Sunday, April 09, 2017

It's Looking Grim




An intermission from our studies on Fascism.

Samuel Francis, recognised that the fundamental weakness of the Middle American Radicals was their failure to develop a cadre of intellectuals and leaders who would be able to implement their desired changes. He recognised that the absence of such members in the movement rendered the it susceptible  to "decapitation" by the professional managerial class who who would co-opt and neutralise it.  The actions by the Trump administration over the past few days confirm this prediction.

For the life of me I cannot see how the attack by the U.S. on Syria serves any of its interests or the interests of the Syrian people. I actually believe the Donald Trump is a decent guy and I imagine he would have authorised the attack on "humanitarian grounds" but for the life of me I don't understand why he is so selective in his humanitarianism.  There are plenty of other places in the world where military action would bring real benefit to the suffering of the people--without threat of intervention with Russia--and yet the U.S. turns a blind eye.

And how does the U.S. action actually help the Syrian people? Assad by all accounts is the least worst of the combatants and there  appears to be a continual flow of refugees towards the areas he controls. There are no "moderate rebels", and the question needs to be asked, who then are the Americans supporting?

The only winners in this idiotic escapade are the Sunni/Turkish/Israeli axis who get to see Assad's success reversed and Al Quaeda triumph. It's a lose/lose situation for everyone else.

By all accounts Trump isn't a rocket scientist but it doesn't mean that he is stupid either. As President, his view of the world is shaped by his prior knowledge--which appears to be limited--and the current image of it which is presented to him by his advisors.  It's this indirect ability to affect the President's actions which confers upon them an indirect Presidential power.  I think many people from the non-mainstream Right have been dismayed by some of his advisory picks, principally those of his relations whose influence is disproportionate by the virtue of family sentiment. This dissident Right hasn't paid enough attention to this matter and it appears that their movement has been decapitated through by mechanism. The Neocons and the Israeli lobby are in charge again. When "Never Trumpers" like Bill Kristol are cheering Trump's actions you know that middle America has lost. Bannon's our last hope but it appears that he is grimly holding on and that his time is numbered.

Before anyone thinks I've gone all Natsoc think again. My position is that of John Mearsheimer's who does not equate Jewish as synonymous with the Israeli lobby . In fact one of the big problems for the Israeli lobby is getting enough Jewish people to get on board. This is quite simply the penetration of one government into another and directing its military and foreign policy.  During the Cold War the Russians were able to exert an enormous amount of influence on U.S. policy by putting "fellow travelers" into positions of advisory influence, thereby influencing foreign policy. Alger Hiss was an Episcopalian.

What's been really interesting to see is the limited nature of the response by the U.S. military on Assad which seems to suggest that there is a pushback going on. There's plenty of evidence that he was given advance warning of the attack and the targeting suggests that the Americans weren't really serious about going after him. It's almost as if the U.S. military was rebelling  didn't really want to get into a fight.

My own observations suggest that there a huge divisions forming in the U.S. government. The Army doesn't really seem to be that keen on adventures. The intelligence agencies on the other hand, seem to have been "penetrated" and are "gung ho", and God only knows what is going on with the Law enforcement agencies.  It's not a good picture. I think the U.S. is in real danger of some kind of civil war or military catastrophe.

8 comments:

Nulle Terre Sans Seigneur said...

A lesson for the right is to avoid misinterpreting the rage and misery of your enemy as necessarily being a sign of your victory. Even though from a pure standpoint of ideas Trump was never more than a moderate American Whig (even a Rockefeller Republican, as Keith Preston pointed out), the hysteria from the press caused many on the right to assume plausible deniability that Trump may finally be the Chosen Populist who would finally drain the swamp.

It was interesting to watch the left-right feedback cycle. The left screeched at basic border security talking points that many Democrats have spoken of before, as being evidence of white nationalism or neo-fascism. The right swallowed that up and assumed that Trump actually might be some crypto-WN, because why would leftists be freaking out so much if he weren't?

But that's precisely how they work. Any small display of resistance triggers a disproportionate immune response from the press, because they can afford it. It signals that certain views are taboo. If someone actually gets into office, they must deal with the massive think tank complex embedded in there, which will almost certainly stop them. *Especially* Trump. There was no indication that Trump was anything but a geopolitical illiterate, so he is most susceptible to being conned by his advisors.

The U.S. has been firmly interventionist since the McKinley presidency. The idea that a real estate venturer turned reality TV star and outlandish celebrity would have finally been The One to bring back old school isolationism, was such an absurd fantasy from the beginning. At the very least, the airbase strike has dispelled any such notions for most people.

Unfortunately, I do not think there will be a "next time" for the right in America anymore.

The Social Pathologist said...

I think the hope was that as Trump was an "outsider" he would be different. Guess not.

There was no indication that Trump was anything but a geopolitical illiterate, so he is most susceptible to being conned by his advisors.

I don't think anyone thought he was some kind of genius, rather people thought he was a man who had his "heart in the right place" and would appoint people who were better qualified than him who would push in the right direction. With few exceptions, his inner court appears to be anything but. Government is more than the man, it's the team, something presidential style politics makes you lose focus on at times.

I've still got some hope, though should Bannon get the flick I think its safe to assume the game is over.

MK said...

SP: I don't understand why Trump is so selective in his humanitarianism.

Just a way to shake up the political situation. Nothing "humanitarian" at all. Sure it's immoral as hell (like his election style) but it works. He's damn good at it: first he demotes Bannon then goes to war, complete 180. Poor Pepi! But Trump has built loyalty with his people: they will hold. I honestly think the whole thing is for show.

I think Trump is easier to understand in the light of The Power of Positive Thinking along with his unique media savvy. Trump has created a new form of political governance, one that is primarily media-based and based up persuasion. Sort of a political-media empire. And war must be a part of it, but it's only for show so he can get to the real business of getting popular: handing out cash. It wouldn't surprise me if he warned everyone before launching and the whole thing was for show.

The way Trump might view it? It's a negotiation. Better to attack now, let your competitors know you are willing to hit unexpectedly and for full effect (he was meeting with China's leader when the bombs fell). This was all about China, NKorea, Russia, Israel, and media politics all at once.

I think the dude is a genius workaholic. Immoral and unprincipled as hell, not not warlike at all. I've never seen any Fascist in him at all.

Texas Arcane said...

@All

You knew this moment would come. That's why I said all he has bought is time. If you're a prepper, you may have a couple more years to get ready. Hillary was primed to jump right into WW3 on day one acting on her marching orders from her real backers.

The Social Pathologist said...

MK

I think the dude is a genius workaholic. Immoral and unprincipled as hell, not not warlike at all. I've never seen any Fascist in him at all.

He's not a fascist in any way. But I'm very skeptical of the 4D Chess.

Looks like they're trying to go after McMaster at the moment. (He seems pretty righteous.)

The Social Pathologist said...

@Texas.

Even if Trump goes full on globalists it is still better than a Hillary victory.

chedolf said...

My own observations suggest that there a huge divisions forming in the U.S. government. The Army doesn't really seem to be that keen on adventures. The intelligence agencies on the other hand, seem to have been "penetrated" and are "gung ho", and God only knows what is going on with the Law enforcement agencies.

Moldbug and Jim have written for years about the Red vs. Blue conflict between DoD and State/intel. I see your blogroll includes a bunch of NRx sites, so I'm surprised you don't mention it.

Possibly interesting: "In Syria, militias armed by the Pentagon fight those armed by the CIA"

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