Because it never stops at just stopping the enemy, the allies could have simply contained Nazi Germany but chose to invade. The US could have continued the war in the Pacific but chose to drop 2 atomic bombs.

Beating the enemy so thoroughly is the only way humans have ever been able to truly end a conflict of that scale, and in that situation if Europe is to beat Russia like that I don’t believe they’d hesitate to start launching nukes.

So we’re stuck in a situation where Europe either risk nuclear war, or an extended border skirmish that could last decades. Both would be devastating

I see what you’re saying, although I think it was a joint effort by the US and the EU. And it was short-sighted on both their parts.

The EU is feeling the heat that comes from a lapse in personal security and the US will find out that they aren’t the power they thought they were without their allies.

If Trump isn’t corrected it could all come crashing down for the US and the EU.

Badumtss

Exactly, he doesn’t know how to negotiate because a negotiation involves give and take. Trump has only ever known take, take, take

This is exactly it. There are plenty of options, removing what is currently the best option just means picking the next best and so on and so on until we reach stability

But that only takes into account the time when China started their shift into manufacturing. China has been THE dominant manufacturer for at least 20 years now. So we shouldn’t judge by today, but should judge by their rise to dominance.

Plus having a distribution of countries to use as manufacturers allows for specialists to emerge, likely speeding up their individual adoption of the role they choose.

And why would China cooperate with their own exclusion from the world market? And even if they chose economic suicide, why would their assistance be required for other countries to become manufacturers?

I can see the point your making. I’m not suggesting it’d be easy but if we moving to Russia as the example Russia would be the standin for China, not the wider world.

Russia’s economy is now shit because they got embargoed, as China’s would be, it hurt the wider world briefly, but that has mostly passed.

And I didn’t suggest western countries take on the brunt of the manufacturing, I suggested it should be countries that would benefit from the overhaul to their economy

I’m sorry, but I completely disagree. I don’t see any evidence for this vassal worldview (apart from extreme cases like Belarus and Russia). Without that first assumption the whole premise falls apart.

Even assuming the main characters (MC) and vassals idea is true to reality, the rest of the argument is flimsy at best. Even if a MC loses a vassal through mismanagement or foreign interference, that doesn’t automatically mean that the vassal has a new MC overlord. They could be in a limbo state where some of the MCs are vying for control.

As for Trump, I think it’s much less of a stretch to assume that Trump loves the sound of his own voice and what better way to hear his own voice than to create sound bites, hence the 51st state nonsense. If anything Trump’s actions say to me that he has NO capacity for the mental mapping required to envision this kind of complex interweaving of interests and angles that is geopolitics. I find it even less likely that this is the one he would subscribe to.

I agree with almost everything here, but I don’t think an embargo on China would be as damaging as you think it would.

It would hurt, don’t get me wrong, but China is largely in the position it is now because the developed world was looking for cheap labour and China fit the bill. There is no lack of underdeveloped nations who would gladly shift their economy if it meant they could support a fraction of the manufacturing supply that China currently commands. Africa and South America (not a single nation, I know but this is true of many African and South American nations so I’m combining for simplicity’s sake) is positioned both politically and geographically, to be a sudo-China in terms of manufacturing if the wider world decides to embargo China-proper.

The US and EU pulling out of China would devastated them far more than it would affect the former. I’d like to think that the EU at least, would be willing to withstand some economic damage to aid another nation in need.

It’s like he can’t comprehend that other people would react to his actions.

He raised tariffs, other nations reduced trade with the US and looked elsewhere. If he continues to raise tariffs it will inevitably cause the US to be isolated in trade.

It’s not even a shocking/daring tactic, it’s a self destructive tantrum because his misunderstanding has led to mismanagement and now he’s doubling down

Asking for a friend. The friend is his penis

I disagree that it can only be romantic attraction.

For example, I can find a random person attractive if they’re displaying a skill they’re proficient in, talking passionately about a subject they’re knowledgeable in, or freely enjoying themselves. And all without feeling any kind of romantic inclination towards them.

It’s primarily sexual despite the fact it’s not necessarily physical

I’m definitely not old (~30), and my preference has generally been my age +/- 5 years.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed that my sexual attraction has migrated from being solely based on physical attributes to being partially based emotional connection, intelligence, passion, etc.

I think it’s also important to note that an individual’s “peak attractiveness” can occur at different stages of their life.

I mean, Captain America doesn’t own the concept of codenames.

We don’t “need” to do anything in a fictional world about super spies but I think it’d make the world more interesting, and quite neatly explains why the same man has been at various levels of his career, physical fitness, skill, knowledge, and face through the decades.

I have never heard of an actual logical reason that it shouldn’t canon, and you haven’t provided one either

I’m all for that too. I feel like secret agents who’s lives are dedicated to the job are the perfect excuse to have a roster of actors play the same “character”

Oh I see where the disconnect is. I’m on the mobile app, not desktop

I was not making a serious comment. Reread it but inject as much sarcasm into the tone as possible

Honestly, in my mind the codenumber 007 is reserved for the most elite agents and the moniker “James Bond” is a transferable identity given to the best of the 007s.

And no corporation will ever dissuade me

She’s a successful black actress, they unfortunately come with the territory. I imagine they hit differently when they’re coming from actual Nazis though

(This was meant to be a joke but it kinda just made me sad as I was typing it)

This counter-troll from Disney would slightly redeem them in my eyes 😂