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Let's try some 4-D chess. What is the overall plan here? Open up multiple wars-of-choice to settle decades old vendettas held by aging boomers, deplete the Unit

Let's try some 4-D chess. What is the overall plan here? Open up multiple wars-of-choice to settle decades old vendettas held by aging boomers, deplete the United States' stockpile of weapons, close up the suitcase operation when the People finally get wise to the treachery, and then abscond to China where they already call Trump the "Nation Builder" ? Meanwhile Big Tech is hoping their panopticon and AI drones will be complete enough that they can keep the People under control as what remains of the sidelined government continues burning, ushering in their desired corpo-authoritarian society?

pram 5mo ago
Everything I have seen seems like Trump was really expecting Iran to be a “3 day special operation” so the humiliating boondoggle and stand-off/interceptor etc depletion wasn’t part of the 4D chess. They probably expected Cuba would already be “done” at this point.
- fakedang 5mo ago
  Someone formerly in intelligence told me that the plan in Iran seemingly was to coordinate the protests with strikes on vital government and military installations as a "humanitarian intervention", but the timing went off badly because they didn't expect the protests to get crushed so quickly and lose steam. But they decided to go ahead in the boondoggle anyways, on Israeli insistence.
  - quantified 5mo ago
    Not paying attention to the fact that the most fearless and motivated protesters had just been killed.
pstuart 5mo ago
I think they expect a repeat of Venezuela, which was a tidy operation for what it was (and something I highly disapprove of). But even though these operations are done in the name of "regime change", it's just about giving Trump the opportunity to cosplay as a warrior and to further distract from the dumpster fire of his administration.
- mindslight 5mo ago
  Venezuela was literally the only thing Trump has done that made me sick with a feeling of "this is going to be well received by most people". (Distinct from the feeling that something should be poorly received, but then seeing the useful idiots lap it up anyway. The instances of this have been unenumerable) Hopefully if they do attack Cuba, it will play a little differently with one huge quagmire (or loss, depending on perspective) already on the table.
  - rayiner 5mo ago
    > Venezuela was literally the only thing Trump has done that made me sick with a feeling of "this is going to be well received by most people". You didn't think Trump's border policy was going to be well received? That seems... out of touch give how prominent an issue it was in the election. People remain quite positive on Trump's immigration policy; with Iran and inflation being his big weak spots: https://harvardharrispoll.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/HHP_Apr2026_KeyResults.pdf https://harvardharrispoll.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/HHP... (pp. 25, 26). I don’t know how invading Cuba would be received. I feel like the biggest source of consternation about Iran is the effect on gas prices. That’s not at issue in Cuba.
    - mindslight 5mo ago
      It might not run afoul of yours, but I assume that deploying domestic terrorists to attack American cities impinges upon most people's sense of morality in a way that attacking foreign countries (unfortunately) does not. This puts it in the second category I mentioned.
      - rayiner 5mo ago
        I was actually surprised about that in the other direction. Police consistently poll in the top 3 most trusted organizations in the country. I would have thought ICE would get the benefit of that sentiment. But in the Harvard-Harris polling above, police are +39 net favorability, while ICE is -6. The lower polling on ICE is odd because, as a policy issue, deporting all illegal immigrants (not just ones who have committed crimes) is polling at 55-45. What other way do people think there is to deport 20+ million people?
