Comments by "Xyz Same" (@xyzsame4081) on "CBC News" channel.

  1. + Al Doesn't it give you pause ? Trump says he cannot do anyhting - a few days later he DOES something ! - Trump ordered a way to do things which made things really bad, then he said it was Obama (not true), then that Congress needed to pass a law (also not true), then he signed an EO to undo some of the harm HE had ordered in the first place. It is true that I am not a fan of Trump: However, I am not making this up. MSM occasionally does tell the truth AND the things with the other policies are known. If it is important - go to the sources. Do not believe what someone SAYS thant Obama did - or Bush - check what had really happened. (no fan of Bush or Obama either - just for the record).
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  2. + Brian did you ever SPEAK with somone who was in Europe or knows any European country - the corners of Europe that I KNOW are doing just fine. Maybe, just maybe FAUX NEWS are not telling the truth (they belong to a rich owner - Murdoch I think an Aussie). They would not like to pay higher taxes to help install a more cost-efficient healthcare system (like in Europe or Canada, or Australia). They get a lot of ads from the industry. And Europe must be villified - else the unwashed masses in U.S. try to find out how other countries are doing it.
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  3. U.S. energy = fracking excempt from the Clean Air and Water act.
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  4. So ... helped with the coup in the Ukraine, pushed for bankrupcy laws that are like a millstone around the neck of many people - so for what extraordinary services did he get the medal (but then Reagan and Powell got it too, so ...)
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  5. +William the Canadians have strenght too. They have less citizens, but they DO pull their weight in production (their economy is productive, not bloated up by a phony financial "industry). - the 30 % markup for garments is interesting (is it really that high ?) That company should have a shell company in China or something. But that is not a niche that has a lot of volume. Maybe some Canadian politician protecting a pet project ? Energy, timber, raw materials, ...maybe some machine building and technical components - that counts. Are there any major countries left that Trump did NOT offend / annoy / try to bully recently ? (well apart from the rich gulf states. And Israel is influental but not major). Don't get me wrong - I think it is a good thing that Trump is working overtime towards a multipolar world. (Maybe Putin installed him after all and Trump is playing 5 D chess ?)
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  6. Well he served Delaware and the tax dodgers and Big Finance well....
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  7. Vermont is progressive [Bernie 2020 !!! ] - and it is not as if one needed to remind Senator Sanders to introduce some sanity into the political process. Maybe some favors for a Canadian producer ? of to make themselves felt in EVERY STATE ? - I assume areas where they make maple syrup are not wealthy and every drop is felt.
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  8. They are getting a pass from me - and Mexico it seems introduces the the counter sanctions right away -never mind WTO rules . - it's the Wild West. - there is the Chinese saying: May you live in interesting times. (it is a curse btw).
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  9. Bernie 2020 - just recently from a close person (campaign).He does not exclude to run he concentrates on the Senate race (well he should win that with his arms tied at his back). And it seems he impressed the people in his campaigin in 2016 with his stamina. So if we (the world) are lucky ...
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  10. So then Biden could speek freely and coherently. - he deep connection with his son(s) might explain why he ushered his son in into the cushy job and the Ukraine energy company (with 60k per month), the son that continued to have drug problems. it wasn't right anyway and he could have found him something else.
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  11. So when is Trump going to insult and annoy Japan, or Australia while he is at it.
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  12. 9:00 MBS did NOT charm the world. The Western mainstream media was all too willing to spread the propgaganda for him. They were eagerly working at avoiding to report on the war on Yemen, which was started on behest of MBS. Allowing cinema and women driving was more than enough for THEM. Hint: in Iran women are driving for the longest time, they are in the workplace and on TV as presenters. - They are still waiting for their brownie points. Sure women are required to wear the headscarf, and the country is under Sharia Law. But then on the other side: recently a woman was elected mayor (she ran on a feminist agenda - I suppose feminist for Iran). And Titanic was a BIG HIT in Iran (on VHS then). there was a nude scene - Kate Blanchett posing on a sofa for the love interest Leonardo di Caprio an artist. Which was of course forbidden, so naturally the "black" copy was all over the place.
