailand - like the Philippines - may prefer China to the US... At least the Chinese are polite while they screw you...

Sertorio,

Nobody in SE Asia prefers the Chinese to the US and that includes Chinese dominated Singapore.

It is only leftists or Socialists like yourself that does not like the US and prefer the enemies of the US no matter how odious.

Sertorio seems to be blind to the possibility that any foreign power, if dominant, might offer those incorporated within its sphere of influence a worse deal than the United States does,

Indeed. Neither Russia nor China treat their "friends" and "allies" worse than the US does. Just a while ago the US decided to leave the INF Treaty, which means it has the intention of displayng such missiles against Russia. Which can only happen in Europe, and will automatically make Europe a target for Russian retaliation, and the field of battle of any future war with Russia. All that without asking for Europe's opinion and with total disregard for Europe's security. Faced with such an " ally" I definitely prefer to be friends with Russia...

[neverfail]

Indeed. Neither Russia nor China treat their "friends" and "allies" worse than the US does. Just a while ago the US decided to leave the INF Treaty, which means it has the intention of displayng such missiles against Russia. Which can only happen in Europe, and will automatically make Europe a target for Russian retaliation, and the field of battle of any future war with Russia. All that without asking for Europe's opinion and with total disregard for Europe's security. Faced with such an " ally" I definitely prefer to be friends with Russia...

Reading your post (above) it suddenly occurred to me that Donald Trump might be trying to " do a Ronald Reagan". You might recall how in the 1980's Reagan engaged the Soviet Union in an arms race the latter could not hope to win. Reagan won by literally driving the Soviet bloc into insolvency. The Soviet Union has a tottering economy and the USA a far stronger one.

Trump, observing the Russian economy from afar may have concluded that the state of the Russian economy today is not unlike that of the USSR in the 1980's and that therefore the USA can enjoy the same triumph all over again. If so then Trump may be in for a rude shock. When Reagan first took over the presidency from Jimmy Carter in 1980-81 the USA was still the biggest net creditor country in the world: indeed, the biggest the world had ever known (so much for the myth that Democrats administrations always handle the US economy badly ). Reagan left the US the world's biggest debtor nation and their national debt has multiplied ever since.

Succinctly, the USA today lacks the strength that gave it the clear advantage over the USSR back in the 1980's.

[cassowary]

Indeed. Neither Russia nor China treat their "friends" and "allies" worse than the US does. Just a while ago the US decided to leave the INF Treaty, which means it has the intention of displayng such missiles against Russia. Which can only happen in Europe, and will automatically make Europe a target for Russian retaliation, and the field of battle of any future war with Russia. All that without asking for Europe's opinion and with total disregard for Europe's security. Faced with such an " ally" I definitely prefer to be friends with Russia...

Reading your post (above) it suddenly occurred to me that Donald Trump might be trying to " do a Ronald Reagan". You might recall how in the 1980's Reagan engaged the Soviet Union in an arms race the latter could not hope to win. Reagan won by literally driving the Soviet bloc into insolvency. The Soviet Union has a tottering economy and the USA a far stronger one.

Trump, observing the Russian economy from afar may have concluded that the state of the Russian economy today is not unlike that of the USSR in the 1980's and that therefore the USA can enjoy the same triumph all over again. If so then Trump may be in for a rude shock. When Reagan first took over the presidency from Jimmy Carter in 1980-81 the USA was still the biggest net creditor country in the world: indeed, the biggest the world had ever known (so much for the myth that Democrats administrations always handle the US economy badly ). Reagan left the US the world's biggest debtor nation and their national debt has multiplied ever since.

Succinctly, the USA today lacks the strength that gave it the clear advantage over the USSR back in the 1980's.

You forget that the US economy is nearly $16 trillion while the Russian economy is only $2 trillion. No way can Putin compete in an arms race with the US.

[cassowary]

True. But I have this funny feeling that Thailand - like the Philippines - may prefer China to the US... At least the Chinese are polite while they screw you...

Sertorio,

Nobody in SE Asia prefers the Chinese to the US and that includes Chinese dominated Singapore.

It is only leftists or Socialists like yourself that does not like the US and prefer the enemies of the US no matter how odious.

Sertorio seems to be blind to the possibility that any foreign power, if dominant, might offer those incorporated within its sphere of influence a worse deal than the United States does,

Indeed. Neither Russia nor China treat their "friends" and "allies" worse than the US does. Just a while ago the US decided to leave the INF Treaty, which means it has the intention of displayng such missiles against Russia. Which can only happen in Europe, and will automatically make Europe a target for Russian retaliation, and the field of battle of any future war with Russia. All that without asking for Europe's opinion and with total disregard for Europe's security. Faced with such an " ally" I definitely prefer to be friends with Russia...

Why does Europe (except for diehard communists/socialists like you who pine for old days) want the US to protect them from Russia? The US is risking its cities getting nuked by the Russians to protect Europe.

[Sertorio]

Why does Europe (except for diehard communists/socialists like you who pine for old days) want the US to protect them from Russia? The US is risking its cities getting nuked by the Russians to protect Europe.

In my very modest opinion, no cities will be nuked in any future war with Russia. Americans and Britons may be warmongers but they aren't suicidal, and neither are the Russians. It will be a war between military machines and, outside that, only war equipment factories will be targeted. Tactical nuclear weapons will be used though. Since such war will be fought on sea and on the European continent, Europeans would be, once more, the main victims of an American started conflict. Reason why you can be sure that Europeans definitely do not want the US to "protect" them from Russia.

[Jim the Moron]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, folks in Bangkok are scrambling about to find nuke-resistant shelters . . .

[cassowary]

Why does Europe (except for diehard communists/socialists like you who pine for old days) want the US to protect them from Russia? The US is risking its cities getting nuked by the Russians to protect Europe.

In my very modest opinion, no cities will be nuked in any future war with Russia. Americans and Britons may be warmongers but they aren't suicidal, and neither are the Russians. It will be a war between military machines and, outside that, only war equipment factories will be targeted. Tactical nuclear weapons will be used though. Since such war will be fought on sea and on the European continent, Europeans would be, once more, the main victims of an American started conflict. Reason why you can be sure that Europeans definitely do not want the US to "protect" them from Russia.

Europeans don't want the US to protect them???

Poland offers US up to $2B for permanent military base

Poland wants a permanent U.S. military presence — and is willing to pony up as much as $2 billion to get it, according to a defense ministry proposal obtained by Polish news portal Onet.

The Polish offer reflects a long-standing desire in Warsaw to build closer security relations with the U.S. and put American boots on the ground. The push dates back to Poland’s entry into NATO in 1999, but has taken on added urgency in the wake of Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region four years ago and aggressive posture toward the alliance.

What planet are you living in?