Apologies for the url being a screenshot, for some reason the lemmur app won’t let me paste in the URL box, so here’s the link to the article: https://www.democracynow.org/2022/8/1/headlines/house_speaker_pelosi_will_visit_taiwan_despite_warnings_from_china

US is feeling really ballsy lately. Would be hilarious if their response was to start meeting with leaders of seperatists in Hawaii, Texas, Puerto Rico, Alaska, even California lmao. Do you guys think they’re trying to force a confrontation while Russia is bogged down in Ukraine? Kinda seems like that is their goal. Bog down Russia as long as possible and while Russia is busy take advantage of US having all of Europe in a firm bloc? They are also trying to form a bloc I feel to slow down the insane amount of trade china does with Europe, but if they keep up the sanctions on Russia and China we may see some European countries go neutral or even side with china out of pure economic necessity. The US economy is collapsing and dollar hegemony in waning- even Saudi Arabia is now trading with china in yuan.

  • Shrike502@lemmygrad.ml
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    2 years ago

    It is starting to feel like the US rulers are actively seeking to end the world. I know some folks call capitalism a death cult, but this seems a bit more on the literal side. Do you think they’ll do it? Actively create a situation where WW3 could flare up?

    • Muad'Dibber@lemmygrad.ml
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      The US only has like 10 years of military (esp naval) supremacy left to act, and its war industry is one of last export industries left ( the others being tech and finance capital ). After that China passes them not just economically (which it already has) but militarily, and they have to take the whiny british / european approach to exiting history.

      So it remains a real possibility that it tries to start a war with China or Russia within a few years.

      It sounds odd but dying empires often going on suicidal war rampages near their death, but they overextend themselves because their existing sources of surplus value are drying up, and conquering new territory, with an already developed war industry, is one of the easiest ways to get more.

      • Shrike502@lemmygrad.ml
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        Ten years is a fairly long time. Long enough to nuke the planet many times over. That’s what I meant - the ruling class seems just desperate enough to see the death of humanity as the lesser evil (for themselves)

    • DankZedong @lemmygrad.ml
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      I think they’ve realized that they can’t win against China without going to war. And because they now have to start dealing with the consequences of their fuck ups, they are looking for ways out. Unfortunately, that does seem to be with a bang.

      • Shrike502@lemmygrad.ml
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        Unfortunately, that does seem to be with a bang.

        Unfortunately for the whole world. I’d prefer not to be added to the statistics

  • DankZedong @lemmygrad.ml
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    The lass has gone full mental. What is even the goal of this? Strong arm China, who is looking like they can wipe you off the table at the moment? Escalate this to a full on war? With fucking China? Surely they can’t be this insane.

    Or do they think China is bluffing when they say they have an actual red line?

    • 201dberg@lemmygrad.ml
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      I said this in another thread but I 100% think it’s desperate political pandering because the only thing most Americans can get behind hating at more than her is China. The news about her constant insider trading in the stock market and such. Seriously I can’t believe humans that don’t hate her exist and are real. She’s clawing in desperation to remain relevant and supportable.

      • aworldtowinOP
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        I agree. If you look at recent polling what’s important for democrats (her base)? #1 inflation, then abortion rights, and then voting rights. She’s totally failing at everything that matters even to her liberal base. What’s the way to win the hearts of libs? Constantly go on about some foreign “dictator” half-way across the world. Right now we are seeing the “hitlerization” of Xi Jinping and Putin, play up how “evil” they are, lie about fucking genocide, and then the inflation is suddenly their fault. Guys just keep holding on, we need this to stop dictators! More sanctions! As they oppress and exploit the fuck out of their voters and be complicit in the loss of women’s rights, LGBT rights, workers rights, etc.

  • KommandoGZD@lemmygrad.ml
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    I mean there are some serious economic and geopolitical forces at play here that make it somewhat of a goal to engage China, keep them off the semiconductors and possibly move the chip hegemony back to the US mainland…

    But seriously what in the possible fuck do the Yanks think they’re doing here? It’s not gonna work. Worst case is a direct military escalation leading us right to the edge of the nuclear brink. Best case this is gonna wreck a reeling global economy even further. China isn’t going to take this. They’ve made their red line more than clear and all their PLA posting the last couple days should have strongly reinforced that line.

