What everyone--from the leaders and diplomats at the summit, to the various reporters from their various countries in the press scrum, to the former diplomats and pundits, and even to the writers of these columns--cannot or will not say is twofold:
First, that the President is not speaking from a sane position, but from a feeble mind that routinely makes the kinds of senile gaffes that drove Biden out of contention and should put him in a memory care facility.
And second, that the loss of American reliability is an asset that cannot be recovered "after the midterms" or "after the 2028 election." It is gone and if or when a sane leader resumes the Oval Office, regardless of their political stripe, nobody will depend on America for anything again. By the time the next President is sworn in, we will have been cut quietly out of everything global and wonder "Why did that happen? How did that happen?" Well, it happened when global leaders sat down and rattled the car keys in front of Trump then went home and made their grownup deals.
Agreed, on both points, but point 2 is especially germane. Electing someone like Trump once could have been written off as a fluke, especially in our archaic electoral system where he actually lost the popular vote. But to do it a second time, with the popular vote as as well, with all of his destruction still easily seen in the rear view mirror and it being a no-brainer how badly a menace a lame-duck Trump would be? That speaks directly to the dysfunction of the USA as a whole, as a collective, especially when you factor in the utter incompetence, maliciousness, cowardice, and corruption that the whole MAGA movement has engendered in our institutions, especially Congress and the courts. The rest of the world has no choice but to go it without us. There's no telling when we'll elect the next Trump, and even if we never do, the possibility will always exist in the eyes of the world. It truly is disheartening.
From Canada I can confirm that this is exactly what’s happening. Our PM Mark Carney is quietly moving us decisively away from current and future dependence on the USA. We are busy making trade deals with new partners all over the world….including in the defence sector where Trump’s continued membership in NATO seems to hinge largely on member countries giving their defence contracts to American companies. Canada just inked a deal with a German company to replace our aging submarine fleet.
I've studied this stuff since I started college in the first Reagan Administration. We've never been perfect, but that moron has destroyed more than a century of mostly constructive American involvement in international affairs in less than two years. We will not recover in my lifetime, and possibly not ever.
A long read, but very much needed, This is such a desperate time for all those in the US who can see the damage being done, and very sad for those of us outside the country who see the same thing, but are powerless to offer anything but moral support. Many of us rely on your reporting, and that of other independent voices, to know what is really happening; please carry on the good work.
There are no medications for this but there is a locked environment, where containment provides security for all. The people who can manage this are purposefully not acting because behind the scene they are wheeling and dealing. The action required will be in November..if possible. There are few of us I’d gather who aren’t expecting it sabotaged.
This is a VERY long read, but, on the other hand it is, after all, an excursion through the maze that passes for Trump's brain so taking a long time to come out at the other end is excusable.
Love your writing, Mary, but your pieces are getting too long & are often redundant. I’m afraid all the people I’ve recommended you to will stop reading (TLDR). I mean this in the best way!
What everyone--from the leaders and diplomats at the summit, to the various reporters from their various countries in the press scrum, to the former diplomats and pundits, and even to the writers of these columns--cannot or will not say is twofold:
First, that the President is not speaking from a sane position, but from a feeble mind that routinely makes the kinds of senile gaffes that drove Biden out of contention and should put him in a memory care facility.
And second, that the loss of American reliability is an asset that cannot be recovered "after the midterms" or "after the 2028 election." It is gone and if or when a sane leader resumes the Oval Office, regardless of their political stripe, nobody will depend on America for anything again. By the time the next President is sworn in, we will have been cut quietly out of everything global and wonder "Why did that happen? How did that happen?" Well, it happened when global leaders sat down and rattled the car keys in front of Trump then went home and made their grownup deals.
Agreed, on both points, but point 2 is especially germane. Electing someone like Trump once could have been written off as a fluke, especially in our archaic electoral system where he actually lost the popular vote. But to do it a second time, with the popular vote as as well, with all of his destruction still easily seen in the rear view mirror and it being a no-brainer how badly a menace a lame-duck Trump would be? That speaks directly to the dysfunction of the USA as a whole, as a collective, especially when you factor in the utter incompetence, maliciousness, cowardice, and corruption that the whole MAGA movement has engendered in our institutions, especially Congress and the courts. The rest of the world has no choice but to go it without us. There's no telling when we'll elect the next Trump, and even if we never do, the possibility will always exist in the eyes of the world. It truly is disheartening.
From Canada I can confirm that this is exactly what’s happening. Our PM Mark Carney is quietly moving us decisively away from current and future dependence on the USA. We are busy making trade deals with new partners all over the world….including in the defence sector where Trump’s continued membership in NATO seems to hinge largely on member countries giving their defence contracts to American companies. Canada just inked a deal with a German company to replace our aging submarine fleet.
I just want to weep.
I've studied this stuff since I started college in the first Reagan Administration. We've never been perfect, but that moron has destroyed more than a century of mostly constructive American involvement in international affairs in less than two years. We will not recover in my lifetime, and possibly not ever.
A long read, but very much needed, This is such a desperate time for all those in the US who can see the damage being done, and very sad for those of us outside the country who see the same thing, but are powerless to offer anything but moral support. Many of us rely on your reporting, and that of other independent voices, to know what is really happening; please carry on the good work.
The love in the room and "the hottest country in the world." Excuse me while I go vomit.
"Or, as [Trump] later put it, 'dnuking.' Then 'dnucarization.'"
Looks as if the real alliance gave him a resounding dno, with a secret ingredient of dnyet for Putin.
There are no medications for this but there is a locked environment, where containment provides security for all. The people who can manage this are purposefully not acting because behind the scene they are wheeling and dealing. The action required will be in November..if possible. There are few of us I’d gather who aren’t expecting it sabotaged.
If so…I go dark
Very good analysis. Thank you, Mary.
This is a VERY long read, but, on the other hand it is, after all, an excursion through the maze that passes for Trump's brain so taking a long time to come out at the other end is excusable.
Love your writing, Mary, but your pieces are getting too long & are often redundant. I’m afraid all the people I’ve recommended you to will stop reading (TLDR). I mean this in the best way!