4 ms·

The blame game: The Trump coalition is fracturing as Iran operation stalls

11 points by lschueller 6mo ago

jqpabc123 6mo ago
Personal opinion: Netty blackmailing Trump is the only scenario that even remotely makes sense. Nothing about this fits with "America First".
- kwertyoowiyop 6mo ago
  It’s less appalling to believe that Trump’s worst decisions are made under duress.
- JojoFatsani 6mo ago
  Ocham’s Razor suggests he is a narcissist surrounded by sycophants
  - bookofjoe 5mo ago
    Ockham
- bdangubic 6mo ago
  for anyone that actually bought “America First” I have some Enron stock options to sell
  - cosmicgadget 6mo ago
    Yeah I can't even fathom taking the guy at his word in 2016. To do it again in 2024 with the record that's available... but hey, all politicians lie right?
- TacticalCoder 6mo ago
  > ... is the only scenario that even remotely makes sense I've got another one although it may not be that incompatible with your scenario... What do you think a country willing to slaughter (January 2026) 30 000+ of its own people, sending islamists with assault weapons in hospitals to finish the wounded (and unarmed) and hanging publicly his athletes would do once it gets the atomic bomb? Really: what do you think a country like that shall do? I've got another one: one they'll have nuked Israel out of the world, do you think islamists are going to stop there? Now we get to your scenario: maybe Netty knows Iran nuking Israel with the atomic bomb is coming and maybe it's blackmailing Trump (maybe for example Trump was in a threesome with Bill Gates when Bill Gates, factually, caught STDs on Epstein's island: who knows!?)... But that still doesn't change my question: what is a regime made of murderers capable of killing 30 000 unarmed of its own people going to do to "infidels" all around the world once it'll be done with Israel?
  - jqpabc123 6mo ago
    Here is how your scenario breaks down. 1) According to Trump, their nuclear program was "obliterated" months ago. 2) They still have enriched uranium. 3) The Islamists are still in control --- only now it's the more extreme elements. 4) Unless Trump is preparing for a ground invasion to occupy the country, they will now be pursuing a nuclear weapon at all costs and as soon as possible. The overall effect of the US attack may well be to make your nuclear horror scenario more likely. Let's see where we stand once TACO is done.
    - deeg 6mo ago
      The above reply explains how Maga will carry on even if new Trump/Epstein news comes out. They'll do a what-about by pulling in some liberal involved with Epstein and then ignore it by focusing on something completely different, usually something based on Trump lies.
  - guzfip 6mo ago
    [flagged]
  - cosmicgadget 6mo ago
    So you're saying a ground invasion is inevitable, the tweets and negotiations are a charade.
- scarecrowbob 6mo ago
  What could possibly be the content of that blackmail? It feels like every couple of months some new horror drops, yet there he is, chuggin along.
  - jqpabc123 6mo ago
    What could possibly be the content of that blackmail? Really? Trump's best friend was a pedophile. Putin and Netty probably have pictures and video.
    - krapp 6mo ago
      >Really? Trump's best friend was a pedophile. That was known before he ran in 2016, it didn't matter. Trump admitted that his wealth and celebrity made it easy to sexually assault women on tape and it only made him more popular to his base. And plenty of damaging images and far more direct links to pedophilia have come from the Epstein file releases since, despite the administration's best efforts. Where can you go after the allegation that Donald Trump punched an underage girl in the head after she bit his dick goes public and goes nowhere? Honestly I don't think more pictures and more video is going to move the needle. Either you already accept that Donald Trump is very likely a pedophile based on the preponderance of evidence or you don't care. No one is going to be Pikachu face shocked by anything anyone could reveal at this point.
      - jqpabc123 6mo ago
        So you don't think that video of Epstein and Trump molesting an underage girl would have any impact?
        krapp 6mo ago
        There is already plenty of evidence and people have already made their minds up one way or the other. Video would have some impact but only in the sense of throwing more kindling on the fire.
- licebmi__at__ 6mo ago
  Nobody in power cares about that "America First" bullshit. It's always their business first, and so far seems like their money is ok. But anyway, let's consider; what would be the worst case scenario? Let's say Netty leaks a video or several of Trump abusing young girls. In this cultural zeitgeist of conspiracy, fake news and AI content, how much of their fanbase would actually believe that? It's easier to consider that Trump got played with his big ego and even if he's looking for an off ramp, there seems to be none that would let him off the hook while still looking strong, as him looking weak is the only thing that maybe could actually harm his business.
aaron695 6mo ago
[dead]

