At least Caesar had his legions when he crossed the Rubicon; all Trump has are MAGAtards, not even the veterans in his movement are hardened enough to bear arms in the capitol- in fact the woman who was killed was a veteran.
Miscellaneous News
- Thread starter bd popeye
- Start date
Here's a very long interview with Emmanuel Macron on his foreign policy.
Here's every time Macron mentions China (note, this is going to be pretty long).
Importance of Europe
"France has its outlook, its history, its view of international affairs, but it builds much more useful and stronger action when it does so through Europe. I even think that this is the only way to impress our values, our common voice, to prevent the Chinese-American duopoly, the dislocation, the return of hostile regional powers. That is what we managed to do to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement: it was really Europe that structured the agenda to keep China with us after President Trump's decision."
----------
"Therefore, I think that, on the contrary, the changeover of Administration in America is an opportunity to pursue, in a totally peaceful and calm manner, what allies need to understand among themselves, which is that we need to continue to build our independence for ourselves, as the United States does for itself and as China does for itself."
----------
"There is a positive struggle, which is to make Europe the leading power in education, health, digital and green policies. These are the four major struggles, which mean that we will take up these four major challenges. So the dream is massive investment to do just that. I think that we have entirely the possibility to do so, that the recovery plan we have put in place is a step in this direction, as are our national policies. This is a dream for ourselves. It is a very rallying goal, which will change a lot of things. But I think that we can expect a global impact from it, because it will draw in China and the United States behind something very federative, which is also the condition required to live in harmony at home and with the rest of the world."
Universal Values
"Elements such as the dignity of the human person, which were inviolable, and to which all the peoples of the United Nations, all the countries represented, fundamentally subscribed, are now being challenged, played down. There is a perspective emerging today, which is really a break, and which is the game of powers that are not comfortable with the United Nations’ human rights framework. There is very clearly a Chinese game, a Russian game on this matter, which promotes playing down values and principles. There is also a game of reculturisation that is trying to make these values part of a dialogue of civilisations, or a clash of civilisations, by objecting to them on the basis of religion, for instance. This is instrumental in fragmenting the universality of these values."
Climate Change
"Then there is the construction of concrete coalitions with governmental and non-governmental players – businesses and associations - to achieve results on a path that we have set together. And from there, we will be able to build broader alliance strategies. It is with this strategy, still on the subject of the climate, that we have succeeded in engaging China with us. At every One Planet Summit, China is present and announces the development of a Chinese carbon market and the implementation of carbon pricing. Because we know how to be active and engage these coalitions without lingering in an inert strategy, we are managing to also engage the Chinese, which I hope will take us to a next step with China regarding the 2030 objectives and carbon neutrality in 2050 in the coming months, and will enable us to re-engage Americans on this basis."
Technology
"In concrete terms, this means that when it comes to technology, Europe needs to build its own solutions in order not to depend on American or Chinese technologies. If we are dependent on them, for example in telecommunications, we cannot guarantee European citizens the secrecy of information and the security of their private data, because we do not have this technology."
Policy
"Our neighbourhood policy with Africa, with the Near and Middle East, with Russia, is not a neighbourhood policy for the United States of America. It is therefore not tenable that our international policy should be dependent on it or be trailing behind it.
And what I am saying is even truer for China."
China in Africa?
"On this last point, you mention a lack of communication with Africa. In Europe, is there not a form of incommunicability between the countries of Western and Eastern Europe regarding this partnership to be built with Africa?
First of all, I am not saying that there is an inability to communicate but an accumulation of difficulties and problems, a conflation and manipulation by some. There is manipulation on this issue, which is obvious from certain hegemonic powers that have a new imperialistic agenda in Africa and who use this resentment to undermine Europe and France."
Vaccine
"That is the idea of the global public good, in any case, to have global access to the vaccine. This means that none of the laboratories that will develop the vaccine will put themselves in a position of blocking access to other production laboratories, including in massive quantities, for the developing countries. I do not know if we are going to win this battle. Because, clearly, I am not sure that all the countries want to come on board. We will see if China is prepared, if it is the one that discovers the vaccine, if Russia is prepared, if the United States is prepared with its new administration - it was not certain with the previous one, or rather the current one - and we will see what the companies do."
