James Joyner is a Professor of Security Studies. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.
Proclaiming the death of Iran, whatever that means.
Naming the Democrats (leadership, voters, who exactly) as America’s biggest enemy, ahead of Russia, North Korea, foreign terrorists, domestic terrorists…
After (briefly) realizing that Iran has him by the balls, he declared victory and moved on to picking on someone he thinks is weaker.
He is always declaring victory. About everything. And then contradicting himself in the next breath by calling on everyone to help him defeat the menace he just claimed was already defeated. For instance, who can forget the following?
“Obamacare is finished,” Trump told reporters before a cabinet meeting. “It’s dead. It’s gone. You shouldn’t even mention it. It’s gone. There is no such thing as Obamacare any more.”
This habit of his is inane, childish, pathetically transparent, and does absolutely nothing to help him achieve his goals other than provide temporary relief to the most fragile, insecure ego the world has ever seen. We’ve just never before seen it applied to an actual war.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — for ever.
And remember that it is for ever. The face will always be there to be stamped upon. The heretic, the enemy of society, will always be there, so that he can be defeated and humiliated over again.
While walking to get coffee, and prompted by yesterday’s Mueller tweet, a thought occurred to me –if Iran launched a drone strike on Mara Lago and wiped out Trump and half the cabinet, would that be acceptable in a war that started with the US and Israel launching a targeted bombing of the Iranian leadership?
I had thought there were rules of war against targeting the leaders, but I’m very fuzzy on where I heard this and whether it was a war crime or just a bad idea to kill they people who can negotiate or order a surrender.
But, apparently blowing up leadership is acceptable, so I guess Trump would be a legitimate target.
To be clear, I do not support Iran killing Trump and half of his cabinet, even if, as a Democrat, I am America’s greatest enemy — I want him to die of a stroke, and linger for months if not years, utterly weakened, pissing himself and unable to speak, being hauled around as a prop until even the true believers can’t see any greatness in his shell.
I don’t want him to become a martyr.
And perhaps that’s why I am America’s greatest enemy.
Remember when he was mocking the disabled reporter? I want him to be like that on his best days, but worse on most days. I want his life to be a hell on earth, because I don’t believe in a hell anywhere else, and we have to take what we can get.
No prohibition on killing leaders, just the knowledge that revenge is a dish best served cold. But yes, Iran would be justified in going after the felon or Bibi.
@Kingdaddy:
Can we get even one Republican congressperson to push back on the idea that the Democrats are not the worst of the worse? I wouldn’t hold your breath.
Again, Trump is less of troublesome than one of major parties being too cowardly to defend their colleagues and, in some cases (allegedly), their friends.
Sounds like desperate cope.
After (briefly) realizing that Iran has him by the balls, he declared victory and moved on to picking on someone he thinks is weaker.
Christ, what an asshole.
Proclaiming the death of Iran, whatever that means.
Naming the Democrats (leadership, voters, who exactly) as America’s biggest enemy, ahead of Russia, North Korea, foreign terrorists, domestic terrorists…
He’s definitely slipping: In this text, and in his text vitriolically* celebrating the death of Rober Mueller, he did NOT spew forth in ALL CAPS.
Three more years of this …
* it’s not a word, I know.
Every accusation is a confession.
@drj:
He is always declaring victory. About everything. And then contradicting himself in the next breath by calling on everyone to help him defeat the menace he just claimed was already defeated. For instance, who can forget the following?
“Obamacare is finished,” Trump told reporters before a cabinet meeting. “It’s dead. It’s gone. You shouldn’t even mention it. It’s gone. There is no such thing as Obamacare any more.”
That was from October 2017.
This habit of his is inane, childish, pathetically transparent, and does absolutely nothing to help him achieve his goals other than provide temporary relief to the most fragile, insecure ego the world has ever seen. We’ve just never before seen it applied to an actual war.
@Kylopod:
Orwell comes readily to mind:
I am sure this will get as much press as Hillary Clinton accurately calling a portion of the Republican Party a basket of deplorables.
While walking to get coffee, and prompted by yesterday’s Mueller tweet, a thought occurred to me –if Iran launched a drone strike on Mara Lago and wiped out Trump and half the cabinet, would that be acceptable in a war that started with the US and Israel launching a targeted bombing of the Iranian leadership?
I had thought there were rules of war against targeting the leaders, but I’m very fuzzy on where I heard this and whether it was a war crime or just a bad idea to kill they people who can negotiate or order a surrender.
But, apparently blowing up leadership is acceptable, so I guess Trump would be a legitimate target.
To be clear, I do not support Iran killing Trump and half of his cabinet, even if, as a Democrat, I am America’s greatest enemy — I want him to die of a stroke, and linger for months if not years, utterly weakened, pissing himself and unable to speak, being hauled around as a prop until even the true believers can’t see any greatness in his shell.
I don’t want him to become a martyr.
And perhaps that’s why I am America’s greatest enemy.
Remember when he was mocking the disabled reporter? I want him to be like that on his best days, but worse on most days. I want his life to be a hell on earth, because I don’t believe in a hell anywhere else, and we have to take what we can get.
@Gustopher:
No prohibition on killing leaders, just the knowledge that revenge is a dish best served cold. But yes, Iran would be justified in going after the felon or Bibi.
@Kingdaddy:
Can we get even one Republican congressperson to push back on the idea that the Democrats are not the worst of the worse? I wouldn’t hold your breath.
Again, Trump is less of troublesome than one of major parties being too cowardly to defend their colleagues and, in some cases (allegedly), their friends.
DEMONcrats!