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  13. + having fun - you really think there is such a thing as NATO bills ?? - but I see what Trump is doing here : such claims and tweets sit well with his supporters, so he keeps them coming. There is no fund where the countries chip in. There is an agreement / idea how it would be a good idea to have a certain percentage of GDP as military spending. Well the European countries do not hold that, they stay below it, and are not going to change that. This is about what is functional and necessary they do not hand over a fixed amount just because (Europe has 530 million people - so some lower expenditures do the trick. Russia, all the Soviet States, Japan, Korea, Europe - they all had WAR IN THE COUNTRY, boming, food shortages, occupation, battles, bombings. They are not so cavalier about war and do not SEED the confrontation. That is I think what many do not get about Russia, they lost 27 million people in WW2, that is engraved in the national psyche. Even of the leaders. The real reason for the messaging ? Trump would like to sell more U.S. weapons to Europe. Europe has a lot of industry, and there is reasonable spending / and then there is spending just because (and usually with a lot of corruption) Money in politics (at least in campaign finance) is not that strong, that means the weapons manufacturer cannot buy the politicians that directly. The Europeans (with some crazy exception of current government of Eastern European countries) are not that into big military spending, the governments have to justify that (so very much NOT like in the U.S.). And the Polish politicians hat have the vapors may be bought - such contracts are huge with a few players so naturally a lot of corruption going on. The U.S. in August 2017 voted to have an increase of military spending that is as much as Russia spends in one year = 70 billion (so from 600 to 680 bn, wars are extra, agencies are extra). Note to self: if one does not want to play the gobal bully and have 700 or 800 bases around the world - one does not need to spend insane amounts on defense. The U.S. with the help of foolish (newer) NATO member states sits on the borders of Russia and tries to bait them into an arms race. Russia is not playing and instead invests in asymmetric defense. Especially Poland and the Baltic states play along with the U.S. hawks and would like to engage in poking the bear. a) they historic grievances with the Soviet Union and I get why they want to be absolutely sure that russia is not coming over. Well that could be achieve much better with the U.S. not meddling with EU/Russia relationships. and b) neoliberal policies, right wing governments, the economy does not work well for the citizens, some good old-fashioned nationalism as distraction. Poland offered to pay for more U.S. protection ?? (a base or something). It is not like the Europeans in general are afraid of Russia. (I am not even sure the Polish or Baltic governmetns are - it may be all political theater). Some politicians claim to be worried and it serves the U.S. interests (well the usual hawks, Trump might think differently). If NATO were to break up or the U.S. bases and military to leave Europe - GOOD IDEA !
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  14. There was no war, just never a peace treaty - the war was in the 1950s ! And NK continues with the program - of course they do ! I would not give up nukes either - that's the only thing that deters the U.S.. - I do not think btw that they are a danger to other countries. it is a deterrent. The U.S. bombing of all of Korea was TERRIBLE even WW2 generals were shocked, 20 % of the population died. And to get at Korea Eisenhower and some generals threatened even to drop nukes making he country not fit for humans to live in for 100 years. This war was about the attempt to dominate CHINA. Giving up nukes ? Hell, no. But Trump got good press, maybe it released some tensions and the U.S. takes them of the list of Axis of Evil. That's a progress. - militarily nothing changed.
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  15. +laurejon - Trump chose metals because he framed it as National Security issue (the reasoning is: if a war would break out the U.S. industry could not supply sufficient metals - assuming of course that Canada would not be more than willing to supply). That is very unusual (the third time it has happened) and the Canadians feel properly insulted (WW2 ally and all). That way the president does not need the O.K. of Congress. Congress would not have agreed, whoever votes FOR such sanctions will find the their state economy being very specifically targeted. So of course Trump could not include chocolate or consumer goods. But Europe, Canada, Japan, China, ... for sure will. ....NZ will feel hard done by - no one thought of including THEM in sanctions - they always get left out just because they are a far away island.
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  16. I think they had a bataillon in WW2 that was very much respected / feared by the German army.
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  17. fun story from a UN peacekeeping mission on Cyprus in the 1970s (I read a book from an Austrian soldier). Tensions high between the villages of Turkish and Greece ethnicities. but no open fighting and the locals have only rifles. and no foreign mercenaries or soldiers roaming. The Turkish army had invaded the island that was Greek (now it is divided). But they were contained. So the Blue helmets had only to deal with upset citizens. One village cutting off the water supply for the next, stuff like that. Knowing full well the Blue helmets would reverse that - they did it just because. On the whole nothing really dangerous. Once a Jeep with 2 Austrians and one local as guide set out to spray the idle irrigation channels on fields to avoid mosquitos and a health risk. Should be bi-partisan and the locals did not grow things there this season- or the were no allowed to for security reasons (not sure). Suddenly rifles popped up everwhere in bushes, from behind walls, rocks. Villagers not visible, partially in hiding, but they made a point of showing the rifles. The old man that showed them the way trembled, the soldiers decided to retreat. Being Austrian, they were a) social and b) trained in all kinds of trades before enlisting - so they had a good cook among them - in short they were well liked by their fellow Blue helmets. So the story was discussed in the evening when they met the Canadian peacekeepers. The Canadians had earned themselves a reputation (on the island) in the combat for control of airport Lattakia. (This had been a nice holiday island a few months before, we are not talking about the middle east). the Canadians said they had helicopters available the next day and would show up as backup. So next day the Austrians arrived at the field, the villagers already waiting (they had nothing to do, no farming this year and a lot of macho attitude waiting to vent). Where are the Canadians !! Ah, there they come. They showed up with 2 helicopters. The rifle crowd vanished - never to be seen again. This spraying went on undisturbed. So did all the others the soldiers were ordered to perform.
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  18. They have an excellent plan with targeted sanctions, well done !. Normally sanctions must be passed by Congress (so one look at the Canadian prepared list and it would have been a No vote). Trump had to frame it as a National Security issue (which was used only 2 or 3 times until now) - or he could not have ordered it at all w/o the House. But that means of course he had to limit it to tariffs on steel and aluminium, something like that. no SOPHISTICATED APPROACH possible.
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