General News

[Jattdogg]

Now word is out trump might strike a trade deal with Canada/Mexico and America tomorrow. Trump is all over the map the man thinks second to second. It's shocking that nobody knew last night from his side what he was going to do. Now they think he might strike a deal. Do one!

 

But, if he does, he will sell it as a master negotiator and his thick ass base will lick his choda and ring clean.

 

 

"US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that President Donald Trump could announce a trade deal with Mexico and Canada as soon as tomorrow, just one day after the US imposed punishing tariffs on the two nations and sparked retaliatory levies.

“I think he’s going to work something out with them,” Lutnick said on Fox Business. “It’s not going to be a pause, none of that pause stuff, but I think he’s going to figure out, you do more, and I’ll meet you in the middle some way, and we’re going to probably be announcing that tomorrow.”

The White House imposed 25% across-the board tariffs on Mexican imports and on most Canadian imports early Tuesday. Canada responded swiftly, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing plans to implement a 25% tariff on C$30 billion ($20.7 billion) of US goods immediately, followed by an additional C$125 billion ($86.2 billion) in 21 days’ time. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she would will unveil Mexico’s response on Sunday.

Lutnick said he had spoken with both Canadian and Mexican representatives about trade among the three countries.

And a Canadian government source confirmed to CNN that Canadian Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc spoke with the US Commerce secretary today."

[WigstonWanderer]

6 hours ago, when_you're_smiling said:

Trump’s golf courses.

Put a massive property tax on them. A worldwide boycott of anything Trump, Musk or the rest of the billionaire oligarchs including Amazon would be good.

Edited 5 March by WigstonWanderer

[WigstonWanderer]

3 hours ago, st albans fox said:

Zelenskyy posted earlier that he’s ready to sign it asap - it’s said that he would have done so on Friday if he hadn’t been shown the door in Washington.  I think it’s a formality unless he tries to link it to security guarantees again. 

So what exactly is he getting in return? Is it a genuine business deal where American companies get access to Ukraine assets in exchange for royalties paid to Ukraine? Or is it a straightforward extortion where the US is threatening a full on switch to supporting Putin?

[WigstonWanderer]

1 hour ago, st albans fox said:

 

We don’t have the collective military strength to support ukraine - and despite the public message of taking the strain , I think the Europeans are clearly not willing to force trump to dump NATO 

you can’t just turn on a tap to produce masses of arms and defence systems.  

It was done in WW2, obviously much more technological now so harder. Europe as a whole is very rich with a GDP close to that of the States I believe so anything is possible with sufficient will. The remaining democracies have to face the possibility that the US simply won’t be one in the near future, and plan/act accordingly.

 

At least what’s happening in the US appears to be strengthening and unifying democratic forces in the rest of the world.

Edited 5 March by WigstonWanderer

[st albans fox]

6 hours ago, WigstonWanderer said:

So what exactly is he getting in return? Is it a genuine business deal where American companies get access to Ukraine assets in exchange for royalties paid to Ukraine? Or is it a straightforward extortion where the US is threatening a full on switch to supporting Putin?

Dunno - doubt it’s quite as stark as latter but they wouldn’t say it isn’t in order to blackmail them into signing it 
 

6 hours ago, WigstonWanderer said:

It was done in WW2, obviously much more technological now so harder. Europe as a whole is very rich with a GDP close to that of the States I believe so anything is possible with sufficient will. The remaining democracies have to face the possibility that the US simply won’t be one in the near future, and plan/act accordingly.

 

At least what’s happening in the US appears to be strengthening and unifying democratic forces in the rest of the world.

with time absolutely but ukraine doesn’t have that.  Whilst they will say in public that they have sufficient stocks to carry six months, I’ve seen various reports yesterday that say this will have an effect within a week in some areas of the conflict. 

 

I’d say that the response of Kyiv within 24 hours of trump announcing the pause says everything 

[leicsmac]

6 hours ago, WigstonWanderer said:

So what exactly is he getting in return? Is it a genuine business deal where American companies get access to Ukraine assets in exchange for royalties paid to Ukraine? Or is it a straightforward extortion where the US is threatening a full on switch to supporting Putin?

