The Trump presidency

[CRI]

people actually use the word 'cuck' verbally, as opposed to some wanker typing it on the internet next to a picture of a frog?

Well, I've only seen it in writing, but it's possible. Weird neologism that manages to dig at conservatives and "femininised" men with a dash of anti-semitism inside a profoundly stupid sounding wrapper.

 

[Pickman's model]

59 cruise missiles cost $200 million; but the US can't afford to fund Meals On Wheels.

'can't afford to' being in this instance 'won't'

 

[kebabking]

I thought they were $600,000 - still even at $2m a pop it stops somewhat short of $200m.

Inflation, and upgrades - the originals were fairly simple beasts, but the newer ones are much more complicated.

The 200m thing is the standard facebook accounting, just round any defence related cost up to the next 100 million. Accuracy not required...

 

[bimble]

Well, I've only seen it in writing, but it's possible. Weird neologism that manages to dig at conservatives and "femininised" men with a dash of anti-semitism inside a profoundly stupid sounding wrapper.

I think it's just the 'globalists' who tend to be Jews, with cuck more of an equal opportunity thing?

 

[CRI]

I think it's just the 'globalists' who tend to be Jews, with cuck more of an equal opportunity thing?

Maybe so. Gah, but how incredibly stupid it sounds, along with all the snowflake and cupcake bollox, too.

 

[CRI]

Secure room, in a golf resort, my ass!

 

[Pickman's model]

View attachment 103824

Secure room, in a golf resort, my ass!

that's the mar-a-lago secure room, so you have to make allowances.

 

[TomUS]

And then they'd hide the runways?

The runways weren't targeted. The planes were.

 

[butchersapron]

The runways weren't targeted. The planes were.

I reckon that planes, hangars, runways and supporting infrastructure/technologies were all targeted.

 

[teqniq]

And then they'd hide the runways?

Lol no, but apparently they moved most of their planes.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Lol no, but apparently they moved most of their planes.

Not much use without runways.

 

[TomUS]

I reckon that planes, hangars, runways and supporting infrastructure/technologies were all targeted.

The news coverage I've seen specifically said the runways were not targeted and were not hit, but the other things you listed were. I don't understand why they didn't crater the runways.

 

[CRI]

that's the mar-a-lago secure room, so you have to make allowances.

AKA - repurposed conference break out room, or spa staff break room, or some such.

 

[CRI]

The runways weren't targeted. The planes were.

All the better to keep the useful infrastructure, my dear.

Civilians? Not so useful.

 

[butchersapron]

All the better to keep the useful infrastructure, my dear.

Civilians? Not so useful.

Eh?

 

[bimble]

View attachment 103824

Secure room, in a golf resort, my ass!

The red tie thing is concerning, those seated closest to the Boss all practicing the flattery of imitation?

 

[kebabking]

The news coverage I've seen specifically said the runways were not targeted and were not hit, but the other things you listed were. I don't understand why they didn't crater the runways.

Two reasons - firstly that Tomahawks still aren't brilliant at destroying hardened targets, they aren't heavy/dense enough, they don't hit the ground fast enough, so they don't burrow into the concrete/steel before they detonate. Effectively they just explode on the surface, and while that's fine for most of the stuff on an airbase, it won't have an effect on runways that can't be repaired fairly quickly.

The second is the political version of the above - if you can broadcast pictures of your blokes filling in holes in runways you can say 'look at us, brushing off the enemies attacks' and give your people a badly needed morale boost (see the Argentine Air Force at Stanley airfield during the Falklands war for a good example..). What they won't be showing is the still burning fuel farm, the shredded ATC tower, the radars and any aircraft that happened to be about.

A good part of this attack is simply what means were available at short notice for an off-the-cuff strike - and with no risk. If they were serious they would have waited another 24 hours, used Tomahawks, other, much more expensive missiles and stealthy aircraft to destroy the defences, then flattened the whole airfield with B-1 bombers and tactical fighters dropping more appropriate bombs.

That, however carries both political and human risks, so they went with Tomahawks to do the whole thing.

 

[camouflage]

View attachment 103819

I don't think Bannon will win here, not against Mr Daddys-little-princess. Bannon will be long-knifed soon enough, one could say the point has already gone in considering him being kicked off the NSC. I wonder how much of a scene he'll make going out the door.

 

[CRI]

The red tie thing is concerning, those seated closest to the Boss all practicing the flattery of imitation?

And red = GOP, blue = Democrat

I know.

Also in the US - first prize ribbon is blue, in the UK it's red. Evidently Canada follows the UK in this, dammit!

 

[CRI]

I don't think Bannon will win here, not against Mr Daddys-little-princess. Bannon will be long-knifed soon enough, one could say the point has already gone in considering him being kicked off the NSC. I wonder how much of a scene he'll make going out the door.

Substitute "C" for "F" in the final word.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Acting on Instinct, Trump Upends His Own Foreign Policy

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/world/middleeast/syria-attack-trump.html?_r=0



... and only 3 years, 9 months, and 14 days left in his term.

I wonder what his instincts will bring us next?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Some Arab Twitter users have dubbed Trump 'Abu Ivanka'.

It has a nice ring to it.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

It was difficult to reconcile the anguished president with the snarky critic of American engagement who, from the comfort of private life, advised President Barack Obama not to strike Syria after a chemical weapons attack in the suburbs of Damascus three years ago.

“President Obama, do not attack Syria,” Mr. Trump said on Twitter in September 2013. “There is no upside and tremendous downside. Save your ‘powder’ for another (and more important) day!”

And it is not easy to square Mr. Trump’s empathy for the victims of a single chemical weapons attack with his refusal to take in thousands of Syrian refugees from years of strife that have turned that country into a charnel house. Relaxing that policy did not come up in the president’s deliberations over striking Syria, his advisers said.

 

[teqniq]

Not much use without runways.

No indeed but it seems they've airfields elsewhere that they've moved the planes to. Apparently though this one is strategically important for protecting particular government held areas or so it said on Twitter earlier but i was on my phone so didn't look into it closer. Also I read someplace ages ago that if you want to degrade an opponent's air capability in any serious fashion you go after the personnel first, particularly the pilots as they take rather a lot of time and resources to train, then you go after the planes. Obviously there'll be more to it than that but as a premise I can see the logic. Now the US notified the Russians who almost undoubtedly told the regime, giving them enough time to move their people and planes away, last time I looked there were six soldiers dead, a fair few destroyed buildings and no destroyed runways so 59 cruise missiles at approximately 2.6 billion dollars a pop is according to google's calculator somewhere in the region of 153 billion. So what the fuck was that all about? Sending a message I suppose without really pissing off the Russians, a very expensive and imo somewhat ineffectual one too. Predictably the only real winner is Raytheon, the manufacturer of the missiles whose share price went up after the strike.

 

[butchersapron]

Those billions are annoying me.

 

[teqniq]

Well it is pretty obscene isn't it?

 

[Dandred]

Shall we go and protest now?

 

[butchersapron]

Well it is pretty obscene isn't it?

It's millions.

 

[teqniq]

Aha so it is! I misread. 'A combined worth of 2.6 billion' Absolutely knackered so should leave off now. Still a fuckload of money that could be usefully spent elsewhere.

 

[kebabking]

Shall we go and protest now?

Nah, I've just had my tea - fish and chips, in the garden in glorious sunshine if you're interested...