Donald I, emperor of the world.

[C R]

Much has been made of the parallels between the rise of christian fascist fundamentalism in the US and the christofascist state Gilead imagined by Margaret Atwood.

By all measures, life in Gilead was a nightmare, but there was a small mercy in that Gilead was isolated and isolationist. In the story, Canada becomes a haven for refugees from Gilead.

It appears, though, that Atwood didn't count on lunatic megalomaniacs like Trump being in power. What seems like might be coming sooner rather than later is a rapidly expansionist Gilead

https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2024/12/23/maga-means-imperialism/#comments

Imagine the taliban, but the military might of the US and Russia behind them. Are you scared yet?

 

[Rusty Nails]

Much has been made of the parallels between the rise of christian fascist fundamentalism in the US and the christofascist state Gilead imagined by Margaret Atwood.

By all measures, life in Gilead was a nightmare, but there was a small mercy in that Gilead was isolated and isolationist. In the story, Canada becomes a haven for refugees from Gilead.

It appears, though, that Atwood didn't count on lunatic megalomaniacs like Trump being in power. What seems like might be coming sooner rather than later is a rapidly expansionist Gilead

https://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2024/12/23/maga-means-imperialism/#comments

Imagine the taliban, but the military might of the US and Russia behind them. Are you scared yet?

No.

 

[C R]

No.

Denial.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Denial.

Nah, just not into Doomsday Internet debates.

What with Putin, Xi Jingping and now Trump, not to forget the rise of fascism not seen since Germany in the 1930s here in the UK, I have too much on my plate already worrying about whether Smithy accepts Nessa's proposal.

 

[icowden]

Denial.

That's in Egypt

 

[C R]

That's in Egypt

No, in Australia

https://maps.app.goo.gl/E5hQBL32TSL9yk5z8

 

[C R]

Well, Denmark for one seems to be taking Trump's blathering seriously. Better safe than sorry.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgzl19n9eko

We Are Fücked

 

[Rusty Nails]

Well, Denmark for one seems to be taking Trump's blathering seriously. Better safe than sorry.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgzl19n9eko

We Are Fücked

From a BBC report:

"Analysts say that the plan has been under discussion for a long time and should not be seen as a direct response to Trump's comments.

Until now Denmark has been very slow to expand its military capacity in Greenland, they say, but if the country is not able to protect waters around the territory against encroachments by China and Russia then US demands for greater control are likely to grow.

Army Maj Steen Kjaergaard of the Danish Defence Academy suggests it may have been Trump's intention to pressure Denmark into such a move."

Both China and Russia have long seen the Arctic and Antarctic regions as important strategic areas they would like to control, but somehow that is not seen as potentially dangerous as the US wanting the same thing.

You may well be right in your last sentence but there is more than one source of that danger.

Superpowers will act like superpowers.

 

[Psamathe]

Or he's just after the mineral deposits that are not curtrently being massively exploited. Thinks he can negotiate a good deal 'cos he thinks he's a good negotiator.

I don't credit him with being particularly smart, in fact I think he's other end of the spectrum. He doesn't do subtle, doesn't find subtle ways to do things and of all the NATO countries military budgets I can't see Denmark being high on his list.

Ian

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Or he's just after the mineral deposits that are not curtrently being massively exploited. Thinks he can negotiate a good deal 'cos he thinks he's a good negotiator.

I don't credit him with being particularly smart, in fact I think he's other end of the spectrum. He doesn't do subtle, doesn't find subtle ways to do things and of all the NATO countries military budgets I can't see Denmark being high on his list.

Ian

I agree

He doesn't do subtle and he can;t understand long term strategies
Plus he sees everything in financial terms

which is why he moans about countries not paying enough to NATO - he doesn;t spend the time to see why things are done the way thhey are done

Someone has to - or had to - explain to him why Iceland contributes very little to NATO in terms of how much it spends
but is an essential part of the alliance

The same for Greenland - except that it isn;t a country as such but kinda is
trying to explain all that to him is not a job I would like

 

[Psamathe]

trying to explain all that to him is not a job I would like

Which reminds me of a brilliant George Michael video (despite being for another US President I suspect same would apply to Trump)

(or rather the bits with prominent politicians, I'm not a big George Michael fan)

Ian

 

[Psamathe]

I thought quite a good view of Trump's Social Media (from a report about Trump's Christmas Tweet raising China, Canada, Panama, etc.)

It was the type of diatribe that, if delivered by a drunk uncle at the Christmas dinner table, might be laughed off or undercut by “Anyone for dessert?” But Trump, 78, is less than a month away from accessing the nuclear codes and commanding the strongest military in the world. No one is quite sure whether to take him literally or seriously – or both.
...
Reed Galen, president of JoinTheUnion.us, a pro-democracy coalition, said: “The guy’s been a troll for nearly 80 years. The problem is now he happens to be a troll who is about to run, again, the most powerful nation that humanity has ever known. He wants to do this because he wants outrage. He wants, to the extent that he thinks he can induce it, fear or panic. Chaos is the coin of his realm and it always will be because things being out of control is the only way he’s in control.”
(from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/29/trump-greenland-panama-china-threats)

Ian

 

[C R]

I thought quite a good view of Trump's Social Media (from a report about Trump's Christmas Tweet raising China, Canada, Panama, etc.)


Ian

Indeed, he means it, and has the power to act on it, and will be allying himself with Putin, Netanyahu and all the other fascist undesirables.

We Are Fücked

 

[AndyRM]

Indeed, he means it, and has the power to act on it, and will be allying himself with Putin, Netanyahu and all the other fascist undesirables.

We Are Fücked

 

[icowden]

Indeed, he means it, and has the power to act on it, and will be allying himself with Putin, Netanyahu and all the other fascist undesirables.

I still think they missed out that whilst that is true, the other more scary issue is that he is the perfect puppet. This time the people around him will know how to play him like a fiddle. How to feed him stuff, make him think something is his idea and get him to sign the paperwork.