Divide & Conquer – Always the Best Strategy
QUESTION: Marty; Are you suggesting that we should have divided the private sector from Putin and turned them against him as he seems to be doing with Boeing?
BTW: thanks for your insight. I can see the difference experience makes compared to just opinion.
Brad
ANSWER: Absolutely. People think wrongly that putting in trade sanctions will result in pain that then puts pressure on government. This can work to some extent, however, you run the risk of creating internal support if the sanctions are seen as unwarranted. The tactic would be to open up Russia lifting trade barriers and helping companies in Russia to gain access. The ANTICIPATION of profits is better than the loss. This will have the impact of causing them to turn against the government.
US Begins Bombing in Iraq
Hours after President Barack Obama opened the door to military action to protect the Kurdish-controlled city of Erbil from the advancing militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the U.S. military aircraft launched the first airstrikes against the alleged militants.
Two F/A-18 aircraft dropped 500-pound laser-guided bombs on a mobile artillery piece near Erbil. ISIS was reportedly using the artillery to shell Kurdish forces near Erbil. Of course the White House claims there are “Vital national interests … at stake.” They never quite explain how other than to the current administration whenever those words are used.
There is no way any limited engagement will have any impact upon a religious war that has been brewing for more than 10 years. Once weakness was detected, attack was imminent. Nevertheless, keep in mind that these are really the same people who were being funded to overthrow Syria.
Power is Power
Thomas Hobbes wrote in his seminar work the Leviathan: “Reputation of power is power, because it draweth with it the adherence of those that need protection.” Indeed, those who have observed politics and government have seen that without a doubt power draws to itself more power. This is true on an individual level as people want to know people of influence to bask in that power or if we look at the same human nature response at the governmental level. Nevertheless, the loss of that power also inspires attack where those who were once fair-weather friends truly envy that power and would take great pleasure in destroying it.
This is human nature and it applies at the individual level as well as at the group level and finally national level. The US is in danger of the slow degeneration as its arrogance surpasses its reason. This was the very act that resulted in the collapse of Athens in 404BC. The divide between China and Russia has been mended by Obama with lightening speed. The rise in China’s power is inspiring many to flock to its circle. This is part of the shift in power to Asia that we should see in full swing post 2032.