Basically sanctions never worked. Not a single time. One wonders how they could possibly still embrace the sanctions approach after all the failures.
The best I’ve been able to come up with is how wealthy people seem to think: that the world depends on them and them alone. In their minds, they are the sole source of everything the world desires. But they miss the fact that it is they who depend on everyone else, not the other way around.
So perhaps the US is like the proverbial wealthy jerk on the international stage, thinking they can get their way by threatening to “cut them off” when they displease the master.
For them to admit that sanctions don’t work is unthinkable because it would imply that they aren’t the center of the universe. It opens the door to thinking that the world could get on just fine, perhaps even better, without them. And this is perhaps too frightening a thought for them to bear.
Oh yeah. Without a shot fired, the United States lost its ability to sanction across the globe and its power in the Pacific in one weekend. And there's no way to hide it. Although that's not for a lack of trying-- the censorship regime is failing too. Instead of failing how about if they try to succeed at home? The old order is dead
Another thought...Japan now has a huge incentive to build its own nukes. Given Japan's advanced materials and machining technologies, I have little doubt that it can be done extremely fast. Once that happens, we are again in new territory.
Correct, Japan can easily produce nuclear weapons. Remember, Russia said, " We will help the DPRK with submarine-launched SLCMs. For Japan, the result is still the same, Tokyo, Kobe and Yokohama will be peppered with low-yield nuclear weapons. The question becomes: Will Japan sacrifice Tokyo for the smoking ruins of Pyongyang? For Japan, it's much easier to just negotiate an economic arrangement and leave the United States behind. For Japan, America has nothing to offer. Security, no. Trade, yes. But is it worth the existential existence of the country? No.
I don't think it is so easy for Japan. The US initiated a coup d'etat in Japan in 1950, under the leadership of their puppet Kishi and his Liberal Democratic Party that has ruled Japan ever since (with only a brief interruption a decade ago). Millions of Japanese protested the 1950 coup, forced through under the auspices of the US-Japan Security Treaty, to no avail. Japan is under continued US military occupation, hosting the largest number of US forces outside the US itself. Japan is also the number one creditor of the US, a situation forced by closure of the gold window, half century of trade surplus, and US' financial imperialism over Japan in the form of the Plaza Accord and subsequent forced measures.
The lack of Japan's autonomy is readily apparent. Party officials are often announcing measures that run counter to Japan's interests, clearly at the behest of the US. They didn't give in entirely, which is important, but the situation is not one in which Japan could simply chart its own course without running into a serious confrontation with DC. We know how it would go, if they tried, because it has happened numerous times in the past...US intel and their allies in Japanese media would run smear pieces on the troublemakers, digging up dirt in their files (they are also heavily surveilled by the US), framing it as a kind of scandal, and they would be forced to step down in the public outcry. If that didn't work, then the US would begin actions against the defiers as being "anti-democratic" and invoking the specter of Japan returning to its pre-WW2 imperialism, and put international political pressure on them. And US forces are already stationed here...the only way to get rid of them would be for Japan to rip up the treaty and order them to leave, which would trigger serious repercussions. Japan would go from friend to foe in a flash, being treated as a loyal vassal one day and the next day treated like Iran...
...but they have to get nukes, and the US will know they're doing it. This makes everything a lot more dodgy than meets the eye.
Hi Cynthia There is no doubt this is a fundamental shift in global power and hopefully, Congress will start to focus on the American people more. Economic prosperity from within and friendly relations abroad. Anyway, that's my naïveté for today.
Basically sanctions never worked. Not a single time. One wonders how they could possibly still embrace the sanctions approach after all the failures.
The best I’ve been able to come up with is how wealthy people seem to think: that the world depends on them and them alone. In their minds, they are the sole source of everything the world desires. But they miss the fact that it is they who depend on everyone else, not the other way around.
So perhaps the US is like the proverbial wealthy jerk on the international stage, thinking they can get their way by threatening to “cut them off” when they displease the master.
For them to admit that sanctions don’t work is unthinkable because it would imply that they aren’t the center of the universe. It opens the door to thinking that the world could get on just fine, perhaps even better, without them. And this is perhaps too frightening a thought for them to bear.
Thanks for the comment john. In totality, it is the end of US sanctions. This is also irreversible.
And - just like that - the world changed. Not gonna lie, this is going to take some getting used to.
With Incredible speed! Lsee, thank you for being a supporter !
Well, if it was this simple, it would be great.
It was this simple, bloodless even.
Oh yeah. Without a shot fired, the United States lost its ability to sanction across the globe and its power in the Pacific in one weekend. And there's no way to hide it. Although that's not for a lack of trying-- the censorship regime is failing too. Instead of failing how about if they try to succeed at home? The old order is dead
Maybe success is not the goal - maybe it's endless war.
Another thought...Japan now has a huge incentive to build its own nukes. Given Japan's advanced materials and machining technologies, I have little doubt that it can be done extremely fast. Once that happens, we are again in new territory.
Thanks for comment John
Correct, Japan can easily produce nuclear weapons. Remember, Russia said, " We will help the DPRK with submarine-launched SLCMs. For Japan, the result is still the same, Tokyo, Kobe and Yokohama will be peppered with low-yield nuclear weapons. The question becomes: Will Japan sacrifice Tokyo for the smoking ruins of Pyongyang? For Japan, it's much easier to just negotiate an economic arrangement and leave the United States behind. For Japan, America has nothing to offer. Security, no. Trade, yes. But is it worth the existential existence of the country? No.
I don't think it is so easy for Japan. The US initiated a coup d'etat in Japan in 1950, under the leadership of their puppet Kishi and his Liberal Democratic Party that has ruled Japan ever since (with only a brief interruption a decade ago). Millions of Japanese protested the 1950 coup, forced through under the auspices of the US-Japan Security Treaty, to no avail. Japan is under continued US military occupation, hosting the largest number of US forces outside the US itself. Japan is also the number one creditor of the US, a situation forced by closure of the gold window, half century of trade surplus, and US' financial imperialism over Japan in the form of the Plaza Accord and subsequent forced measures.
The lack of Japan's autonomy is readily apparent. Party officials are often announcing measures that run counter to Japan's interests, clearly at the behest of the US. They didn't give in entirely, which is important, but the situation is not one in which Japan could simply chart its own course without running into a serious confrontation with DC. We know how it would go, if they tried, because it has happened numerous times in the past...US intel and their allies in Japanese media would run smear pieces on the troublemakers, digging up dirt in their files (they are also heavily surveilled by the US), framing it as a kind of scandal, and they would be forced to step down in the public outcry. If that didn't work, then the US would begin actions against the defiers as being "anti-democratic" and invoking the specter of Japan returning to its pre-WW2 imperialism, and put international political pressure on them. And US forces are already stationed here...the only way to get rid of them would be for Japan to rip up the treaty and order them to leave, which would trigger serious repercussions. Japan would go from friend to foe in a flash, being treated as a loyal vassal one day and the next day treated like Iran...
...but they have to get nukes, and the US will know they're doing it. This makes everything a lot more dodgy than meets the eye.
Tragic. I can’t believe I’m living through this 🤡 I fear for my children and grandchildren. 😭
Hi Cynthia There is no doubt this is a fundamental shift in global power and hopefully, Congress will start to focus on the American people more. Economic prosperity from within and friendly relations abroad. Anyway, that's my naïveté for today.
Christopher, thank you for all of your hard work.