Every time Trump does this and China's govt lets him get away with it, their own angry nationalists view them as cowards
-
-
Replying to @arthur_affect
Trump is pushing them into reacting violently or losing legitimacy with their own people, that's how this shit has always worked
2 replies 15 retweets 27 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect
Xi Jinping doesn't actually want a war, a war is a worse outcome than "loss of face", but if Trump keeps doing this he'll have no choice
2 replies 17 retweets 31 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect
It's a goddamn game of Chicken out of Rebel Without a Cause bc national legitimacy (in democracies or not) is still driven by testosterone
1 reply 7 retweets 18 likes -
-
Replying to @arthur_affect
Superpowers have a little unspoken bit of collusion going where they'll play chicken once in a while and both swerve at an acceptable moment
2 replies 7 retweets 18 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect
In a world of nationalist pride and ethnic hatreds it's that general sense of when "the right moment" to swerve is that keeps us alive
1 reply 9 retweets 16 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect
Which is why electing someone who doesn't understand what the game is or how it's been played is so fucking dangerous
1 reply 11 retweets 33 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect
I don't like this game at all. I certainly don't like the PRC. I wish nations and borders didn't exist. But don't shoot the messenger
1 reply 6 retweets 16 likes -
Replying to @arthur_affect
Ppl who ascribe to "I can vote all my desires into existence" get stupid about all forms of policy, but especially foreign policy
2 replies 11 retweets 16 likes
The President doesn't really have control over all that much in the US, but he certainly doesn't have complete control of OTHER COUNTRIES
-
-
Thanks. Twitter will use this to make your timeline better. UndoUndo
-
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.