Terror in NYC

[Dill]

(11-03-2017, 02:01 PM)hollodero Wrote: I'm focusing on his personality in the paragraph I dedicated to that very aspect, but I tried not to talk exclusively about what bad character treats he displays. I feel it's still an important aspect.

Yeah, just because many Americans believe that's irrelevant doesn't make it irrelevant. As for Europe, we do not necessarily need a stronger partner, we just grew accustomed to that. But we can live on this world on our own and don't necessarily need to turn to someone to survive. As you said, Russia has the GDP of Italy, while Europe obviously has a far bigger GOP than Italy.

Two quick points.

1. Trump's personality is certainly an issue, given the tremendous power of his position. The inability to prioritize battles and the susceptibility to conspiracy theories, the intolerance of dissenting advisors and the like, create risks--especially during crises.  Were I directing a foreign intel service, I would assume that Trump is more subject to manipulation than most world leaders. Just knowing that he always "has to hit back 10 times harder" is a crucial piece of information.  That personality drives him away from disciplined learning about policy issues and towards momentary, uninformed, situational responses to problems as they arise. In what other sphere of activity does an institution go undamaged from that sort of leadership?

That's why I raise the question of why so many of his supporters don't think this matters much, is not likely to do lasting damage. Most could see that right away if we were talking about malfeasance on a smaller scale--like a hospital administrator or the superintendent of a school district or a base commander in the Gulf.

2. Many right wing Americans don't necessarily believe what other nations think is unimportant. They used to always want to project "strength" and constantly criticized Obama for respecting other nations and national leaders and generally exhibiting statecraft and showing restraint during crises.  
It is only now that so much of the world laughs at and distrusts Trump, that "what the world thinks" is irrelevant.

It is puzzling that so many seem to think that reducing the US's ability to influence world events and global markets will "make America Great Again."  Or perhaps they think the US can manage all that with force abroad and tax cuts for the rich at home. There is maybe a feeling of power in imagining this. Trump may be reducing foreign policy problems to simple black and white solutions people feel they can understand.  Little thought is given to whether such reduction will produce better outcomes. I still remember when the US had had enough of Saddam Hussein and chose invasion over containment because diplomacy had "failed."