Josh has been on this today to TPM Prime members. Being a member has some advantages.
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sorry, dyslexed it: was thinking Bush II and Trump, 43 & 45. Fixed now. Thanks.
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Thanks
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Even with Chinese support, Pakistan doesnât have the upper hand. China wonât engage in a military confrontation with India, because that means a military confrontation with the United States. Beyond that, even with the Chinese roadbuilding programs, China canât easily mobilize a large number of forces to their western border, which theyâd need to if they were going to support Pakistan against the Indian military.
In addition, itâd put China in a weaker position in regard to Russiaâs influence and pressure on satellite states like Kyrgyzstan.
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Exactly.
Yep. Corruption and isolation. Every little fiefdom for itself. So of course theyâre cutting deals⌠and theyâll find themselves welcomed and smiled at until the moment when theyâre removed at gunpoint, one by one.
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He did. Not the best hand, but by no means a foregone conclusion. The military had held out on Trump just to give Biden at least a slight shot at status quo.
Partial list of countries not currently undergoing occupation or avoiding (in some cases additional) humanitarian disaster and slaughter due to continued American forces presence:
Kosovo, Ukraine, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Georgia, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan âŚ
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Isnât a big chunk of Ukraineâs eastern edge still occupied by Totally-Not-The-Russian-Military?
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5 dead and 40 shot in Chicago so far this weekend. No where near me but so close.
Afghanistan what?
Agreed, one little skirmish andâŚ
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But TFG was the real deal.
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The WaPo has a piece about it but it seems the consensus that bribery is why anything happens there at all.
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All three countries â Pakistan, China, and India â have nukes, and Pakistan lacks the sophisticated delivery systems that China and India have for their nukes. That tends to put a cap on how hot regional conflicts can get in the region. It may not work forever but itâs working so far.
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Yes, but the rest would have been as well except that we rapidly moved into the Western part and began building up strong relationships.
Iâll never forget sitting across the table from a crusty old Ukrainian Colonel, a veteran of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, in a former Soviet facility with our own Colonels on my side of the table and us meeting as allies against his literal former bosses.
There are some amazing things going on out there that donât get nearly enough visibility as to how just a minor presence of ours helps to maintain even a shaky amount of some peace.
Same with Georgia, yes, the Russian occupation of portions, but a continuous Marine presence since then to keep the rest from falling.
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Good point.
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In 2014 when the Iraqi security forces, trained by the US military, cut an ran when ISIS came knocking on Mosulâs door should have been a wake up call.
I have to wonder why the Kurds with all their troubles consistently seem to stand and fight.
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Looking at the very rapid deployment of troops to cover the evacuation of the embassy, Iâm not completely convinced that it was not predicted. This looks like something they were ready for.
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My best guess is youâre probably right.
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Pretty much a model for certain white supremacist mobs in this country, actually.
Because the Kurds are used to being shit on, and used to protecting themselves from the nation-states they supposedly belong to.
Seriously, weâre not gonna get any peace in the middle east until we blow up the 1918 borders.
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