General Chat

...and whatever Rollo says it the trooff!!

So there!!

Just join up the dots there is not going to be any USA - NKorea conflict. The Korean regime is an increasing problem for China. Best bet for the USA is to maintain pressure on Nk without going over the line just as they are doing with fleet exercises in the Sea of Japan etc. There is not the slightest chance of Nk being able to attack the continental USA. The Chinese have already vetoed any nonsense over Guam.

Chinese / Korea have an enmity which goes back into the mists of time. For China the time has come when the costs of supporting Nk outweigh the benefits. It now has the tricky job of defanging Nk without ending up itself a target or reunification of Korea.

There is always a deal when both parties have something to put on the table. The Chinese want the China Sea. The Americans want the end of threats north of the 38th. A deal of some kind will happen and it will be shutout for Pyong Yang.

Don't believe what is printed in the tabloid press whuch prefers headlines which sell newspapers not complexity.

Recommended reading:
The Art if War - Sun Tzu
The Prince - Machiavelli

So now you think it's right what DT is doing putting pressure on NK...see things change daily...and I was right Rollo knew what's going on..

Rolo says: "Best bet for the USA is to maintain pressure on Nk without going over the line"

HAHAHAHA - we're talking about Donald Trump - someone who is considered by psychiatrists to not be quite 'right' in their mind!!

There's a reason they want to overturn the 'Goldwater Rule' and comment on Trumps mental health.

There's also this:


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world-0/us-politics/support-grows-bill-donald-trump-mentally-unfit-congress-house-of-representatives-jamie-raskin-25th-a7825701.html

Trumps ranting and raving is crazy and could be dangerous if North Korea take it seriously but the signs are they don't hence upping the ante on ranting and raving re Guam.

The reality is that the USA is not under the total control of muppets. The recent exercises with Japan and the upcoming triparite exercises with Sk and Japan are for sure making the Chinese sit up and take notice. Bejing is where efforts must be targeted.

If there really was any chance of hostilities breaking out then the US would start sending their large civi pop in Sk home. There is no sign of that at all.

There has been no great power hot war since 1945. Sure there have been a few crisis notably 1948 Berlin and 1962 Cuba but the line has held. China will not allow the tail to wag the dog.

China could not withstand the internal shock that war in Korea would cause.

Recommended viewing:
The Manchurian Candidate
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

The inline Indy is full of unfulfilled wishes. There is no way Congress will remove Trump from office. After the mid terms late next year that may change if the Democrats do well. So far they have not found a better new leader than Al Gore. In any case the path would be high crimes and misdemeanours rather than fitness. Whether they can mount such an attack depends on the Russia files.

All of the UK press right now is full of pure horse St re Korea and brexit. As there are plenty of other news sources they must believe the Brits are as dumb as an ass. Maybe they are right the next few months will shine a light.

So that would be only time will tell will it Rollo.....now, where have I said that before.....?

....but Kim Jong-un isn't the most stable, rational person either.

Thanks for all the book recommendations - nice to know you believe you've read all the 'relevant' books for the situation.
A 5th century Chinese treaty on war - we've moved on a bit since then.
A 16th Century Italian political treatise - as above.
They may be on the list of best war books, but that doesn't mean they are relevant in this situation. I mean, the Art of War declares that war has 5 constant factors:

(1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline.
Well, when a nuclear bomb goes off, the first 3 are totally irrelevant, and I'm sure Trump and Kim aren't lying in bed worrying about them - they're more concerned about what snacks are in their nuclear bunkers.

As for the two fictional thrillers - of course they're so relevant - not!
For a similar suggestion, may I offer, as an explanation of Brexit in the form of:
'Five on Brexit Island', by (Enid Blyton for Grown-ups)

There is a book club on the 'Hobbies' board, where you can inform those who are interested all about your reading.

The two books are mandatory at staff college but then I doubt Mw has ever worn pips on her shoulder.

Staff college training the world over spends plenty of time studying ancient battles all the way back to Rome v Carthage and the Shogun wars in Japan. One of the reasons is that so few of the fundamentals have changed.

That includes the two old maxims, know your enemy, hold fast to your friends but hold your enemies tighter.

