A Different American President's Opinion on Afghanistan

JMJ

I have to admit that President Trump's actions over the past few days have been more than annoying.

Trump as a Soviet Negotiator

As I've mentioned, Trump appears to Negotiate like the Russian or Soviets like Herb Cohen described in his book "You can negotiate anything".

All "Soviets" whether for Moscow or from Memphis [Tradicat: ... or New York], use the same six steps in their negotiation dance:
Extreme initial positions: They always start with tough demands or ridiculous offers that affect the other side's expectation level.
Limited authority. The negotiators themselves have little or no authority to make any concessions.
Emotional tactics: They get red faced, raise their voices and act exasperated - horrified that they are being take advantage of. Occasionally they will stalk out of a meeting in a huff.
Adversary concessions viewed as weakness. Should you give in and concede them something, they are unlikely to reciprocate.
Stingy in their concessions. They delay making any concession and when they finally do, it reflects only a miniscule change in their position.
Ignore deadlines. They tend to be patient and act as though time is of no significance to them.

Speaking about the 'mid-way' offer by Trump. It isn't a midway offer, its only midway for the tariffs that he has decided to impose. Looking at the list, Trump definitely has tapped #1, #2 (Trump holds all authority), #3 (he has been pushing this button a lot), #5 (the mid-way offer, delaying Tariffs instead of removing).

While #4 and #6 haven't happened yet - we'll see if Canada blinks is Trump sees it as a weakness.

Unexpected Consequences

So while Europe is now doing what Trump wanted, that is spending more on military spending and contributing more to the defense of Ukraine, it may actually hurt the USA military defense industry. I've already noticed European countries restarting mothballed weapons facilities and awarding them contracts that, presumably, would have gone to USA companies.

It will be interesting to watch.

Afghanistan: a Tale of Two Presidents

As a side point, I have been reading George W. Bush's memoirs - Decision Points. When I got to the following paragraph, I remembered that Trump is the one who started the Afghan withdrawal - a withdrawal finished by Biden.

Bush's words are definitely prescient:

Ultimately, the only way the Taliban and al-Qaeda can retake Afghanistan is if America abandons the country. Allowing the extremists to reclaim power would force Afghan woman back into subservience, remove girls from school and betray all the gains of the past nine years. It would also endanger our security. After the Cold War, the United States gave up on Afghanistan. The result was chaos, civil war, the Taliban takeover, sanctuary for al-Qaeda, and the nightmare of 9/11. To forget that lesson would be a dreadful mistake.

So - I don't know what will happen and all the while remember to keep the Faith.

P^3.

Comments

Count Capponi - RIP

+ JMJ I had heard of Count Capponi over the years and was happy to hear a voice crying in the wilderness. I suspect that his conscience was clearer than many. This part of the article caught my attention: Capponi defended the right of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre to continue his work without the label “schismatic,” which term Capponi rejected, saying: “You cannot apply the standards of the new code of canon law and the mentality of the old code. According to the new code, Lefebvre could do what he did with a Catholic intention, and he did what he did in ‘sincerity’ and invoked the ‘state of emergency’ argument, which the new code permits. You might not like the new code, but it’s what governs the Church.” I know a few people who tried to stir up a fuss when the SSPX cited the New Code in one of the documents with Rome. Yet, the truth is what it is --- the New Code was promulgated by a reigning Pope and flawed as it is ... there are some benefits to its liberality. ...

Is it sinful to attend the Novus Ordo (New Mass) - Is it Sinful to Not Attend the Novus Ordo on Sunday?

+ JMJ A non-SSPX Catholic is upset over the SSPX statements on not attending the Novus Ordo Missae. Ladies and gentlemen, what the SSPX, or at least its website editor, is advocating is a mortal sin against the Third Commandment. Unless the priest deviates from the language of the Sacramentary, the consecration, and thus the rest of Mass is to be considered valid. No one may elect not to attend Mass simply because abuses are occurring therein. Might I suggest that such absenteeism is its own abuse? The Third Commandment binds under mortal sin. Father So-And-So from the SSPX has no authority whatsoever to excuse attendance at Mass, be that Mass ever so unpalatable. Source:Restore DC Catholicism Well, this is interesting. First why does the SSPX issue this statement? Because it is sinful to put your faith in danger by attending a protestant service. It is likewise dangerous to put your faith in danger by attending a protestantized ma...

Those who return to the past are not outside the Church - Rorate Caeli

+ JMJ I had been thinking about putting together a post explaining some of the history of how the SSPX has arrived at its current position. Now I see that Rorate has posted a translated editorial that shows the roots of the SSPX principles. In reading these words, I see patterns and themes that were put forward by Archbishop Lefebvre decades ago. Perhaps his sight was clearer than most. P^3

Fr. Burfitt on Fr. Pfeiffer's Attempted Consecration

+ JMJ Amidst the shadows cast by the publication of Traditionis Custodes, I am working on a map of the 'resistance' splinters to put their reaction in contrast with that of the SSPX. In the midst of this, I just came across Fr. Burfitt letter on the attempted consecration. Breaking it down (see below) items 2 and 3 are key. Just as the consecrating bishop is 'doubtful', even if he hadn't muffed the first attempt, Fr. Pfeiffer remain doubtful and therefore this impacts those men is attempts to 'ordain'. There were rumours that Fr. Pfeiffer was seeking episcopal consecration for years as he cast about for various bishops (also doubtful) to help him achieve this goal. I wonder how he convinced the 'doubtful' bishop to provide (twice) the doubtful consecration. What a mess! This creates a danger to the souls of his followers and wonder where it will end. Will he go full sede and have himself 'elected' pontiff as others have done before him...

SSPX Transfers

+ JMJ Eponymous flow posted the following list of transfers etc. Source: http://eponymousflower.blogspot.com/2020/04/castling-of-leadership-at-sspx.html The departures Bishop Bernard Fellay, the third Superior General until 2018, leaves the General House in Menzingen and moves to the Seminary of St. Thomas Aquinas in the USA. Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, suffering from ill health, is being referred to the Seminary of St. Pius X in Ecene as a retreat. Fr. Christian Thouvenot, until now Secretary General of the General House, becomes a professor at the seminary in Ecene. Fr. Franz Schmidberger, until now Rector at the Seminary of the Heart of Jesus in Zaitzkofen, moves to the district of Germany. Fr. Jürgen Wegner, until now district superior of the DISTRICT USA, moves to the district of Austria. Fr. Philippe Brunet, until now Superior of the Autonomous House of Spain-Portugal, becomes professor at the Seminary U.L.F. and co-saviour of La Reja in...

Tradicat

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