Trump's mafia tactics cannot win trade wars

 Trump cannot win with just a plan without any backup strategy; just plucking half-baked ideas from thin air like printing free money. The way that Trump is doing, taking two steps forward and two steps back again shows how flimsy his plans were. They were all just hot air with no specific direction and confidence in moving forward, backtracking on the spur of the moment.

Why the USA failed is because it had no backup plan for its agricultural products and farmers were left at a loss as to how to sell the products that China needed but which China are finding substitutes from elsewhere as a result of the first trade war. China backed up its needs by diversifying its sources, already in anticipation of the USA holding it hostage in food security. China thinks far ahead, while the USA only thinks about how to cripple China today, without considering the consequences tomorrow. The tariffs now show how delusional Trump is thinking about de-coupling from China completely.

The second step China took was building the BRI to create a network of transportation links for trade with other countries without having to use the traditional sea routes in times of conflict. It was also a plan by China to recycle its trade surpluses by diversifying its surpluses into building the BRI with long term benefits. Otherwise, such trade surpluses would largely still be channeled to buying USA Treasuries and other assets and risk losing them like Russia.

The third step that China took in co-operation with Russia was the setting up of BRICS to move away from using solely the US$ for global trade. To do that it was also necessary to move away from using SWIFT for trade settlement, which BRICS is well on its way to roll out. It would not be easy for a start, but China plays the long game.

Other than the above, China also planned long ago to build up its control of raw materials, dominating in logistics, refining its education system to prioritize engineering and science training, subsidizing companies investing in growth sector technology like EVs, semiconductors and automation of factories. The benefits are now apparent and enabled China to stand on its feet independently.

Anonymous

Japanese comfort women in Okinawa?

Okinawa governor Denny Tamaki called the latest cases "deplorable" and said authorities would urge the US military to prevent similar incidents, Japanese media reported.

Japan's top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi declined to comment on the cases at a regular briefing Thursday, but said crimes by US troops were "unacceptable". CNA

Rape crimes against Japanese women in American occupied Okinawa Island have been in the news for a long time and will never end as long as there are young American soldiers, lonely and hot, in an island full of beautiful Okinawan women. These young studs need to be comforted when they are lonely and far away from home. It is not that the young American soldiers did not know that they are not supposed to rape the Okinawan women. Or maybe they think they are protected by the American Empire and will not be brought to Japanese courts to face Japanese justice. Under their own American occupation law, they are likely to be let off with a slap on the wrist. Colonial powers are above the laws.

The Okinawans can continue to protest, be frustrated by the presence of American occupation forces and the unwillingness of the Japanese to protect their islands and their women. But what can they do? They are not Japanese and have been colonised by the Japanese for a long time, as second class citizens. They know very well that Okinawa and the Okinawans are sacrificial lambs of the Japanese Empire.  

With the presence of American bases, and likely nuclear weapons in the islands, Okinawa is top number one priority target to be nuked by China, Russia or North Korea in the event of a war. Finito is what would happen to Okinawa and the Okinawans. They have been set up and sold by the Japanese.

And the Japanese and Americans put up a farcical show to appease the Okinawans by staging a once off one night joint patrol on the streets of Okinawa, and life goes on as normal. The American soldiers will continue to treat the Okinawan women as their comfort women, and if they resist, they would resort to rape. Perhaps the Okinawans should open more comfort facilities to entertain the young American soldiers to burn up their hot desires of being young. The Japanese would not do anything to protect them.

GE2025 - Bizarre 4 corner fight in Tampines and missing act in Marine Parade

Many are lamenting at the 4 corner fight in Tampines GRC and the missed opportunity to take on the PAP in a one on one fight in Marine Parade Braddell Height GRC. I wrote a piece earlier about 3 corner fights and multiple corner fights that would make winning a big task for an opposition candidate or team. Fighting the PAP one on one is already a big hurdle to cross. 3 corner fight is as good as accepting defeat from the start. The ground has not shifted or tilted so badly against the ruling party that anything will do, throw in a dud wearing an opposition label will win. 

