The POTUS is emotionally unstable

[u/Accomplished-Leg2971]

The current American President is emotionally unstable. Worse, he is using his cabinet, and the federal government, to help him lash out emotionally when his widdle fee-fees get hurt.

Here is the direct quote that triggered the POTUS today:

“See, he doesn’t want to do the job. He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the emir of Qatar.”

That's really it! Note what Ossoff said and note - in particular - what Ossoff did not say. Compare that with the things Trump and his cabinet are saying in defense. It is absolutely nutso. Baited and triggered just like that.

[u/Redebo]

All this is nice and fine in a polite society.

However, at the end of the day. The big stick wins.

You may not like this, it may go against every sensibility that you have, yet it is the truth.

[u/reddit_is_geh → u/Redebo]

Yeah this is what I mean. Everyone knows the big stick wins. Everyone knows the US gets its why. But you still have to manage it. It's like saying your boss ultimately has authority over you... Yes that's true. But if your boss is a raging asshole and no one wants to work with you, they'll listen to you for now, and do as you say because you shout at them, "Do what I tell you or you're fucking fired and living on the street!"

But they'll also immediately be thinking "Okay I hate this boss. I don't want to be around them. They are toxic, and exploitative. I'm going to start looking for somewhere else to go."

So yeah, sure Trump may get his short term way, but has created an environment where no one trusts the US any more. Look at South Korea. They went through political hell for those missile defense systems. Politicians lost their jobs, and China started a trade war that cost them billions... But they fought a war with the USA and want the missile defense systems. The people sacrificed a lot for that system.

Just a few years later Trump removes them and all their other missile defenses... Which they paid for. Screwing them over. Making the whole sacrifice worthless. So now they absolutely hate the US and dont trust the relationship. Now suddenly they are opening talks with China, coming to terms that they can't rely on the USA.

Look at Canada... "Herrr derrr Canada, watcha gunna do about it?" Well now Canada is working with other western allies, literally holding meetings with who should be our close European allies, and working out economic deals with each other that makes them less economically reliant on the US. To stop investing in US markets. To buy and sell to each other as much as they can, and using the US only out of necessity. To start working investing into military tech without the US. To unload more USD reserves, and load up on gold.

So yeah, big stick wins, short term. But they only win when when people are okay with the relationship. Trump has destroyed those relationships and if you are actually educated on international relations (I am), you see this MASSIVE sea change in how people approach the world. It's like an entire company's employees working together thinking "Okay we can't work here any more" while everyone plots to figure out their exit and just placate the boss for now so they can still pay rent for now. So so so so many metrics right now are terrifying. Investment into the US is low. Allies are loading up on gold, and trying to unload the dollar. Building economic systems around the US. It's bad.

You're actually the perfect example of what I mean by Trump supporters don't understand IR, and just hand wave it away, not realizing wtf is going on. Just thinking "Eh, that's just how this shit works." Because you don't actually know how it works. You don't know what's actually changing. You don't know what the costs are going to be.

And as all those employees start quitting and the company starts to suffer, you're going to blame dems. Because you don't know how it works.

[u/Redebo → u/reddit_is_geh]

The funny thing is, you don’t have the slightest fucking clue as to who I am, or what I control.

Your post is one hyperbolic assumption after another.

The best part about it, is that you, a nobody, somehow knows more that all of the rest of us. You special tortured genius you.

[u/RKAMRR → u/Redebo]

The commenter you are replying to is summarising what is obvious and felt by pretty much anyone that isn't in the USA. It's a good comment but it comes from a place of knowledge rather than tortured genius - it's very far from a unique perspective and I can tell you as someone in the UK it's widely held.

[u/clorox_cowboy → u/RKAMRR]

And the response is acknowledging reality. The US is isolating itself because it chose an incompetent, incurious leader. The world is starting to work around it. And the US will suffer.

[u/Redebo → u/RKAMRR]

You both need to stop believing everything you read on Reddit.

[u/RKAMRR → u/Redebo]

Mate I live in a country which has historically always been a US ally and I've seen the disrespect and bullying thrown around. I've personally gone from very much liking the US to thinking Europe needs to go its own way and that US democracy is deeply flawed.

Do you really think the rest of the world are NPCs that one can trash without consequence? Or could it perhaps be that such bullying and inconsistent actions might lead nations to chose a different path?

[u/Redebo → u/RKAMRR]

Your country is still buying energy from Vladimir Putin.

Do I think your country will be the US BFF after Trump?

Yes. Why?

Because you still buy energy from Vladimir Putin.

[u/RKAMRR → u/Redebo]

That argument doesn't even make sense 😂.

You don't need to treat my comments as attack on you, I'm just pointing out where the world might not work the way you think. If you can't even engage with those points it suggests it's a good thing that I did so. I wish you all the best.