 

1 minute ago, st albans fox said:

Dunno - doubt it’s quite as stark as latter but they wouldn’t say it isn’t in order to blackmail them into signing it

For me that's as obvious an answer as it is possible to be in the diplomatic world and it's entirely in keeping with the nature of the man. Not sure how any kind of altruism can be argued from it.

[leicsmac]

And reasonably typical bombast while addressing Congress.

 

It would be wonderful if someone were to ask him if he's actually admitted fault or genuinely apologised to anyone in his whole life, even when he's done do much wrong.

[st albans fox]

2 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

 

For me that's as obvious an answer as it is possible to be in the diplomatic world and it's entirely in keeping with the nature of the man. Not sure how any kind of altruism can be argued from it.

Well we don’t know for sure

it’s all about the deal and it’s clear that trump will do pretty much anything to ensure he gets his way when he’s ‘holding the cards’

 

The minerals deal has been agreed for a couple of weeks apparently - the security guarantees are the issue.  we will see just how far putin is being asked to move when serious negs begin over a ceasefire and subsequent peace deal.  I would think it won’t be very far!  But that’s also where time comes into the equation and if Europe is willing to spend what’s necessary to be a viable guarantor then maybe that’s why trump won’t commit to becoming a backstop at this stage.  If he did then he’s playing a card he doesn’t want to - especially at this stage. 
 

[leicsmac]

1 minute ago, st albans fox said:

Well we don’t know for sure

it’s all about the deal and it’s clear that trump will do pretty much anything to ensure he gets his way when he’s ‘holding the cards’

 

The minerals deal has been agreed for a couple of weeks apparently - the security guarantees are the issue.  we will see just how far putin is being asked to move when serious negs begin over a ceasefire and subsequent peace deal.  I would think it won’t be very far!  But that’s also where time comes into the equation and if Europe is willing to spend what’s necessary to be a viable guarantor then maybe that’s why trump won’t commit to becoming a backstop at this stage.  If he did then he’s playing a card he doesn’t want to - especially at this stage. 
 

If it isn't obvious that Trump's policy decisions rely largely on bullying and extortion then I'm not sure when it will be tbh.

 

However, as you say, the true acid test will be how far Putin has to move for any kind of deal. I'm not optimistic that it will be very far at all.

[st albans fox]

3 minutes ago, leicsmac said:

If it isn't obvious that Trump's policy decisions rely largely on bullying and extortion then I'm not sure when it will be tbh.

 

However, as you say, the true acid test will be how far Putin has to move for any kind of deal. I'm not optimistic that it will be very far at all.

My ‘don’t know’  revolved around whether the alternative was a full on switch to support putin. Trumps bully boy blackmail tactics are pretty obvious.  What isn’t is how far he actually goes to ensure he gets them. 

we’ve seen him row back a bit on a couple things already - and then swing back again on others.   He’s extremely unpredictable which also helps his negs tactics in a diplomatic world which isn’t used to that approach from the no 1 world power. 

[leicsmac]

10 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

My ‘don’t know’  revolved around whether the alternative was a full on switch to support putin. Trumps bully boy blackmail tactics are pretty obvious.  What isn’t is how far he actually goes to ensure he gets them. 

we’ve seen him row back a bit on a couple things already - and then swing back again on others.   He’s extremely unpredictable which also helps his negs tactics in a diplomatic world which isn’t used to that approach from the no 1 world power. 

Appreciate the clarification.

 

I think it's possible he's engaging in a lot of bluffing, yes, and so I hope the international community that he's trying to bully is ready to call those bluffs where needed.

[Tommy G]

8 hours ago, WigstonWanderer said:

Put a massive property tax on them. A worldwide boycott of anything Trump, Musk or the rest of the billionaire oligarchs including Amazon would be good.

No way am I giving up amazon next day delivery 

[Spiritwalker]

10 hours ago, st albans fox said:

 

We don’t have the collective military strength to support ukraine - and despite the public message of taking the strain , I think the Europeans are clearly not willing to force trump to dump NATO 

you can’t just turn on a tap to produce masses of arms and defence systems.  

Surely a collective European army could defeat Russia in a conventional war.

I’m sure I read a few years back that the UK alone would give Russia a very close fight.