My Thoughts
Basically Macron seems to see China as : a cooperation partner, a negotiating partner, an economic competitor, and a systemic rival.
Macron likes China a lot when it comes to fighting climate change. He seems to be happy to make money from it. However, China is also an authoritarian regional power which denies universal values. When given the choice between European 5G (Ericsson) and Chinese 5G, Macron will of course choose European 5G.
Macron's interview also shows what he's passionate about:
Here's every time Macron mentions China (note, this is going to be pretty long).
Importance of Europe
"France has its outlook, its history, its view of international affairs, but it builds much more useful and stronger action when it does so through Europe. I even think that this is the only way to impress our values, our common voice, to prevent the Chinese-American duopoly, the dislocation, the return of hostile regional powers. That is what we managed to do to uphold the Paris Climate Agreement: it was really Europe that structured the agenda to keep China with us after President Trump's decision."
----------
"Therefore, I think that, on the contrary, the changeover of Administration in America is an opportunity to pursue, in a totally peaceful and calm manner, what allies need to understand among themselves, which is that we need to continue to build our independence for ourselves, as the United States does for itself and as China does for itself."
----------
"There is a positive struggle, which is to make Europe the leading power in education, health, digital and green policies. These are the four major struggles, which mean that we will take up these four major challenges. So the dream is massive investment to do just that. I think that we have entirely the possibility to do so, that the recovery plan we have put in place is a step in this direction, as are our national policies. This is a dream for ourselves. It is a very rallying goal, which will change a lot of things. But I think that we can expect a global impact from it, because it will draw in China and the United States behind something very federative, which is also the condition required to live in harmony at home and with the rest of the world."
Universal Values
"Elements such as the dignity of the human person, which were inviolable, and to which all the peoples of the United Nations, all the countries represented, fundamentally subscribed, are now being challenged, played down. There is a perspective emerging today, which is really a break, and which is the game of powers that are not comfortable with the United Nations’ human rights framework. There is very clearly a Chinese game, a Russian game on this matter, which promotes playing down values and principles. There is also a game of reculturisation that is trying to make these values part of a dialogue of civilisations, or a clash of civilisations, by objecting to them on the basis of religion, for instance. This is instrumental in fragmenting the universality of these values."
Climate Change
"Then there is the construction of concrete coalitions with governmental and non-governmental players – businesses and associations - to achieve results on a path that we have set together. And from there, we will be able to build broader alliance strategies. It is with this strategy, still on the subject of the climate, that we have succeeded in engaging China with us. At every One Planet Summit, China is present and announces the development of a Chinese carbon market and the implementation of carbon pricing. Because we know how to be active and engage these coalitions without lingering in an inert strategy, we are managing to also engage the Chinese, which I hope will take us to a next step with China regarding the 2030 objectives and carbon neutrality in 2050 in the coming months, and will enable us to re-engage Americans on this basis."
Technology
"In concrete terms, this means that when it comes to technology, Europe needs to build its own solutions in order not to depend on American or Chinese technologies. If we are dependent on them, for example in telecommunications, we cannot guarantee European citizens the secrecy of information and the security of their private data, because we do not have this technology."
Policy
"Our neighbourhood policy with Africa, with the Near and Middle East, with Russia, is not a neighbourhood policy for the United States of America. It is therefore not tenable that our international policy should be dependent on it or be trailing behind it.
And what I am saying is even truer for China."
China in Africa?
"On this last point, you mention a lack of communication with Africa. In Europe, is there not a form of incommunicability between the countries of Western and Eastern Europe regarding this partnership to be built with Africa?
First of all, I am not saying that there is an inability to communicate but an accumulation of difficulties and problems, a conflation and manipulation by some. There is manipulation on this issue, which is obvious from certain hegemonic powers that have a new imperialistic agenda in Africa and who use this resentment to undermine Europe and France."
