Trump doubles down on nuke comment: "let it be an arms race"

[Hindsight was 2020]

"on Friday’s Morning Joe, during an off-air conversation with Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, Trump daftly asserted — according to the MSNBC duo — “Let it be an arms race, we will outmatch them at every pass. And outlast them all.”' Thank god that war hawk Hillary isn't president -____- http://www.mediaite.com/online/let-it-be-an-arms-race-trump-gives-stunning-response-while-clarifying-nuclear-proliferation-comments/

[Sir Mohamed]

So, this is no comedy sketch? The dude has no clue.  He thinks this like competing about whose skyscraper is taller.

[Dr. Arch]

I don't care if they put up Pence at this point. (After all, Trump's voters also voted for Pence so they SHOULD be fine with him.) At least I won't be afraid for my life. This man will have to be impeached if he keeps this up after inauguration.

[Lambsbread]

To think there is no buffer between Trump and the nuclear codes now...

[Beet]

An arms race is a losing game for everyone. For every dollar we invest, the other side invests a dollar too, and on the net, we're no better off in relative power. We've just spent more money. I hate Putin for stealing the election, and even I don't want to see a US-Russia nuclear arms race. Unlike the accusations from our opponents, us Russia hawks don't actually want a war with Russia in any sense. We just wanted them to quit hacking us, quit invading Ukraine, and save some people in Aleppo.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

To think there is no buffer between Trump and the nuclear codes now...

There's the officer who carriers the football.

The problem is that mere refusal won't be enough. He (or she) can't simply be replaced until a willing subordinate for Trump's insanity is found. He'll need to be removed from office before he can launch, by one means or another.

[The_Doctor]

If he actually got into an arms race with Russia, I'd consider this a good thing, since Russia can't sustain an arms race. I'm good with deploying one of the more effective strategies in the Cold War.

[Hermit For Peace]

If he actually got into an arms race with Russia, I'd consider this a good thing, since Russia can't sustain an arms race. I'm good with deploying one of the more effective strategies in the Cold War.

What a waste of time, human energy and money, not to mention all the collateral damage that would ensue. Sheesh.

[The_Doctor]

If he actually got into an arms race with Russia, I'd consider this a good thing, since Russia can't sustain an arms race. I'm good with deploying one of the more effective strategies in the Cold War.

What a waste of time, human energy and money, not to mention all the collateral damage that would ensue. Sheesh.

It helped to win the first Cold War. Reagan managed to deploy enough and get the Russians to the table to negotiate with an arms race in the early 1980s. Of course, Reagan also stretched the Russians with entanglements in Afghanistan and Nicaragua, among other places. Reagan understood the Russians have one major Achilles' heel: a weak and fragile economy that can barely sustain an overextended national security state.

I see no problem in replicating that strategy and forcing the Russians to be strategically overextended. Of course, Trump won't do it but it should be done.

[Hindsight was 2020]

If he actually got into an arms race with Russia, I'd consider this a good thing, since Russia can't sustain an arms race. I'm good with deploying one of the more effective strategies in the Cold War.

What a waste of time, human energy and money, not to mention all the collateral damage that would ensue. Sheesh.

It helped to win the first Cold War. Reagan managed to deploy enough and get the Russians to the table to negotiate with an arms race in the early 1980s. Of course, Reagan also stretched the Russians with entanglements in Afghanistan and Nicaragua, among other places. Reagan understood the Russians have one major Achilles' heel: a weak and fragile economy that can barely sustain an overextended national security state.

I see no problem in replicating that strategy and forcing the Russians to be strategically overextended. Of course, Trump won't do it but it should be done.

Unless the sanctions get lift which his SOS choice would want

[Fusionmunster]

I do think Trump is all bluster, but hopefully for the sake of world peace, the secret service takes his twitter away.

[Hermit For Peace]

Since Trump doesn't drink or smoke, twitter is his addiction. And frankly, as President, that could be more deadly than any drug.