nacozarina 5mo ago
If the US is mired in its own domestic unrest and military misadventures in the Americas, it will be unable to intervene effectively in conflicts in Europe or Asia.
- quantified 5mo ago
  Imagine being the next president inheriting this dumpster fire. I always thought Obama was handed a poisoned chalice. This will be insane.
  - oneneptune 5mo ago
    This is presuming the next president isn't supportive of these policies and a continuation of the policy.
    - quantified 5mo ago
      I'm thinking that even then, they'll be a bit smarter and realize that this is a lot to handle. Won't be starting from as good of a base.
  - openuntil3am 5mo ago
    > the next president I appreciate your optimism.
  - AuthAuth 5mo ago
    It really does need to be someone who has been in the political game their whole life. It cannot be another inexperienced populist.
    - kisper 5mo ago
      Along these lines, it seems too much hope for... but we need a president that can respectfully dialogue with people on the other side of the aisle and empathize with people and their views gained from lived experience. These days the status quo is to treat any opposition to their point of view as sign of idiocy or moral corruption.
caymanjim 5mo ago
Do you honestly think there's a plan?
nirui 5mo ago
> and then abscond to China I'm a Chinese, from what I learned, you probably don't see the situation clearly. The problem is influence. America wants to solve the Cuba (and Iran) problem since very long ago, and right now, while China is busy patching up their economic slop/mismanagement and Russia is trapped in Ukraine, is simply the best time to do so. With Cuba is cleared out, the Americas continent will be cleared of major (and loud) threats against America. That alone is beneficial. It's the same but opposite reason why America is supporting Japan, Taiwan and Europe etc, to control the influence of their competitors like China, Russia, India, Brazil etc (a.k.a Global South). It also allow Americans to keep a tap on Japan, Taiwan and Europe (etc) so they remains in American control. That's probably the 4-D chess you talked about. Also, the "Trump the 'Nation Builder'" part: In China, "Nation Builder" was a popular forename, it means "someone who contributes to their own country/nation". In the Trump context, it means that Trump's policies is benefiting China's goal. That is, when compare to Biden's policy which is much sophisticated and on point (while Trump's is blunt and wasteful). But I don't think American's soft gesture towards China will last after Cuba and Iran is dealt with (if) in a American victory though. Unlike what the "New World Order" conspiracy suggests, I don't think this world is stupid enough to not to pursue the maximums goal when possible. That's probably why Americans are working towards the maximums goal inches by inches.
- tzs 5mo ago
  There is no "Cuba problem" that needs to be solved.
  - kcplate 5mo ago
    How many cuban ex-pats do you know? I would say “not many”. Every cuban ex-pat I know (and thats quite a lot because I live in FL) will tell you there is a Cuba problem. They all still have family suffering under that regime.
    - tzs 5mo ago
      Let me rephrase. The is no "Cuba problem" that the US needs to deal with any differently than it deals with/has dealt with the many other countries in the Americas that have/had people suffering under their regimes who had family in the US. As far as Cuba in particular goes, the suffering there would be a lot less if the US would drop its 65+ year old embargo and let them trade like all the other repressive regimes it is indifferent to.