    This is insanity.

    • CriticalResist8@lemmygrad.ml
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      China is not stupid enough to start a war over this. The US on the other hand…

      But certainly if she lands there they will escalate and the US will feel it. The latter is not in a position anymore where they can impose themselves on other countries, and China knows it obviously. There’s no reason for them to let this go.

        • CriticalResist8@lemmygrad.ml
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          I’m expecting something like that to happen. Indirectly engage against her.

          But my predictions are almost always wrong. I just don’t see a war breaking out because she visited Taiwan and am trying to think of scenarios that would push back while avoiding conflict.

          Maybe they’ll sink an aircraft carrier or something.

          • Shrike502@lemmygrad.ml
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            Maybe they’ll sink an aircraft carrier or something.

            Fairly sure that would constitute a casus Belli

              • mylifeforaiur@lemmygrad.ml
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                The thing about escorts or forcing to land is both of those threats require shooting the plane down to back it up. If her pilots don’t consent to being intercepted, the only option would be for the Chinese pilots to fire.

                • bleepingblorp@lemmygrad.ml
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                  Not necessarily, the fighters can fly close enough to prevent the civilian aircraft from being able to maneuver anywhere other than where they decide.

              • bleepingblorp@lemmygrad.ml
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                2 years ago

                Force it to land in the correct airport on the mainland, in Beijing. Pelosi is simply lost and forgot where the capital of China is. ;p

        • Catraism-Stalinism
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          That would be fun, but most likely, China will just use this to allow consent for further military development. I hope they are able to upgrade their Navy even more.

    • Leninismydad@lemmygrad.ml
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      I genuinely don’t think the US DoD is dumb enough to do this (I know I know), I think this is Nancy doing what she has always done.

      • CriticalResist8@lemmygrad.ml
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        Seems everyone in the US, including Biden and the Army, were against this visit. But for some reason they don’t have the authority to tell her to shut up and sit down lmao. They legit said “we can’t prevent her from going if she wants to”. Pathetic.

        • darkcalling@lemmygrad.ml
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          It’s bullshit. They don’t like it but they’re not going to be seen as not liking it. At most none of them want to be seen as being soft on China, a traitor, obstructing someone being hard on China during the new red scare, etc. They could seriously inconvenience and likely stop her by just refusing military planes or escorts at all for it. She could still get on a civilian airliner and go at that point but it would take the air out of her sails and without an escort or protection the PLA air force deploying chafe in front of her plane and ordering it to divert they may be able to force her away if they wished.

        • Leninismydad@lemmygrad.ml
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          It’s been a while since the US has truly poked the dragon, I bet they are interested, like most of the world right now, how China will react. Will they be firm or wiggle away from the situation. Will they pull a US “the red line is actually a grey line” or will they actually treat it as a true red line. I think if China does nothing or something very minimal it opens up China to increased military button pushing by the US, but if they overreact, it could lead to a major conflict, it’s a fine balance. I’m incredibly interested (in a dark curiosity way) to see what the PLA does.

      • mylifeforaiur@lemmygrad.ml
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        If the plane she’s flying saying United States of America on the side, the pilots are members of the DoD. When Biden says he can’t stop her, it’s either because he’s lying or he’s so senile that he’s forgotten he commands everyone in the DoD.

  • Munrock ☭@lemmygrad.ml
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    I have a feeling China won’t actually do anything if Pelosi does visit. It’s always been the long game that decides their actions.

    The conflict between The West and Russia is one of economic attrition that The West is losing.

    Raising the stakes and escalating the state of war benefits absolutely nobody except those who stand to lose if nothing changes. The Biden regime says it can’t stop Pelosi from going, which is the weakest fucking bullshit but Sinophobia is so rampant that Westerners will believe it and see the US Government as mature dignified statesmen even as they try to drag the world into war.

    • darkcalling@lemmygrad.ml
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      The problem with doing nothing is then their threats and red lines become meaningless to the US. You can’t issue warnings like this then do nothing or the west will see you as weak and cross more and more red lines until all you have left is war with them to dissuade them.