The PAP is putting up their very best men or women in every contest, SMC, or GRC and will make the opposition fight for every vote. Splitting the votes in 3 corner fight is like helping the PAP to fight the other opposition candidate/team.  And a 4 corner fight...this is bonkers. Any opposition party thinks they can win in a 4 corner fight should have their heads checked. Why go ahead with a 4 corner fight, for fun, for attention, for publicity?

There is no need to imagine how Goh Meng Seng banged balls for the missed opportunity in Marine ParadeBH. For him, to contest in a 3 corner fight is already a losing proposition. He and the other opposition party must be having a heavy heart going into a 3 corner fight that turned into a 4 corner fight. What would the voters be thinking of this? Silly? What is going on with the opposition camp? 

Goh Meng Seng would gladly jump for joy and rush to Marine ParadeBH if only he knew there was no contest. So would NSP. Both have no reason to think they can win in a 4 corner fight. Actually, there was ample time for someone to whisper to them that no opposition party was contesting in Marine ParadeBH while they were waiting at the nomination centre to file their application. It would also be to WP's advantage to divert at least one of the teams to Marine Parade BH to improve the odds.

Now it is all water under the bridge. Another horror, another lesson to learn for the next GE. Opposition parties should at least tip each other off on such a situation for the good of opposition teams. Seah Kian Peng and his team are beaming brightly and can now chip in to assist other PAP candidates in the rally.

One last point, would the 3 opposition parties in Tampines GRC get together, work out a formula to leave one party fighting the PAP, with the other two withdraw from the race but joint effort to support one party to take on the PAP? If can't come to an agreed formula, just draw lots. After all, a 4 corner fight is a no brainer and losing is guaranteed. Why waste so much time and effort and money to fight a losing battle?

Anything the USA touches is bound to be disastrous

 J. D. Vance already made the Vatican 'dark' with the death of the pope. Anything the USA touches is bound to be disastrous, and India is no exception. Two minus does not make a plus.

Trump's 24-hour settlement of the Ukraine War is going nowhere, with Zelensky wanting Crimea back, which Russia will never agree. That is another failure, even though Donald Duck is still saying agreement is close. He had been saying that even before getting elected. He does not know what he is talking about.

As I had been saying, Trump's gathering of clowns is breaking apart, with Musk now the first victim leaving his doggy activities that cost him a fortune. The damage has been done to Tesla, and it might be difficult to come back. Trump has done a big favor for Chinese EV makers, or should I say. 'Make China Greater Again'.

Trump is still touting his support for Pete Hegseth, but we know this is just posturing and is not going to last, with all the leaks happening. When the administration picks are all about cronyism, putting loyalty above merit, it is a disaster in the making. A Defense Secretary that takes National Security as a joke. Then there is the Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, destroying the education system, a portfolio that she is clearly unsuitable for. Really a square peg in a round hole as with all the others. She cannot even tell the difference between AI and A1, a brand of sauce.

Anonymous

Sources prove India 'supports terrorism' in Pakistan's Balochistan to kill Chinese nationals

 Evidences, sources prove India 'supports terrorism' in Pakistan's Balochistan to kill Chinese nationals - Global Times

In December 2023, a commander of the Baloch National Army (BNA) separatist militant group, who had surrendered himself to the Pakistani government, disclosed that India has been secretly supporting terrorist activities in Balochistan and financing separatist forces in the region.

According to Pakistani media sources, commander Sarfraz Ahmed Bungulzai made the announcement at a press conference in Quetta, the capital city of Balochistan. Bungulzai said that he thought his armed struggle was for Baloch rights, but later he realized that "India is involved in all these conspiracies."

Bungulzai mentioned a helicopter crash in 2022, in which six Pakistani army officials, including a general, were martyred. He said at the press conference that the secessionist group Baloch Raj Aajoi Sangar (BRAS) had taken responsibility for the incident at India's command.

The clues of India's connection with terrorist forces in Pakistan could also be found in a few Indian media reports.

The Hindu, for instance, published an article in July 2019, stating "It is established that BLA (Baloch Liberation Army) commanders, in the past, had sought medical treatment in India's hospitals, often under disguise or with fake identities."

Anonymous