pram 5mo ago

Everything I have seen seems like Trump was really expecting Iran to be a “3 day special operation” so the humiliating boondoggle and stand-off/interceptor etc depletion wasn’t part of the 4D chess. They probably expected Cuba would already be “done” at this point.

fakedang 5mo ago
Someone formerly in intelligence told me that the plan in Iran seemingly was to coordinate the protests with strikes on vital government and military installations as a "humanitarian intervention", but the timing went off badly because they didn't expect the protests to get crushed so quickly and lose steam. But they decided to go ahead in the boondoggle anyways, on Israeli insistence.
- quantified 5mo ago
  Not paying attention to the fact that the most fearless and motivated protesters had just been killed.

pstuart 5mo ago

I think they expect a repeat of Venezuela, which was a tidy operation for what it was (and something I highly disapprove of). But even though these operations are done in the name of "regime change", it's just about giving Trump the opportunity to cosplay as a warrior and to further distract from the dumpster fire of his administration.

mindslight 5mo ago
Venezuela was literally the only thing Trump has done that made me sick with a feeling of "this is going to be well received by most people". (Distinct from the feeling that something should be poorly received, but then seeing the useful idiots lap it up anyway. The instances of this have been unenumerable) Hopefully if they do attack Cuba, it will play a little differently with one huge quagmire (or loss, depending on perspective) already on the table.
- rayiner 5mo ago
  > Venezuela was literally the only thing Trump has done that made me sick with a feeling of "this is going to be well received by most people". You didn't think Trump's border policy was going to be well received? That seems... out of touch give how prominent an issue it was in the election. People remain quite positive on Trump's immigration policy; with Iran and inflation being his big weak spots: https://harvardharrispoll.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/HHP_Apr2026_KeyResults.pdf https://harvardharrispoll.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/HHP... (pp. 25, 26). I don’t know how invading Cuba would be received. I feel like the biggest source of consternation about Iran is the effect on gas prices. That’s not at issue in Cuba.
  - mindslight 5mo ago
    It might not run afoul of yours, but I assume that deploying domestic terrorists to attack American cities impinges upon most people's sense of morality in a way that attacking foreign countries (unfortunately) does not. This puts it in the second category I mentioned.
    - rayiner 5mo ago
      I was actually surprised about that in the other direction. Police consistently poll in the top 3 most trusted organizations in the country. I would have thought ICE would get the benefit of that sentiment. But in the Harvard-Harris polling above, police are +39 net favorability, while ICE is -6. The lower polling on ICE is odd because, as a policy issue, deporting all illegal immigrants (not just ones who have committed crimes) is polling at 55-45. What other way do people think there is to deport 20+ million people?

nacozarina 5mo ago

If the US is mired in its own domestic unrest and military misadventures in the Americas, it will be unable to intervene effectively in conflicts in Europe or Asia.

quantified 5mo ago
Imagine being the next president inheriting this dumpster fire. I always thought Obama was handed a poisoned chalice. This will be insane.
- oneneptune 5mo ago
  This is presuming the next president isn't supportive of these policies and a continuation of the policy.
  - quantified 5mo ago
    I'm thinking that even then, they'll be a bit smarter and realize that this is a lot to handle. Won't be starting from as good of a base.
- openuntil3am 5mo ago
  > the next president I appreciate your optimism.
- AuthAuth 5mo ago
  It really does need to be someone who has been in the political game their whole life. It cannot be another inexperienced populist.
  - kisper 5mo ago
    Along these lines, it seems too much hope for... but we need a president that can respectfully dialogue with people on the other side of the aisle and empathize with people and their views gained from lived experience. These days the status quo is to treat any opposition to their point of view as sign of idiocy or moral corruption.

caymanjim 5mo ago

Do you honestly think there's a plan?

nirui 5mo ago

> and then abscond to China I'm a Chinese, from what I learned, you probably don't see the situation clearly. The problem is influence. America wants to solve the Cuba (and Iran) problem since very long ago, and right now, while China is busy patching up their economic slop/mismanagement and Russia is trapped in Ukraine, is simply the best time to do so. With Cuba is cleared out, the Americas continent will be cleared of major (and loud) threats against America. That alone is beneficial. It's the same but opposite reason why America is supporting Japan, Taiwan and Europe etc, to control the influence of their competitors like China, Russia, India, Brazil etc (a.k.a Global South). It also allow Americans to keep a tap on Japan, Taiwan and Europe (etc) so they remains in American control. That's probably the 4-D chess you talked about. Also, the "Trump the 'Nation Builder'" part: In China, "Nation Builder" was a popular forename, it means "someone who contributes to their own country/nation". In the Trump context, it means that Trump's policies is benefiting China's goal. That is, when compare to Biden's policy which is much sophisticated and on point (while Trump's is blunt and wasteful). But I don't think American's soft gesture towards China will last after Cuba and Iran is dealt with (if) in a American victory though. Unlike what the "New World Order" conspiracy suggests, I don't think this world is stupid enough to not to pursue the maximums goal when possible. That's probably why Americans are working towards the maximums goal inches by inches.

tzs 5mo ago
There is no "Cuba problem" that needs to be solved.
- kcplate 5mo ago
  How many cuban ex-pats do you know? I would say “not many”. Every cuban ex-pat I know (and thats quite a lot because I live in FL) will tell you there is a Cuba problem. They all still have family suffering under that regime.
  - tzs 5mo ago
    Let me rephrase. The is no "Cuba problem" that the US needs to deal with any differently than it deals with/has dealt with the many other countries in the Americas that have/had people suffering under their regimes who had family in the US. As far as Cuba in particular goes, the suffering there would be a lot less if the US would drop its 65+ year old embargo and let them trade like all the other repressive regimes it is indifferent to.