Trump starts to devalue the dollar

 Understand from reports that Trump is coming out with a US$250 dollar note with his portrait. It is claimed that Trump is among the greatest USA President in history that deserves to have a note to honor his contribution. Of course, there are no shortage of sycophants who supported the idea. Are we at all surprised?

After the US$250 note, will there be a US$500 note, followed by a US$1,000 note and so on and so forth. With an unpayable debt of US$36 trillion, and borrowing getting more and more difficult, the USA needs to print larger denominations instead of printing small denomination notes of US$1, 2, 5. 10 and 20, which will take up lots of time, ink and paper. The frenzied 24/7 printing cannot catch up with demand and the USA needs to print more notes in larger denominations, LOL. The USA will soon overtake countries, like many in South America, where citizens need to use a cart to take their money to buy things they need. Is the US$ really falling into the same cliff edge when de-dollarization moves forward successfully?

In Chinese religious festivals, like the Seventh Month Ghost Festival, they burn hell notes denominated in tens, hundreds of thousands and even millions. Perhaps they should, in time to come, be burning more valuable US$, say in ten-thousand-dollar denominations, with portrait of Trump.

Anonymous

Europe looking for new leader to replace rogue USA

 The USA had been playing with boomerangs for decades and never seems to learn to be humble. If the EU break ranks with the USA, the USA is really going to be truly isolated. Canada is joining the EU in trade. There is now a rude awakening around the free world, which I thought would never happen. Europe is looking for a new leader of the free world. That is truly crass to say the least. How things are changing within the just the last couple of weeks.

In other words, the USA is going to be left with maybe seven Asian allies to play around with - India, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Australia and New Zealand. They can now form the new G8 to fight against BRICS.

Truth be said, the exercise of 'exceptionalism' is no longer the prerogative of the USA. Untouchable in the past, it now looks fragile, fragmented and tottering.

It is really surprising that Karma is indeed working, but in mysterious ways.

Anonymous

Trump tried to swallow Ukraine but vomited out. Now it's Europe's turn

 What struck me was Trump waiting at the White House door for Zelenskyy's arrival. Compare that to Modi's visit to the White House, where a female aide was at the door to usher Modi into the White House. It is clear as daylight what India means to Trump. Okay, I am not going to belittle India, the up-and coming superpower to deflate Modi's and Palki Sharma's ego.

Having said that, Trump was seen arrogantly teaching Zelenskyy how to behave and using threatening gestures to silence his disagreement. It all shows who is the real dictator. Remember the gloating by Trump that if he becomes President, he will end the war in 24 hours. That is coming back to haunt him. Wars do not end just because Trump says so. Trade Wars are not so easy to win as gloated by Trump as well. And tariffs are not that easy to put China down. There are so many things to be sorted out to settle a war - concessions to be negotiated, territories to be settled. and is not all up to the USA to dictate. Zelenskyy, a cornered rat is not even giving in, not to talk about Putin.

Now the Europeans are playing the game as well, by telling Zelenskyy that even if the USA throws Ukraine under the bus, they will still support Zelenskyy. Too little too late or just being heroic? What does that indicate to Trump? Oh, sorry, they could not throw Trump under the bus, right? Only the USA can throw other countries under the bus.

As Anon 11.43 said, it is going to be a beautiful sight to behold going forward.

Anonymous

Revival of colonialism is easy when every other country is weak

 Revival of colonialism is easy when every other country is weak as in the past. African countries were weak, South American countries were weak, India was weak and South-East Asian countries, particularly Indo China, were weak. The Whites just walked in and divide them according to their fancies. Where they could not use discovery nonsense to justify their claims to annex weak countries, they used force to colonize them. They tried that with China and failed.

This is not the old days. There are nuclear countries all over the world. There is Russia. There is China, North Korea, India and Pakistan which are all nuclear nations. And adding Iran will make a big difference to the balance of power. And these countries are not inside the Anglo-Saxon colonial clique.

And even small countries fight back today as in Africa. Iran is also fighting back, but that cannot be said about other Arab and Muslim countries in the Middle East. Therefore, the Middle East is viewed as the best place to start the recolonizing and imperialist re-expansion.

Anonymous

Taiwan leaders trying to convince themselves with self serving logic. 'Kar ki kong, kar ki song' in Hokien or Minnan dialect.

TAIPEI: The United States cannot abandon the Indo-Pacific because the region is part of its "core national interests", Taiwan's Defence Minister Wellington Koo said amid concerns about US security commitments to Taiwan. CNA

Taiwan is a core interest of American Indo Pacific strategy? Really? Is this what the Americans told him? This was true a few years ago. A few years ago, the American warships were patrolling the Straits of Taiwan. A few years ago, American aircraft carriers were part on the eastern coast of Taiwan. Are they still there, are the American warships still patrolling the Taiwan Straits?

The reality today is different, and the Americans know and have withdrawn from the first island chain. The Americans are not that stupid to fight a losing war. A few years ago, the Americans were promising Zelensky to defend Ukraine for as long as it takes. Trump has washed his hands, not America's problem. America was not responsible for the destruction of Ukraine.

Trump just want the mineral resources in Ukraine. Trump has struck a deal with Putin, Trump will have the mineral resources, Putin can have the land. In the case of Taiwan, Trump would also strike a deal with Xi, Xi can have the land, Trump can have TSMC. Period. The only thing useful to the Americans now is TSMC, not Taiwan. Taiwan is no longer defensible, not even Japan and South Korea. The Americans will be retreating to the third island chain in Hawaii. Soon, Guam would just be a tourist resort.

The Taiwanese leaders are still having their wet dreams and dreaming pretty. Taiwan is so important to the Americans. The Americans would send their boys and girls to die for Taiwan. Wake up, the Americans even sold Ukraine to Russia. And Ukraine is white men. Taiwan is not white men, mainly Chinese that the Americans cannot trust, and some mixed Chinese/Japanese. The Americans also did not trust the Japanese. After trying out a Japanese Admiral as their Indo Pacific Commander, the Japanese Admiral nearly snooked the Americans into a nuclear war with North Korea. He was fired almost immediately.

The Taiwanese leader should stop deluding themselves that they are important to the Americans. The Americans knew the game is up. China would defeat them in an open war. So, they are quickly grabbing TSMC, the only thing of value to them, and replant it in American soil. The best thing to do for the Taiwanese leaders is to prepare their escape route quickly before it is too late. The jails they built in Taiwan would be where they would be kept once China launches the reunification of Taiwan with the motherland. Militarily it is a mismatch. And all the military commanders know the hard truth and are preparing to change their uniforms like the last KMT commander of North East China. It is pointless to fight a losing war. Beijing was saved from destruction by the KMT commander in Beijing. The commanders in Taiwan must save Taiwan from destruction by uniting with China. This is the new reality.

A war with China would be over before anyone knows that it has started. Stop lying to yourself and stop deceiving the people of Taiwan like Zelensky did to the Ukrainians. Without the Americans, the only thing behind the Taiwanese leaders is the deep blue ocean. At least Zelensky still can hope for the Europeans to support him to fight for a few more months, provided there are still Ukrainians left to die fighting. 

How many Taiwanese are prepared to die like stupid Ukrainians? Would the Americans or Japanese want to die for Taiwan? Maybe can rope in the Mickey Mouse in the Philippines with their museum warships that may not reach Taiwan before sinking on the way.