The majority of this blog’s readers are Americans. I’m wondering: Are you worried about the seemingly increasing possibility of war with North Korea?
Or do you think the rhetoric of Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump is nothing more than that?
At least one major newscaster in Canada has been suggesting that the United States and North Korea are dangerously close to all-out war.
If it happens, there will be worldwide repercussions along with the loss of many innocent lives.
Personally, I can’t see the U.S. striking the first blow, but I can see the North Korean leader ordering missiles launched at America in the hope that a surprise strike could in itself win the war.
Whatever the case may be, unless the tension between the two nations isn’t eased soon, expect financial markets to implode.
Meanwhile, how much longer will Donald Trump be U.S. president? Do you think he will be impeached soon? Will he step down?
And what do you think of the widening anthem protests at sports events? Will they serve to hasten Trump’s departure from the White House?
— Jillian
Photo credit: CassadeyFedel via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA
Jillian Page 
A lot of people in the US have not accepted Donald Trump as president. They cannot stand him. They don’t like anything he says or does. That was predictable. The vocal far left (including almost all the media and Hollywood and Democrats) hates him. The only problem for impeachment is that there must be an impeachable offense. He has to have broken the law. That hasn’t happened, so there the point is moot.
As for the National Anthem protests, while many people support them (again the left and the media – even ESPN has voiced its support), the NFL has a problem. Those that believe that the National Anthem and the US flag should be respected are getting turned off by this show of disrespect. As a result, it will hit the NFL in the pocket book. When those offended by the athletes protest turn off their TV, there is an impact. I don’t know how far it will go, but it is hurting the TV stations. Declining viewership (down 10% or so) means less money for the TV networks and less money for the NFL and less money for the players. The NFL is the big money maker for these networks. They stand to lose big time. Even now those stocks have dropped.
LikeLike
Insightful comments. Thank you for this, Kirk.
LikeLike
re: NFL + Networks. Well, it’s about time. When is an “athlete” worth 250M$ by any standard? Except the obvious. And considering most will suffer from CTE, all the $ in the world will not “re-grow” your brain from its vegetative state. Maybe they have realized that if they do not stand for “principles” when you make more $ than 90% of your fans and community, the bucks mean 0.0. Which of course, it always has %|
LikeLike
Without a doubt, the situation in Asia is troubling but if I may comment from a British/European POV?
I think we can all agree that North Korea sees slights in almost anything that the US President and his allies says, even when the President is trying to reach out to the regime. In Donald Trump, America has a President used to letting people know what he thinks first then letting others clear up the mess. If, OTOH Trump was to shut up then maybe… just maybe quieter, more rational voices in North Korea might get heard and they will stop trying to tweak the tiger’s tail because it isn’t getting a reaction any more.
But here is another scenario for you. The one ally North Korea has is China. For the last 30 yrs or so, they have had an economic plan that involved international trade to provide jobs and wealth at home. Sabre rattling by North Korea and Trump is a disruptor to that plan and one that might put it at risk. It may even put the communist party’s future in China at risk? Before that happens, what the Chinese government might do is bring about a change of leadership in North Korea to safeguard their international investments, in securing the party’s future and its soft power abroad. It will almost certainly be an action of last resort because of the public statement the Chinese have made about comments referring to what they see as internal affairs (Tibet for instance) but it would be preferable to a conventional or nuclear war in the region.
Being a foreigner, I’m not going to comment on ‘taking a knee’ for America protest although I can sympathise with their reasons for doing it. For the same reason I’m not going to comment on the race on which comes first; Trump’s impeachment or he gets fed up with role and walks off in a huff, but if he is impeached or resigns… we have a Prince going spare. Constitutional monarchy has survived the test of time… King of America anyone? 😀
LikeLike
Yes, China might be able to stop N. Korea and the U.S. from unleashing missiles on each other. Let’s hope . . .
LikeLike
Kirk, about the knee… You couldn’t be more wrong.
What you see as disrespect for the flag is the very nature of Freedom of Speech that our forefathers fought for and died for.
Kirk, what do you call a country that compels reverence and allegiance? Fascist.
Oh, Kirk, you are also wrong that an impeachable offense has to be a crime. It does not. Impeachment is a political move, not a legal one. If a president pisses off enough members of Congress, they may bring an impeachment bill to the floor listing their grievances which may or may not include a charge of criminality. (Congress does not have the power to prosecute criminal activity, only the DOJ, which works for the President can do that). But as long as Trump signs anything the Republicans put in front of him, they will protect him.
February 11, 2012 – Grover Norquist, in a speech to the American Conservative Union, laid out what conservatives are looking for in a president: “enough working digits to handle a pen…” The last thing the Republicans want is someone in the White House asking “What am I signing?”.
When impeachment looks obvious, Trump could just declare victory and resign, like Nixon. But Trump has no history of backing down from a challenge and would most likely fight the impeachment. Sit back and get the popcorn.
Trump has surrounded himself with as advisers, Generals and people who would profit from war.
Mike Pence is Trumps best insulation from impeachment. Pence would do everything in his power to bring about a theocracy in America. He is not the lease unabashed to declare that he is a christian first, then a public servant. The bible then the law guide his actions. In his acceptance speech for VP, he said: “I am a christian, a conservative and a republican, in that order”.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/video/pence-introduces-christian-conservative-republican-40758022
I am not sure which one as President scares me more.
LikeLike
Interesting perspectives in the following article:
Commentary: The North Korean nuclear ‘crisis’ is an illusion
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mecklin-nkorea-commentary/commentary-the-north-korean-nuclear-crisis-is-an-illusion-idUSKCN1BM2HA
LikeLike