They are trying to kill me Yossarian told him calmly
No one is trying to kill you Clevinger cried
Then why are they shooting at me Yossarian asked
They are shooting at everyone Clevinger cried
They are trying to kill everyone

J Heller Catch 22

One of the few works which accept the obvious insanity of war. Others include "The Tin Drum" Gunter Grass, M.A.S.H. Robert Hooker and "Slaughterhouse 5" Kurt Vonnegut. Of course war has moved on since then to Syria and the Yemen.

Who will keen for them?

No. Rolo, I haven't worn pips on my shoulder - your 'statement' implies you have.

So, you imply you were in the Services, and didn't know what HMT before the name of a ship meant? Really???? Cr*p Staff College then!
Even though I stated the HMT Empire Windrush was a troopship, you, in your 'superior' knowledge contradicted me with the statement on the lines of 'It has always been a banana boat going back and forth between the Carribean and England."
You vaguely backtracked when I pointed out that referring to it as a 'Banana Boat' was a derogatory racial term, and admitted you hadn't bothered looking it up - just 'dissed' me because you thought you could.

So, does your implication that as I haven't,(worn pips), you have, hold any relevance - no, not after that gross faux pas.


The books are mandatory reading, as advised by the Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research - and are to suggest how to think, not fight.
There are many more suggestions on the list - yes one can Google it.
But the films you suggest - just b/s methinks.

Some of us on the boards have worn pips "dear boy", reading books and knowing your history does not a master make..... helps but not the whole package.

?
What are you on about mw?
What is the relevance to mad men and N Korea?
What makes you think the pongos have any interest in the merchant marine and its associate the blue ensign?
please mw please stop harassing me with inaccurate, abusive comment and deliberate misquotes. I have no interest in yr posts.

Caroline, yes.
Signals are not renowned for being good on the parade ground. It is not seen as the glam part of the army. Back in the 70s there was a popular poster "join the army, see the peoples of the world and shoot them". The reality was "... And get shot at".

Brother Bertie went away
To do his bit the other day
With a smile on his lips
And his lieutenant pips
Upon his shoulder bright and gay
Then he wagged his paw and went away To war
Shouting out these pathetic words
Goodbye-ee.....
Bonsoir old thing cheerio chin chin
There's a silver lining in the sky-ee.
(abr)

"Caroline, yes.
Signals are not renowned for being good on the parade ground. It is not seen as the glam part of the army. Back in the 70s there was a popular poster "join the army, see the peoples of the world and shoot them". The reality was "... And get shot at"."

What is this on about??? aimed at me because??

As for mad men...most "normal" people do think he's a mad man they also think DT is mad too....no totally sane person would act like they both do, the difference is one was elected in "fairly"..

Rolo:
"What is the relevance to mad men and N Korea?"
Indeed, what is the relevance of your choice of books to mad men in Nk (I believe is how you usually refer to it)?
Rolo again:
"please mw please stop harassing me with inaccurate, abusive comment and deliberate misquotes. I have no interest in yr posts"

Surely, if you attend Staff College, one would have thought you'd have to learn about the other Services - after all, we wouldn't want a pongo firing at a Troopship would we? 'All in this together men' and all that - What Ho!!

Also, Troopships - those beginning HMT - like the Empire Windrush - you know, the one you insisted was a banana boat - carry soldiers home - surely a soldier - especially one who attended Staff College would know that!!

I'm sorry if you think my correcting your mistakes - written as 'facts' - is harassment - but you regularly do it to others; as such, surely you'd prefer the truth, than to go through life in ignorance?




Misquotes? I merely correct you on your statements of 'fact'!!Oh dear. yr vry snstve rn't y.

Ah but don't forget some in service look down on others, but most leaders if they listened to the lesson learnt how to talk to and understand the lower ranks....after all what are the pips without the lower ranks...

Twilight zone again :-S

Nobody in their right mind would trust NK not to fire an ICB and tempt a devastating response.

Intelligence as of today cannot, for certain, state what stage in the development of miniaturisation of warheads their military has achieved. Their budget is huge at the expense of starving the insignificant poor.

Would I trust that Trump's advisors can calm him down? probably in action but not in threats.

Anyone who dismisses the threat as daft needs their bumps read!

But Rollo said............. :-S

I don't care one jot :-D

:-D

Neither do I, really :-D :-D :-D

Just don't like bs :-P