[Fusionmunster]

It does pose an interesting question though. Why tweet this if Trump is supposed to be a Pro-Russian puppet? Either way, he's got the media wrapped around his fingers.

[Virginiá]

Relevant:




Of course, I really think he should have put more thought into his map. Wyoming is one of the worst places to be in a nuclear strike considering all the Minuteman launch sites at/near Warren AFB. Here is a fallout chart for a more limited high-value target first strike package:




And probable targets for a second strike:




Obviously it's difficult to know what would happen, and those maps are different scenarios for different countries (iirc), but in any massive nuclear exchange, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and other parts of the midwest and the eastern United States would get hit hard directly or indirectly.

So Nate's needs to at least take Wyoming off that map!

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Global Times (Chinese mouthpiece) just published an op-ed calling for PRC to invest in upping its undersized deterrent. That should have a positive effect on the region glad Hillary the Hawk isn't in power IMO

[ApatheticAustrian]

as i said....the absurd notion that the cool-headed HRC who lived throug the much-hated russian reset would be a bigger danger for world peace, than the easily-to-provoke and not very interested mister trump is a masterpiece of propaganda.

[Deblano]

Vladimir Putin, Unsurprised by Trump’s Remarks, Says Russia Wants No Nuclear Arms Race

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/23/world/europe/vladimir-putin-russia-press-conference.html

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[Dr. Arch]

Good lord, please make this nightmare end.

[Santander]

Good. Military Keynesianism is the best form of government intervention in the economy.

[Sumner 1868]

If he actually got into an arms race with Russia, I'd consider this a good thing, since Russia can't sustain an arms race. I'm good with deploying one of the more effective strategies in the Cold War.

What a waste of time, human energy and money, not to mention all the collateral damage that would ensue. Sheesh.

It helped to win the first Cold War. Reagan managed to deploy enough and get the Russians to the table to negotiate with an arms race in the early 1980s. Of course, Reagan also stretched the Russians with entanglements in Afghanistan and Nicaragua, among other places. Reagan understood the Russians have one major Achilles' heel: a weak and fragile economy that can barely sustain an overextended national security state.

I see no problem in replicating that strategy and forcing the Russians to be strategically overextended. Of course, Trump won't do it but it should be done.

And what was the result of the USSR collapse? The war on terror. A very heavy price.

[ApatheticAustrian]

Good. Military Keynesianism is the best form of government intervention in the economy.

https://youtu.be/GTQnarzmTOc?t=173

for once i agree with hayek.

[Hermit For Peace]

Trump is literally a dime store Ronald Reagan

He's trying to repeat the 80s for his brain dead followers who have a hard time moving on

lol!

[Blue3]

Who in his staff can explain to Trump that no one "wins" a nuclear arms race?

[The_Doctor]

If he actually got into an arms race with Russia, I'd consider this a good thing, since Russia can't sustain an arms race. I'm good with deploying one of the more effective strategies in the Cold War.

What a waste of time, human energy and money, not to mention all the collateral damage that would ensue. Sheesh.

It helped to win the first Cold War. Reagan managed to deploy enough and get the Russians to the table to negotiate with an arms race in the early 1980s. Of course, Reagan also stretched the Russians with entanglements in Afghanistan and Nicaragua, among other places. Reagan understood the Russians have one major Achilles' heel: a weak and fragile economy that can barely sustain an overextended national security state.

I see no problem in replicating that strategy and forcing the Russians to be strategically overextended. Of course, Trump won't do it but it should be done.

And what was the result of the USSR collapse? The war on terror. A very heavy price.

We didn't know about that. Also, it wasn't inevitable that the mujahedeen would become terrorists in 1988.

Either way Reagan was right to arm the mujahedeen to bleed the Evil Empire. You worry about the enemies you have, not the ones you'll have.

[Likely Voter]

I wonder if part of the reason for this bellicose cold-war rhetoric is to counter the narrative that he is some kind of Russian puppet.  It's all just for show.