Vaccine
"That is the idea of the global public good, in any case, to have global access to the vaccine. This means that none of the laboratories that will develop the vaccine will put themselves in a position of blocking access to other production laboratories, including in massive quantities, for the developing countries. I do not know if we are going to win this battle. Because, clearly, I am not sure that all the countries want to come on board. We will see if China is prepared, if it is the one that discovers the vaccine, if Russia is prepared, if the United States is prepared with its new administration - it was not certain with the previous one, or rather the current one - and we will see what the companies do."
My Thoughts
Basically Macron seems to see China as : a cooperation partner, a negotiating partner, an economic competitor, and a systemic rival.
Macron likes China a lot when it comes to fighting climate change. He seems to be happy to make money from it. However, China is also an authoritarian regional power which denies universal values. When given the choice between European 5G (Ericsson) and Chinese 5G, Macron will of course choose European 5G.
Macron's interview also shows what he's passionate about:
- Islamic terrorism
- Migration
- African birth rates
If Michael Flynn is not taken down early in Trump presidency we may have a different outcome. He is loyal and capable and have a military background that will be helpful for Trump. The Russiagate is Obama orchestrated coup d'etat with complicity of some Republican establishment. You can't blame Trump for being aggrieved but being an outsider he don't know the mechanics of how things work in DC and also being incompetent doesn't excuse his failure.
Universal values-- Coming from French empire chief
Africans will love to have a field day with french fry universal values .
He need to wear his YELLOW VEST to prove a point...LOLUniversal values-- Coming from French empire chief
Africans will love to have a field day with french fry universal values .
Macron's interview was interesting. This was a fun part of an overall confused mess:
Ah yes... Let's break your argument down Mr. Macron:
Here's the problem though:
Ah yes... Let's break your argument down Mr. Macron:
- Europe is built on 'Judeo-Christian' secularism
- Any Muslim that refuses to accept Secularism = 'Radical'
- Therefore, 'radical' Muslims are a threat to Europe's core identity
Here's the problem though:
- "Judeo-Christian" is a funny term, since Christians tried to literally exterminate the Jews. Also, from a religious basis, Judaism is a lot closer to Islam than it is to Christianity in the Abrahamic tree. It is actually Christianity which is the odd one in the group (cuz of the whole 'jesus = god' thing, and now with this 'secularization' dogma, which is just a derivative of Christian dogma.) The Jews will side with whichever side happens to be on top at the moment. They always assimilate into the dominant culture. First they were with you (before we were born), then they switched sides and came over to us, and now back to you again. And they will switch sides again, when your ship starts sinking (yet again.)
- Muslims who reject secularism (that's like +95% of Muslims by the way) are not 'radical.' That's just standard Islam, based in the Quran. So you've basically said that Islam itself is 'radical,' because it doesn't agree with your philosophical construct. Fine, we're kool with that. You can call us whatever you want, it's not gonna make us convert to Western 'Secularism' or 'Judeo Christianism' or whatever. A century ago, you created a bunch of 'countries' in our house while we were sleeping, trying to get us to convert with your 'soft power'. That didn't work. Then 20 years ago, you started breaking those same countries you yourself created, this time with 'hard power'.... Well, that didn't work either.
- Your conclusion is still true Mr. Macron. Islam is a philosophical threat for you, because it challenges your core identity. If/When Islam wins, your core identity will be defeated. You're not wrong about that.
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The Reality
in France the most vicious mockery of symbols and sentiments of the popular, working and subordinate classes can be made in public ... but that nobody dares to make the slightest joke in public, not even a truth about the ruling class
Western wordiness is insufferable, a caking of empty words
in France the most vicious mockery of symbols and sentiments of the popular, working and subordinate classes can be made in public ... but that nobody dares to make the slightest joke in public, not even a truth about the ruling class
Western wordiness is insufferable, a caking of empty words
Lots of dislikes, more salt than the Dead Sea
