Trump (cont): Nothing to see here, nope not a Russian in sight

[CaveMum]

Sorry for the rubbish title but I couldn't see a new thread!

Sticks fingers in ears

I admire your optimism, CaveMum! For the first time since we left, I am seriously considering moving back to Switzerland and clearing out all the "stuff" we keep in our cellar nuclear shelter there (built-in, in accordance with Swiss law) and becoming a "Prepper".

I strongly feel that the NK regime is horrific and that there will come a time when it is gone where we will all look at the horror and feel pretty damn ashamed it was allowed to happen. However, that doesn't mean getting shouty and chucking bombs about is going to help anyone. NK is ruled by a terrifyingly unstable dynasty of crazies that make Trump look positively cuddly. If they are backed into a corner they will strike out. They have to in order to maintain the family brand of godlike beings who can do no wrong. They can't be seen to be weak or fail.

So..If we all survive an exchange of missiles what next? If the NK regime falls we have a country and people that exists in a parallel world to the rest of the planet. Nobody knows exactly what we would find, but we know it will be bad. How the hell do we manage that? I have read theories that the main reason that nobody has yet got rid of the NK regime is not because they would be difficult to take out, but because the difficulty of dealing with the population and getting the country onto any kind of stable footing is just too big and expensive a job.

Any engagement with NK needs to be carefully planned and thought through with a complete understanding of the consequences of any action taken. I would love to see the NK regime toppled for humanitarian reasons, but i don't want to see a horrific war started just for the North Koreans to end up even more screwed than they already are.

Can I poke my nose in and ask in a naive way - where are the checks and balances, the Cabinet, Congress? How can he do so much with seemingly no external restraint or tempering?

Any engagement with NK needs to be carefully planned and thought through with a complete understanding of the consequences of any action taken.

And there we have it, Bigly. I'm afraid, in today's world, that is unlikely to happen. Have you seen the idiot Trump supporters on Twitter, proud of MOAB, as if waging war/dropping bombs "on ISIS" (as if) will MAGA?

I've also seen rumblings of the possibility that the bomb could have damaged the local water supply. That affects civilians and people are murmuring the words "war crime" here and there. Also keep in mind that we never hear about civilian deaths right away.. It's always at least a day or two after as they tend to try to keep that quiet as long as possible to bask in the glory of their bombing. 🙄

From Twitter

BREAKING: Trump drops entire budget for Meals on Wheels, Planned Parenthood, NEA & school lunch programs on Afghanistan this morning.

DH has helpfully told me this morning that there are degrees of nuclear weapon (he's in the RAF). There are "tactical nukes" which are designed to be used on the battlefield, with a smaller yield but still a devastating effect.

36 Isis fighters killed seems like a pretty piddly number for such a large and expensive bomb. I haven't seen anyone claiming they were particularly important either. It would make more sense if they where have some sort of James bond style evil terrorist meeting at the time or were hiding stock piles of weapons in the basement, but so far it just seems to be a handful on unspecified people who may have just been cleaners and plumbers for all we know. I guess more details will come out in time.

F* me! I'm going full body suit!
Bigly thanks for the threads - I'm keeping up...just.

I am not entirely convinced this administration is capable of being tactical about anything cave, least of all nukes.

In response to nbcs report about the possibility of a preemptive nuclear strike:

Jennifer Griffin‏ @JenGriffinFNC

Multiple sr defense officials say this report is "wildly wrong" "crazy." Pentagon pushing back on NBC report, call it "extremely dangerous."

Will McAvoy‏ @WillMcAvoyACN
This is a time when having the credibility to deny press reports is important, and Trump administration has none.

Bigly - I think you are me, but with more bigly, better, braggadocious words than wot I've got

Anyone else feeling nervous about this???

Guardian news‏Verified account @guardiannews 4m4 minutes ago
Is France finally ready to choose Marine Le Pen as president? dlvr.it/NtcWbj

You've never seen me before. It wasn't me talking to those Russians. And the money was for my cat's manicure.

edition.cnn.com/2017/02/02/politics/south-dakota-corruption-bill-republican-repeal/index.html

South Dakota GOP uses 'emergency' rules to repeal anti-corruption law

Looks like it was packed with protesters too. 2018 will be an interesting year.

It's scary shit isn't it. I'm trying not to get rattled but I don't like this NK development as I think both Trump and Kim Jong-un are psychopaths.

Apparently* there was supposed to be 800 ISIS fighters in the target area rather than the 36 deaths now claimed.

Bigly intelligence failure.

• caveat: according to D Mail.

The Independent‏Verified account
@Independent

Following
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Trump team deletes page on State Department website outlining US policy on cluster bombs ind.pn/2oGcz7D

Thing is the underground network of tunnels have been destroyed so it's going to have an impact on the way they operate (hopefully). I suspect if they are forced out in the open then they will be easier to target from the air with drone attacks.

www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/14/north-korea-blames-donald-trumps-aggression-amid-nuclear-test-crisis

I have a horrible growing sense of doom. Easter weekend may go something like this-

NK tests nuke, Trump fires off some missiles at NK, NK nukes Japan...

No bun don't let's think that

Why would NK automatically nuke Japan if Trump nukes them? Why would they not attack a US target?

The Independent‏Verified account @Independent 14m14 minutes ago
This Holocaust survivor has a powerful message for Sean Spicer www.indy100.com/article/holocaust-survivor-roam-kent-sean-spicer-press-secretary-mic-video-7683421 …