11 points by lschueller 6mo ago

Personal opinion: Netty blackmailing Trump is the only scenario that even remotely makes sense. Nothing about this fits with "America First".

kwertyoowiyop 6mo ago
It’s less appalling to believe that Trump’s worst decisions are made under duress.
JojoFatsani 6mo ago
Ocham’s Razor suggests he is a narcissist surrounded by sycophants
- bookofjoe 5mo ago
  Ockham
bdangubic 6mo ago
for anyone that actually bought “America First” I have some Enron stock options to sell
- cosmicgadget 6mo ago
  Yeah I can't even fathom taking the guy at his word in 2016. To do it again in 2024 with the record that's available... but hey, all politicians lie right?
TacticalCoder 6mo ago
> ... is the only scenario that even remotely makes sense I've got another one although it may not be that incompatible with your scenario... What do you think a country willing to slaughter (January 2026) 30 000+ of its own people, sending islamists with assault weapons in hospitals to finish the wounded (and unarmed) and hanging publicly his athletes would do once it gets the atomic bomb? Really: what do you think a country like that shall do? I've got another one: one they'll have nuked Israel out of the world, do you think islamists are going to stop there? Now we get to your scenario: maybe Netty knows Iran nuking Israel with the atomic bomb is coming and maybe it's blackmailing Trump (maybe for example Trump was in a threesome with Bill Gates when Bill Gates, factually, caught STDs on Epstein's island: who knows!?)... But that still doesn't change my question: what is a regime made of murderers capable of killing 30 000 unarmed of its own people going to do to "infidels" all around the world once it'll be done with Israel?
- jqpabc123 6mo ago
  Here is how your scenario breaks down. 1) According to Trump, their nuclear program was "obliterated" months ago. 2) They still have enriched uranium. 3) The Islamists are still in control --- only now it's the more extreme elements. 4) Unless Trump is preparing for a ground invasion to occupy the country, they will now be pursuing a nuclear weapon at all costs and as soon as possible. The overall effect of the US attack may well be to make your nuclear horror scenario more likely. Let's see where we stand once TACO is done.
  - deeg 6mo ago
    The above reply explains how Maga will carry on even if new Trump/Epstein news comes out. They'll do a what-about by pulling in some liberal involved with Epstein and then ignore it by focusing on something completely different, usually something based on Trump lies.
- guzfip 6mo ago
  [flagged]
- cosmicgadget 6mo ago
  So you're saying a ground invasion is inevitable, the tweets and negotiations are a charade.
scarecrowbob 6mo ago
What could possibly be the content of that blackmail? It feels like every couple of months some new horror drops, yet there he is, chuggin along.
- jqpabc123 6mo ago
  What could possibly be the content of that blackmail? Really? Trump's best friend was a pedophile. Putin and Netty probably have pictures and video.
  - krapp 6mo ago
    >Really? Trump's best friend was a pedophile. That was known before he ran in 2016, it didn't matter. Trump admitted that his wealth and celebrity made it easy to sexually assault women on tape and it only made him more popular to his base. And plenty of damaging images and far more direct links to pedophilia have come from the Epstein file releases since, despite the administration's best efforts. Where can you go after the allegation that Donald Trump punched an underage girl in the head after she bit his dick goes public and goes nowhere? Honestly I don't think more pictures and more video is going to move the needle. Either you already accept that Donald Trump is very likely a pedophile based on the preponderance of evidence or you don't care. No one is going to be Pikachu face shocked by anything anyone could reveal at this point.
    - jqpabc123 6mo ago
      So you don't think that video of Epstein and Trump molesting an underage girl would have any impact?
      - krapp 6mo ago
        There is already plenty of evidence and people have already made their minds up one way or the other. Video would have some impact but only in the sense of throwing more kindling on the fire.
licebmi__at__ 6mo ago
Nobody in power cares about that "America First" bullshit. It's always their business first, and so far seems like their money is ok. But anyway, let's consider; what would be the worst case scenario? Let's say Netty leaks a video or several of Trump abusing young girls. In this cultural zeitgeist of conspiracy, fake news and AI content, how much of their fanbase would actually believe that? It's easier to consider that Trump got played with his big ego and even if he's looking for an off ramp, there seems to be none that would let him off the hook while still looking strong, as him looking weak is the only thing that maybe could actually harm his business.

aaron695 6mo ago

[dead]