Learning on the job...before it's begun!  I'm sure this proposed hotel deal in Taiwan had nothing to do with the phone call...

 
Trump Speaks With Taiwan’s Leader, a Likely Affront to China

Washington — President-elect Donald J. Trump spoke by telephone with Taiwan’s president on Friday, a striking break with nearly four decades of diplomatic practice that could precipitate a major rift with China even before Mr. Trump takes office.

...

The White House was not told about Mr. Trump’s call until after it happened, according to a senior administration official. 

...

But the potential fallout from the conversation was significant, the administration official said, noting that the Chinese government issued a bitter protest after the United States sold weapons to Taiwan as part of a well-established arms agreement.

Mr. Trump’s call with President Tsai is a far bigger provocation, though the Chinese government did not issue an immediate response. Beijing views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has adamantly opposed the attempts of any country to open official relations with it.

 Proclivities wrote: 
re: Mattis for DoD.

Sen. Gillebrand of NY has come out with a pledge to block the waiver.

Oh, and he is not a billionaire.

 Red_Dragon wrote: 
Your second link is busted. Here:   

Trump to nominate retired General Mattis for Pentagon   

From the story:

While the nomination of the 66-year-old Mattis would likely be popular among U.S. forces, it would have to clear a bureaucratic hurdle.

Because he retired only in 2013, Mattis would need the U.S. Congress to waive a requirement that a defense secretary be a civilian for at least seven years before taking the top job at the Pentagon. His impressive combat record, however, may deter some Senate Democrats from trying to block his nomination.

kurtster and perhaps others mentioned that they voted for Trump because he called for a non-interventionist foreign policy during the campaign. Trump's supposed desire might be hard to achieve with a retired Marine Corps general sporting the nickname "Mad Dog" as Sec. of Defense and an aggressive former three-star Army general as NSA (Michael Flynn).

For instance, both men are fiercely opposed to the nuclear arms limitation deal that Iran struck with the permanent member nations of the United Nations Security Council, Germany and the European Union. It's not clear to me how these former generals would kill that deal with Iran and block the country from building its own nuclear weapons once the deal was dead. There are no real technological hurdles anymore. 

My guess is that Trump thinks having generals on his national security team will deflect any criticism about his foreign policies. Apparently he didn't learn from our experience in Iraq that the US cannot go it alone and that military intervention can create massive, long-lasting problems. 

he answers his critics and find cabinet appointments,...
.

 ScottN wrote: 
I believe Congress would need vote to waive the National Security Act of 1947: 

Secretary of Defense
Sec. 202.
(a) There shall be a Secretary of Defense, who shall be appointed from civilian life by the
President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate: PROVIDED, That a person
who has within ten years been on active duty as a commissioned officer in a Regular
component of the armed services shall not be eligible for appointment as Secretary of Defense.

I think the time period was later reduced from ten to seven years, but still, Mattis would be ineligible unless it is waived - which was only done once before.  Who knows what can happen anymore though?

 Red_Dragon wrote: 
Fortunately, he will not likely get out of the Senate.  Someone with the nickname "Mad Dog" may appeal to some Trump voters, I suppose.

CNN commentator Scottie Nell Hughes: Facts no longer exist

National Command Authority

Trump to nominate retired General Mattis for Pentagon

If you aren't terrified, you aren't paying attention. 

 ScottN wrote: 
Makes me think of this ...

 

 K_Love wrote: 
We are going to see what happens when hubris and arrogance are combined with incompetence.  FSM, help us.

This sounds a wee bit dangerous.

Trump’s Breezy Calls to World Leaders Leave Diplomats Aghast

drainin' that swamp...

A post from bokey (now removed, along with his posting privileges) indicated that it's time for another reminder that name-calling & hate have no place here. 

If that applies to you, please consider yourself reminded.  

 bokey wrote: I like the evil cool.  

 KurtfromLaQuinta wrote: 
Yeah,well after 8 years of hatred towards all decent people,well yeah.Do you have a point,or is another 8 years of evil cool for you?

Cause  that went well.

 bokey wrote: 
You forgot the ability to have zero tolerance for those they disagree with.

 sirdroseph wrote: 
Well,I kinda deleted that post,just as a gesture of benevolence,but I'm glad you caught it,I felt kind of belittled by deleting it,but I felt it was best.That is the horrible,evil Liberal mode of belittling their betters and destroying anything good and decent.

They have no morals or any remote sense of decency,they are just filthy,savage animals,as has been proven by their horrid,awful attacks on decent people.

Donald Trump is assembling the richest administration in modern American history

Petraeus will have to notify his probation officer if Trump taps him as secretary of state

drainin' that swamp... 

 bokey wrote: 




I understand what you are saying, bokey. Maybe just say it a little nicer, it will go over better. lol