Fran,
Yep. Pompeo is a piece of work.
Unfortunately I think Bolton (another piece of work) will replace Mcmaster as early as Friday, by early next month at the latest. In the March for our lives post I saw Mcmaster would be gone by the end of this week, but had no idea Bolton was on tap for his replacement. I didn't see Tillerson being ousted either.
Zoron, I think this is Trump's counter coup you spoke of somewhere. The recent deaths of multiple Russian spys are tied in here. Manafort's life is on the line if he talks. 350 years in prison is better for him than flipping on Trump at this point. None of this looks good for peace.
Yeah, unfortunately, I totally agree with everyone's insights and comments. Trump, the stable genius who campaigned on the stupidity, cost and futility of all the never-ending wars we're in, is now setting up the internal chess players who will eagerly get us into more useless wars. Out with the voices for reason; in with the sycophant war-mongers supported by a totally complicet and compliant majority party. It's deeply alarming, especially because right now Trump seems particularly emboldened and determined to do whatever he wants. And, of course, a good war would be a distraction from Mueller and all that goes with him.
So, McMaster may be out by tomorrow, and it appears that he is certainly on his way out soon. https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/15/politics/hr-mcmaster-trump-replacement/index.html
I feel like things are accelerating at a very rapid pace.
I think we are now almost approaching the endgame. This situation is, if not the beginning of the end, the end of the beginning. We are now in a transition phase, where steps are going to be taken that are irreversible, and which will determine the fate of america over the next 20 years. At the moment, I do so some sort of conflict over North Korea, as the ultimate outcome. How that will play out, depends on the events this Summer in Washington. It could go several ways. The timeline has not settled into its track yet. it could swerve off into something else, but by August we will have some strong indications of how it is going to play out. I think that now Trump has nailed his flag to the mast, on this one, he will bulldoze through things until he get what he wants, and he will do whatever it takes not to get into a situation where he is seen to be the loser in this situation. Ultimately, this is what is going to lead to disaster over korea. His fear of being made to look a loser. Please see my other posts on this, and read in sequence. You can see then how it develops. I think that the outlines are now established. Elements in the American deep state, who Trump has to satisfy, are already taking various actions to trip up and wreck anything that they do not like the look of. By end of the Summer, this particular dog fight is over, a clear outcome of who is the winning faction, and what they want, will happen. We are in for an interesting Summer. I do not think any war will spread out from any Korean conflict. it will be confined to Asia. The japanese are making their own plans. (They regard Trump as a mad, uncivilised White barbarian, who will probably get them all killed, by his actions.). The Japanese may take maverick action. Also, I am picking up that Putin is looking at all the angles on this one. He seeks to turn Korea to his advantage. There are even ideas floating around in Moscow that triggering a conflict by the Americans would be a good thing, as it would greatly damage them, if that is required. Russia would appear to not be involved. I have also picked up the possibilities, of an attack on an American warship, by a submarine. quite who is responsible is not clear, if this happens. Basically, we are now all hostages to events, and to fate.
You do realize that USA can't go to war without Congress' approval even with those hawks in the administration. One general says the army can reject an illegal strike, and an admiral said there is no such thing as a "bloody nose" strike. I do hope March 20th doesn't have any real news about Santa Catalina Island or a Korean sub. That was one of your predictions. If this came false, then it'll be a good sign for us.
So far, we have so far not seen anything that indicates a nuclear war will happen. If it's going to happen, our experience has been that we'd see some visions of it by now. And we've have not.
I feel Zoron is picking up on the horrible possibilities, the interactions and thoughts of the players, and that we may come closer than ever before, but he has not said it will actually happen.
Visualize peace, everyone. Visualize that Trump is removed from power one way or another, that he is silenced as he should be, that he is brought down once and for all. Do you really think that powerful billionaires like Tillerson, the Koch's, the generals, even the Mercers, as crazy and selfish as they are, are going to sit around and watch Trump hit the nuclear button and risk entire U.S. cities? And, as Dillon said, He needs Congress to approve a war.
Dillon - the US can't officially go to war without an Order of Congress. The War Powers Act (1973) is supposed to serve as a check on Presidential power to use military force, however it's frequently been sidestepped. Congress hasn't officially declared war since the day after the Pearl Harbor Attack (1941).
Here is a list of wars that were fought without congressional approval: *Korea*, Vietnam, Gulf War, Iraq War, Afghanistan.
Also, illegal military actions in: Kosovo, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Cambodia, El Salvador, Cuba, and many more I can't remember now.
It's not reasonable to think that the current administration cares about dotting i's and crossing t's.
I would second what Laura said and add that Congress doesn't WANT to have to make that decision. They have tied themselves in knots to claim that that original "use of force" resolution from the second Gulf War applies to any use of force, anytime, anywhere. Yes, they are ducking their responsibility and giving away immense power to the president.
At least the Iraq War needed a resolution to authorize military attacks on Iraq. Plus, like I said, read this:
Even without Congress's approval for officially going to war, they still needed a resolution to attack. The generals should know that they shouldn't attack North Korea without an authority.