[Lionator]

3 minutes ago, Spiritwalker said:

Surely a collective European army could defeat Russia in a conventional war.

I’m sure I read a few years back that the UK alone would give Russia a very close fight.

It’s simply impossible to say because a) if we were beating them in a conventional war, it would likely turn unconventional b) you don’t know what type of war it would be, naval, ground etc?

[Lionator]

Just to reiterate that anyone who genuinely considers that Britain fighting Russia would be a good idea is insane. 
 

And before anyone says “well what about when Adolf Putin is rolling across the German border?”, Russian don’t have the capability to do that. 

Edited 5 March by Lionator

[foxes1988]

4 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Just to reiterate that anyone who genuinely considers that Britain fighting Russia would be a good idea is insane. 
 

And before anyone says “well what about when Adolf Putin is rolling across the German border?”, Russian don’t have the capability to do that. 

Does anyone actually think that?

 

Everyone understands two nuclear powers warring is not a good idea.

[st albans fox]

4 minutes ago, Spiritwalker said:

Surely a collective European army could defeat Russia in a conventional war.

I’m sure I read a few years back that the UK alone would give Russia a very close fight.

I’d agree, but at the moment, I don’t believe europe has the supplies to take it on now.  (And would any country in Europe take on a war with Russia - there is no political will to do so from what I’ve seen). 

[foxes1988]

10 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

I’d agree, but at the moment, I don’t believe europe has the supplies to take it on now.  (And would any country in Europe take on a war with Russia - there is no political will to do so from what I’ve seen). 

No there isn't.  The collective will is to arm ourselves to a point that any war with Russia, Russia couldn't conceivably win. Russia nor us actually want a war.

Edited 5 March by foxes1988

[Lionator]

3 minutes ago, foxes1988 said:

Does anyone actually think that?

 

Everyone understands two nuclear powers warring is not a good idea.

There’s a slow normalisation within society that it’s a potential possibility. Had an argument with my former army uncle at the weekend who was very excited at the thought of us fighting Russians 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Spiritwalker]

2 hours ago, leicsmac said:

And reasonably typical bombast while addressing Congress.

 

It would be wonderful if someone were to ask him if he's actually admitted fault or genuinely apologised to anyone in his whole life, even when he's done do much wrong.

I watched a very good documentary series a few years ago about Trump the business man, a running theme throughout was that every time Trump made a major fck up he

blamed everyone around him including close friends and threw them under the bus.

 

[Lionator]

5 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

I’d agree, but at the moment, I don’t believe europe has the supplies to take it on now.  (And would any country in Europe take on a war with Russia - there is no political will to do so from what I’ve seen). 

Political will is such a weird term though. Wanting to avoid potential radioactive obliteration isn’t a lack of political will, it’s common sense. Russians also have this urge. 

Edited 5 March by Lionator

[st albans fox]

1 minute ago, Lionator said:

Political will is such a weird term though. Wanting to avoid potential radioactive obliteration isn’t a lack of political will, it’s common sense. Russians also have this urge. 

I’m referencing a war with Russia as an expansionist entity rather than an existential war on Russian territory.  I think only the latter becomes nuclear. 

[leicsmac]

8 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

I’m referencing a war with Russia as an expansionist entity rather than an existential war on Russian territory.  I think only the latter becomes nuclear. 

According to their own rules on nuclear release, this is correct.

 

Of course, rules can be changed so while limiting their expansionist ideals is if choose a good idea, it needs to be done carefully.

[Spiritwalker]

22 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Just to reiterate that anyone who genuinely considers that Britain fighting Russia would be a good idea is insane. 
 

And before anyone says “well what about when Adolf Putin is rolling across the German border?”, Russian don’t have the capability to do that. 

Yeah, I’m not suggesting we declare war on Russia.

[Tommy G]

25 minutes ago, Lionator said:

Just to reiterate that anyone who genuinely considers that Britain fighting Russia would be a good idea is insane. 
 

And before anyone says “well what about when Adolf Putin is rolling across the German border?”, Russian don’t have the capability to do that. 

Putin has made a dogs dinner out of Ukraine, they have zero chance of doing anything more than this.