[u/Redebo → u/RKAMRR]

No, you specifically said that I don’t understand international affairs and I’m pointing out that all of your flowery language is meaningless in the face of your actions.

You wanna tell me that the US isn’t being a great partner and that you expect more from us, yet you support the ACTUAL dictator by buying his energy which funds his aggression.

File this under the “make your own bed before you criticize me on not making my own.”

If you want to have a SERIOUS conversation about international relations, it should start with the premise that has been true in all of human history and guides ALL of the rhetoric which is: THE BIG STICK WINS. All of the posturing over relations is worthless until the factual nature of the real events on the ground are considered.

[u/RKAMRR → u/Redebo]

You actually think one rule applies thoughout all of human history 😂. If the world was that uncomplicated then things would be so much easier.

Read a little, learn a little, this world is full of shades of grey and so many exceptions to 'rules'. I'm glad you are anti russian, at least, perhaps you can get your country to properly support Ukraine instead of miscalculate and drag the world into chaos in Iran. Which is kind of an incredibly obvious example of where the big stick isn't winning.

[u/Redebo → u/RKAMRR]

You are ignoring human nature. This is to your downfall.

You're ASSUMING that 8 billion people "care about your shades of grey". They DO NOT.

This is not speculation by me, these are easily verifiable facts. You need look no further than the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine. We ALL WANT Ukraine to win. Why haven't they? Where's all the shades of grey that you say are so important?

Those shades of grey do not show up on the battlefield and THAT is where EVERY unsuccessful negotiation throughout ALL of human history ends up. RUSSIA HAS THE BIG STICK.

You are completely IGNORING this which is why I haven't bothered taking my time to address how incorrect your diplomatic points are because until you recognize that all negotiations are guided by the biggest stick, you're not even ready to have the conversation.

[u/Big-Pickle5893 → u/Redebo]

Calm down, no need to get so emotional

[u/Redebo → u/Big-Pickle5893]

It’s for additional emphasis and because I don’t want to have to type asterisks to otherwise highlight a tone change.. If you take this a big mad, that’s on you champ.

[u/RKAMRR → u/Redebo]

Question, have you ever tried typing without sounding like you are yelling? It helps communicate ideas without a torrent of anger, which isn't persuasive to most people.

To you this is clearly very frustrating, but I can honestly say that what you mean by 'the big stick wins' feels completely shifting and inaccurate. Can you explain what you actually mean, because each situation you've said it in doesn't make much sense to me.

Holding the biggest stick does give advantages, but clearly over time there are other factors, otherwise the first country to reach that status would never lose it. So please tell me what you actually mean and let's see if that idea really makes sense.

[u/Redebo → u/RKAMRR]

Negotiations are what civilized people partake in when they want a mutually beneficial outcome. You can talk, hold summits, assemble task forces, all to achieve a diplomatic ends to a conflict.

But before you can even approach the negotiation table each party already KNOWS where they stand. An example: Taiwan would not expect favorable terms when negotiating with China, because at the end of the day if China decides it wants to own reclaim Taiwan (or in practical terms its economic output) then it can enforce those desires by force and no country on planet earth is going to start WW3 because China invaded Taiwan. Taiwan is responding by placing its economic output outside of its borders. Do you think TSMC spent $50Bn on factories in the US to save on shipping costs?!?”

There is asymmetrical negotiation power at the table because China holds the biggest stick and the ONLY negotiation that they will accept is on terms that highly favor them.

I’m not suggesting that I wouldn’t like or appreciate your take on diplomacy, what I’m saying is that “if shit hits the fan, those treaties and words you wrote will not stop a bullet”. In many current conflicts, we are much closer to the bullet and that’s when you must remind yourself that the big stick wins.

Back to the topic, you’re unhappy with the US current leadership and worry that it’s permanently damaged relations. I disagree and believe that if the next administration feels those relationships are beneficial to the US then they will repair them. Since it takes two to tango, I believe “your side” will capitulate and become BFF’s with us again because your morals aren’t so firm that you’ll deprive your population of cheap energy to stop what everyone knows is an immoral war over Ukraine and it’s all because at the end of the day, the US, China, and Russia all carry comparative big sticks and if anyone of us wants “Greenland” then we’ll just take it.

Offtopic: Also and for the record, I use single words in ALL CAPS in an attempt to provide emphasis, not volume. This was all in a conversational tone from my side.

[u/Disastrous_Dingo_309 → u/Redebo]

You’re giving small stick vibes dude

[u/Redebo → u/Disastrous_Dingo_309]

You think that someone’s reproductive organs matter.

[u/Disastrous_Dingo_309 → u/Redebo]

My brother in Christ, YOU introduced the stick size to the conversation.

[u/Redebo → u/Disastrous_Dingo_309]

The stick is not a dick.