I don't mean a shooting war, although I wouldn't rule it out. Anyone who has ever dealt with a toxic and stupid person knows how these things start. Someone feels entitled enough to bully a neighbor and former friend. It does not go well, and that's what has happened between the USA and its closest and oldest ally, Canada. It could all end tomorrow with a bit of contrition and good will from the American side, but it looks like Trump is only going to double-down, no matter what destruction results. I'm seeing an escalation of Anti-Americanism like I've never seen in my life. No one wants it, but no one seems able to stop it.
Watched a video a week ago from a Harvard Professor discussing "The happiest people in the world do these four things every day". He prefaced his conversation with this observation - they do not get overly involved in politics and limit their exposure - partaking in news with discretion and moderation. Excellent advice - I think there are a lot of very unhappy/unbalanced individuals posting here. He also observed polite people are absolutely happier than others. This non partisan video might be well worth watching for people interested in self reflection: The happiest people do these four things every day, says professor
I'm hearing that I'm too engaged in politics, and I should ignore it more. I do, but it's just too pervasive to ignore. I'm seeing a lot of things have changed
Starting a war is pretty easy, actually. It's stopping them or winning them that gets people out over their skis. Canada has a fine military, and it's unfair for Americans to think that they spend NOTHING for their status as a FOUNDING, full-fledged NATO member. They DO spend NEXT to nothing...... That means they're not in much of a position to start a war with ANYONE, nor is that anything that I think that they would be wont to do.
It fine to be suspect, but to refute with facts is another matter. Anyone can be a hater, negative to whatever the "other side" says. No-brain politics.
Zero Democrat Presidents ever stopped a war while five Republican Presidents did....according to a quick AI search....pretty interesting....
History speaks to this.... Although to be fair, E.J. didn't actually 'say the thing.' Known for his flinty disposition, he was asked about this later in the war by a VERY brave (or VERY attractive) Ensign, to which he replied something to the effect that...."No, I didn't say that....but had I thought of it I would have!" King's daughter said that the Admiral was the most even tempered person she knew...... He was ALWAYS in a rage. Yes. You want people like THAT around when the wolf comes. People who beat swords into plowshares often wind up plowing for people who do NOT.
When negotiating, sometimes the best solution is the stick, sometimes there's the carrot. The current administration seems to only comprehend beating people into submission using the stick. I get the negotiating tactics of starting with a draconian position, then negotiating to a final meeting point. But when you take on the whole world, beating everybody with a stick, the whole world will eventually rise up and beat you with their sticks all at once. The other guys know how to work together. The US doesn't hold all the cards, all the time. There are some things we don't make (yet), don't make because they can do it cheaper, or could never make. They'll nail us on all of that as hard and as long as they can, just to get us back for beating them with a stick. When I've tried to negotiate deals, I always try to look at it from the other point of view. See what I'd want in their place. Sometimes it's best to use the carrot. That's when you can find the win-win deals. Sometimes you lose a little to gain a lot. Sometimes it's a short-term loss but a long-term gain. I'd only use the stick when I had to.
Didn't Harry Truman stop a war? Or, was it FDR who started the process of stopping that war before he died? Did the politicians actually stop the war, or did they just take credit for what the warriors did? Maybe it was the ones that surrendered that stopped the wars? Meh.
Seems to me that Kennedy was planning to stop the Vietnam war before he was killed. Nixon stepped up the bombings and started a war in Cambodia.