International National News

US Flexing Military Muscle at Home and Abroad

“He expressed the conviction that it would make a greater leap forward in this spirit to send a bigger ‘gift package’ to the Yankees,” -KCNA, NK news agency quoting Kim Jong-un

The US to North Korea: “Back the hell off!”

The US positions full installation of THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) anti-missile system in South Korea. President Moon Jae-in who was purportedly elected partly based on his willingness to make nice with DPRK’s Kim Jong-un was “shocked” to learn his Defense Minister approved four more US launchers to the two deployed in March.

“Moon had campaigned on a more moderate approach to Pyongyang, calling for engagement even as the reclusive state pursues nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions and threats of more sanctions.

The Pentagon said it had been “very transparent” with South Korea’s government about THAAD deployment. “We continue to work very closely with the Republic of Korea government and we have been very transparent in all of our actions throughout this process,” Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis told a news briefing.”

An interesting twist in SK/US/China/NK cooperation.

“A South Korean conglomerate [‘Lotte Group is the fifth-largest conglomerate in South Korea and one of the country’s major foreign retail operators in China’] has landed itself in hot water in China after it agreed to provide land to host a US-backed missile shield system that Beijing has labelled a strategic threat to its national security. “

The US arms Kurdish fighters in Syria much to the dismay of Ankara. 

“The United States said on Tuesday it started distributing arms to Syrian Kurdish militia battling to help retake the city of Raqqa from Islamic State, moving ahead with a war plan that has angered NATO ally Turkey.”

…

“Turkey views the YPG as the Syrian extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which has fought an insurgency in southeast Turkey since 1984 and is considered a terrorist group by the United States, Turkey and Europe.

The United States regards the YPG as a valuable partner in the fight against Islamic State militants in northern Syria.

Washington says that arming the Kurdish forces is necessary to recapturing Raqqa, Islamic State’s de facto capital in Syria and a hub for planning attacks against the West.”

Perhaps some confusing of purpose?

The US fires Interceptor Missile from California.

“The U.S. military on Tuesday cheered a successful, first-ever missile defense test involving a simulated attack by an intercontinental ballistic missile, in a major milestone for a program meant to defend against a mounting North Korean threat.”

…

“‘This system is vitally important to the defense of our homeland, and this test demonstrates that we have a capable, credible deterrent against a very real threat,’ Vice Admiral Jim Syring, director of the agency, said in a statement.”

Why is it critical to test ICBM?

“A 2016 assessment released by the Pentagon’s weapons testing office in January said that U.S. ground-based interceptors meant to knock out any incoming ICBM still had low reliability, giving the system a limited capability of shielding the United States.”

One more thing…

During a somewhat heated debate with a commenter in an RS community thread a day or so ago, the Trump supporter explained to me that President Donald “Trump is a neophyte.”  In fairness, this person was only following the same credulity we NeverTrumpers, Anti-Trumpers, NeverAgainers, TrumpHaters (whichever moniker suits the fancy) have heard time again. The Donald is new to government, not a politician (an op-ed for another day) therefore not responsible for things like body slamming a fellow world leader, blah, blah, blah … golly the list is truly endless.

Given the poster’s astute evaluation of Trump, it must carry that while the Office of the President of the United States deserves the utmost respect, neophyte Trump does not…yet. If “inexperience” excuses are made for Trump’s mistakes, the one who excuses, if true to themselves, can only conclude a neophyte has absolutely no legitimacy publically back-handing our NATO allies.

The context of Trump’s NATO speech was founded. His lecture was widely lauded (sans some in the MSM) as tough love and courageous. But the truth is whether the Trump supporter chooses to accept or not, until his bona fides have naturally developed by a good year or so in the arguably most complex, stressful, influential office in all the land, my advice to his avid supporters is to quit it.

Listen to yourselves. I mean really listen to your inner self. In my opinion, you are correct. Trump is a rookie, a novice, a greenhorn (you gotta love Power Thesaurus!). Excusing him for expected errors is reasonable and understandingly defensible, even by my NeverAgainer admission. However, when he stretches the limits of common sense it doesn’t benefit his credibility, it makes Trump supporters look foolish and blind, gives folks like me fodder to ridicule and does nothing for our country.

Welcome to RedState’s WaterCooler! It’s the Company’s only Daily open thread. Chinwag til your heart’s content below. Enjoy!