      The west already has been engaging in salami slicing tactics. China really does have to respond after making these warnings or the west will take it as weakness and a sign to ramp up separatism and confrontration. How strong or weak is up to them. They could target Chinese Taipei with sanctions and economic pain, they could do the same for the US. They could sanction Pelosi and her family, they could put on a show of military might by claiming the skies over the island as their own, escorting her plane, daring the DPP to shoot them down and risk war or hitting Pelosi, etc.

      • holdengreen@lemmygrad.ml
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        They need to outsmart the US. And they need to know exactly what the US is trying to do so they can avoid their trap.

        • mylifeforaiur@lemmygrad.ml
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          China’s best play might be some kind of economic sanctions against the US. It’s quite possibly the best card they have to play. The sanctions will hurt China’s economy, sure, but the US economy is already in tatters. Will the Biden admin (or the ruling class in general) be able to survive 20%+ inflation after commiting what is essentially an own goal?

  • Eat_Yo_Vegetables69@lemmygrad.ml
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    Welp, risking an all out war to redirect all the attention from the insider trading and internal failures to this. Westoid NPCs will eat this up with their hatred switch activated, foaming at the mouth.

    • aworldtowinOP
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      I know right? Just the other day Biden came out saying he didn’t know about this and didn’t approve of it. Thought that would be the end of it. Can’t tell whether this is all going according to plan or if pelosi is just a fucking psychopath narcissistic.

        • aworldtowinOP
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          Yup pelosi is legit third in command and the President had no idea of this insane move? So revealing, total corporate puppet. If he is the nominee in 2024, I cannot wait to watch the debates. Trump would totally wreck him.

      • Black AOC@lemmygrad.ml
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        She trades stocks while being a sitting legislator; I think “narcissistic psychopath” is absolutely in the running for theories.

      • Ratette (she/her)@lemmygrad.ml
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        I don’t even think she’s capable of thinking rationally anymore, she’s just a senile jingoistic ghoul playing with people’s lives.

  • ButtigiegMineralMap@lemmygrad.ml
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    What would be an easy way to describe this to someone to has no clue why it’s a bad idea? I have a friend that I’ve slowly been teaching about Marxism, Labor Aristocracy, Mao Stalin Lenin, and even basics of Marxist political theory. The tough part is current events that are completely controlled by MSM I can explain a lot of controversial issues to him but how do I explain Taiwan? It’s confusing because they don’t call themselves PRC but they DO call themselves China, so does PRC. I understand the history of Mao and Chiang Kai Shek and how he plotted Revenge while he was exiled to Taiwan. But what is a way to explain to someone who’s receptive to socialism and modern anti-imperialist struggles, to say why Taiwan is not worthy of support in any way? I

    • 201dberg@lemmygrad.ml
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      Imagine you are married but had a fight with your SO and stay in separate rooms for a bit while you work things out. Then you SOs “really good work friend” starts coming by bringing dinner and and shit but only for your SO. Also they do so uninvited and come in through the window in your SOs room. Also you are the sole owner of your house. Also this work friend has a history of violent and abusive behavior and has made it know they would like it if you just happen to die.

      Only you are a Global super power and your SOs good work friend is a Country that runs endless propaganda against you and your citizens.

    • freagle@lemmygrad.ml
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      Chiang Kai Shek lost the war, like US Confederates did. Unlike the Confederates, they fled to an island off the coast and immediately got naval support from Europe. It would be like if the US Confederates lost and fled to the Florida Keys, or Long Island, and then the French and English sent ships to stop the Union army from completing their victory.

      Then, on Taiwan, Chiang Kai Shek’s army effectively wiped out the entire indigenous population and established a fascist military dictatorship for the next several decades, all with support from Europe.

      Basically, the entire reason Taiwan exists as a separate country is explicitly as a fascist military bridgehead into China for imperialists to use whenever China gets uppity.

      • ButtigiegMineralMap@lemmygrad.ml
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        Lol that’s great, especially the end about the investment scandal. The Pelosis really aren’t on their A-Game lately. Pelosis have been kinda exposed somewhat recently(not that it was ever really a secret) as suspiciously successful in the market, her husband drove drunk and crashed, now Nancy is risking National Security for a visit to another nation’s territory. Idk what the fuck those two are thinking lately

    • Catraism-Stalinism
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      I always put it that they are at a civil war, so any attack on each other is just completion of said civil war.