NATO – Symphony

Encore of Revival: America, January 24, 2022

SymphonyJanuary 24, 2022

COVID seems to be taking backseat headlines for Russia, which has become a big topic in Europe. A German vice-admiral resigned with Germany’s Defense Minister over some seemingly spineless friendliness toward Russia. He speculated about the buildup at Ukraine, that Putin probably just wanted respect and that Russia was a necessary Western ally against China. With Russia, Iran, and China beginning joint naval exercises in India’s backyard pool this week, the vice-admiral’s comments were obviously absurd. Germany’s PR fumble is a big deal.

A hand full of European nations want to move NATO military assets into the Ukraine. Because of technical complications, Germany must also sign off on the transfer, but has been hesitant from any military backing of Ukraine so far. With this seemingly wimpy statement from the German vice-admiral, Germany can’t keep riding the fence.

On smaller headlines like COVID, Taiwan had a whopping 82 new domestic COVID cases on Saturday. Urgent health measures go into effect, which are soft-handed and calm-minded compared to the bipolar reactionism throughout America, where COVID problems are much worse. American companies even hold optimistic speculation for Taiwan. Maybe some will figure out that the calm way is the higher way. Until then, it isn’t exactly a bad thing that something finally booted COVID from American top headlines.

In Encore

Encore of Revival: America, December 13, 2021

SymphonyDecember 13, 2021

Six states were hit by tornadoes: Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee. While the nation grapples with disaster, and families look for refuge and loved ones—many lost—Jeff Bezos posts about his latest space flight.

Greed is growing, but not just within American borders. Tensions with China rise, with the now-known Taiwan as the main poster boy. But, Russia looms in the background exploiting China’s self absorption as a distraction to take Ukraine. If Russia hit Ukraine, the US promises to respond. But, that would happen alongside a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. The US would have its hands full and the Communists of the East know it—Russia and China.

China wouldn’t be so provocative without backing. Russia is the real threat. Or, is the threat that America’s financial leaders are aloof? Or, is the threat that we got ourselves here?

In Tempo

Encore of Revival: America, August 23, 2021

SymphonyAugust 22, 2021

Afghanistan is an epic mess. ISIS is back on the scene. China and Taliban take every chance to make their own public statements while the main Biden doctrine is to valiantly run away.

More deeply disconcerting is President Biden’s response to journalists to deny claims. NATO has egg on its face, but Biden puts on a performance during his press appearance that NATO allies are exuberant about how great everything is going. He specifically says that he hasn’t heard any bad opinions from any NATO member. He had the same response that he hadn’t heard about the poll indicating lack of voter confidence.

When confronted with a dissenting opinion, Biden’s defense is that he hasn’t heard about it, even though he was just informed. We’ll see if the pattern continues.

Joe Biden knows how government functions in the mechanical sense, and he is very good at standing confident with egg on his face—acting like there isn’t any egg on his face. He’s good at that. So, America’s government will continue to function on some level. Perhaps this was the “Neo-Con” plan in looking the other way when voters complained last November. But, Biden doesn’t have the mojo to keep the engine running—and the American public sees that more and more.

In Cadence

Cadence of Conflict: Asia, July 12, 2021

SymphonyJuly 11, 2021

The case against China keeps sprawling—trade, currency, COVID, now SAARS. Understanding China is such a key in global public opinion, it has become a case against Biden that political grandstanding and demagoguery can use without spinning facts. But being a world where all bad press is censored press instead of good press, China won’t understand the trouble it wove itself into.

As if the list of global grievances wasn’t enough, China joins with North Korea in appearances and rhetoric. A Pacific skirmish involving the Chinese would drag in the Norks. That means that NATO allies and India could deal with the world’s menace, help the UK regain Hong Kong, recognize democracy in Taiwan, and unify the Korean peninsula in one move. While China and North Korea see their agreement as a strength, the West sees an opportunity.

In Encore

Encore of Revival: America, March 29, 2021

SymphonyMarch 29, 2021

America faces big changes, but not the changes our conventional political grid might assume. Public trust in cloud platforms like Amazon, Facebook, and Twitter failed with the massive censorship surrounding the 2020 election. This week, a new cloud provider, Digital Ocean, went public. The Times has used Digital Ocean for nearly seven years.

Digital commerce shifts while the global supply chain faces more disruptions. Not only do we still lack supplies that were made in factories that are closed. Not only is the cruise ship industry floundering. The Suez Canal is blocked.

What is Democrat-controlled Washington doing?—Business as usual. Binden wants to focus on infrastructure—a digression from the Obama years. Republicans have always been good at spending money while appearing not to, while Democrats appear to spend money when they tighten the purse strings. Marketing is one of the best-kept secret ingredients in American politics.

The one thing unusual about this Democratic Washington is its dedication to a strong military. Russia surfaced three subs in the Arctic this week and, now all of a sudden, Democrats want to do military the same way Trump did. Just how the Bush-Obama years held a contiguous policy progression, the Trump-Biden years seem to reflect the competence, military, and infrastructure of FDR. In many ways, it is as if Trump is still in office. We did get Trump’s $2,000 checks, after all.

In Encore

Encore of Revival: America, August 24, 2020

SymphonyAugust 24, 2020August 24, 2020

The US has has taken a hardline on NATO. Of course, NATO members love to criticize the nation that pays the bills that their economic policies can’t afford—or perhaps that their economic priorities refuse.

Germany wants an American debt-funded military and complains like a cat when something is taken away. Everyone wants to negotiate with an Iranian government that actually issued an arrest warrant for the American president. It’s not that those nations believe negotiating is an answer; they don’t know what the answer is. For them, negotiation is nothing more than their ongoing career habit that guided them through fundraisers and elections.

Europe is largely Liberal anymore. It’s like a nest of baby birds whose economic theory is that mamma and pappa bird need to give them more worms—and this is the way to keep the economy going. None of these baby birds demonstrate awareness that worms don’t just appear; the adult birds must go find them! The solution is for baby birds to grow up and learn to hunt for worms of their own. But, tell that to European Liberal leaders these days and you’ll get a response of aloof entitlement and condescension.

There are ways in which things must be done so that cash flows. Money doesn’t move merely because the government told it to. People are driven to invent and pursue dreams and healthy ambitions. Keep them from killing each other, stay out of their way, and then they will gladly generate profit on which they gladly pay enormous taxes.

Ambition is unimaginable to a baby bird who thinks it will never be able to fly simply because it never has. Lucky for us, many Americans are growing up. But, Europe might not grow up in time.