News Burst: July 08, 2017 (Patreon)

I hope you’re doing fantastic, and that this News Burst finds you well.

I’m currently toiling away on Monday’s episode of CLS, which will tackle an issue that I think isn’t thought about or spoken about nearly enough. I’m not sure if y’all will like it or not; you, as always, will be the judge. I can never tell how my videos will do. I thought the last one would kill, and it wasn’t very popular (view-wise) at all. C’est la vie!

Have a great rest of your weekend, and see you Monday for Episode 28.

And now, the news.

The US vs. The World at the G20: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/341109-5-takeaways-from-trumps-dramatic-weekend-with-world-leaders

My Take: It seems like, with the exception of some small SNAFUs and a few optical problems (namely with Ivanka taking her dad’s place for a brief time at a table full of leadership, which, frankly, has been wildly overblown), Trump’s trip to the G20 summit seems to have been at least somewhat successful. He made some strides in economic dealings, kept the status quo in regard to America’s stance on climate change, and didn’t do anything so catastrophic as to put any good news surrounding his trip into jeopardy. My expectations (along with most of yours) are extremely low in regard to Trump, so we have to take the little victories.

There are multiple important takeaways, but I think two of them revolve around America’s relationship with Putin’s Russia, and Trump’s protectionist, isolationist, “America first” stances as being far less bluster and more substance than perhaps originally thought. A really interesting (and staggering) statistic that came out of the G20 summit is that Trump and Putin spoke privately for nearly two and a half hours, which is something like five times longer than they were supposed to meet. Something positive came out of the conversation -- a possible (albeit temporary) ceasefire in Syria -- but the conversation will obviously raise more questions, too, specifically regarding whether we should be chummy with a country that trifled with our elections. With so much obscured by news and propaganda smoke-screens, it’s hard to tell what’s real and what isn’t, and while I believe retribution to those that have done us wrong is essential, I also believe in holding out a hand of friendship, peace, trade, and mutual prosperity. Should we befriend the Russians, or renew the Cold War?

As for the other takeaway -- America’s growing isolation from other western, so-called “progressive” countries -- that was apparently on full display. Trump is an ardent protectionist, while virtually all other G20 member countries are free traders. Trump thinks worldwide climate agreements will hurt American prosperity, while the other countries are on board to varying degrees on fighting climate change. In many ways, the US and the rest of the world are plowing ahead in two different directions, which is of course the right of sovereign nations. Ultimately, time will be the arbiter in regard to who made the right choice(s).

(Related Story | A Mixed Bag For Trump at G20: https://www.apnews.com/bfaf33768a2644339f9be816ff5ff15c/G-20-shut-Trump-out-on-climate,-strike-deal-on-trade)

(Related Story | Trump Splits With G20 on Climate: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/08/trump-climate-change-g20-240320)

What Do We Do About North Korea?: https://www.apnews.com/585488c3494d4a7496f4b43ff8f9dcf3/Trump,-Asian-allies-seek-counter-to-North-Korean-'menace'

My Take: I’ve long been a voracious follower of all things North Korea, and I can say with some confidence that the geopolitical chatter between countries (and the press more widely) about the Hermit Kingdom appears to be at an all-time high, at least since the collapse of the Soviet Union. What this indicates to me is that something is in the works in regard to North Korea, or, at the very least, North Korea finds itself on the clock in a way it hasn’t in the past. TLDR: Everyone’s patience is growing thin to varying degrees, but it’s certain that everyone’s patience is indeed growing thin, including China’s. That's because the situation has crossed into a new echelon of danger.

With the revelation that North Korea -- nuclear-armed but without reliable delivery systems -- successfully tested what appears to be a better-than-crude ICBM, the situation has gotten a whole lot more serious. With two vital American allies directly in harm’s way (Japan and especially South Korea) and with an old sometimes-adversary explicitly or tacitly helping North Korea maintain its posture (China), this is absolutely, positively the most complicated and serious geopolitical dance of the 21st century. What’s happened in the Middle East is terrible and labyrinthine in its own right, but here, nuclear weapons are in play, which ratchets up the drama exponentially. And with so many strong and loose (and new and old) alliances mucking everything up, the dance is a delicate one.

What’s surprising to me is that, even at the G20, a decent working relationship between Trump and Xi Jinping seems to be developing. While not quite a friendship, and perhaps not even all that warm, you’d expect Trump and Xi to have a far cooler and more hostile relations. Maybe they do behind closed doors, but between Xi’s visit to the US and some other interactions between the two men, we may finally be able to solve what plagues East Asia. And that’s the rogue, communist, garbage country holding the region (and the world) hostage with its rickety (yet still devastating) nuclear arsenal.

(Related Story | US Bombers Hold Drills Near DMZ: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-bombers-idUSKBN19T06B)

G20 Violence is Out of Control: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40540653

My Take: Sadly, what’s most made the rounds during (and in the wake of) the G20 summit in Germany is the out-of-control, heinous, and completely unacceptable level of violence, rioting, looting, and utter destruction that took hold of the city of Hamburg. The story linked above tells you all you need to know with pictures and brief descriptions, as opposed to lengthy stories that tell you what your eyes can easily see: These anarchic situations are totally out of bounds, and we, as a civilized people, shouldn’t accept this, no matter whether it happens in our respective countries of origin or otherwise.

The Hamburg riots -- and that’s what they are, riots -- are some of the worst I’ve personally seen in the western world, especially when it comes to something as tame as a peaceful gathering of global leadership. And what disgusts me the most (for nothing the media does actually surprises me anymore) is that much of this is described as “protest.” This isn’t protest. This is violent hooliganism that should be universally condemned and discouraged. The expectation these days is that this is normal. This isn’t normal. And, if you're a political bean counter, be aware: This stuff helps the right, across the world, full stop.

There’s nothing normal about going around destroying private property. There’s nothing normal about going around looting stores, or burning cars, or attacking police officers. There isn’t room for (or even the remotest need of) this kind of violence, this kind of reckless disregard for societal norms. I’m truly angry about it, because these “protests” are full of nothing but crying babies, the dregs of society that drain it rather than add to it, people that want to make excuses for everything that is wrong with them and their situation without any willingness to take a look in the fucking mirror. Whiny, childish, ignorant, useful idiots, all.