O/T:- Trump Presidency 2.0 [hic sunt dracones]

[Jampie]

I didn't know that. I knew they were good, but I thought the project turned into a huge money pit coming in way over budget.

Absolutely it did. But that's development costs. Their actual production costs are ok now that the volume's starting to kick in. Not so much cost per flight hour, but you can't expect that to be the same as a 1970's technology airframe and still have the radar cross section of a gnat. They're much cheaper to operate than an F-22 and far more capable everywhere but a dogfight.

There's plenty wrong with the project overall and how it was managed, but the end result is a crushing advantage.

[drillerpie]

He could spell America as well.

Standing ovation for the spellchecker!

[drillerpie]

Absolutely it did. But that's development costs. Their actual production costs are ok now that the volume's starting to kick in. Not so much cost per flight hour, but you can't expect that to be the same as a 1970's technology airframe and still have the radar cross section of a gnat. They're much cheaper to operate than an F-22 and far more capable everywhere but a dogfight.

There's plenty wrong with the project overall and how it was managed, but the end result is a crushing advantage.

Fair enough!

[i961pie]

Trump saying Russia is easier to deal with than Ukraine! Of course it is you pleb!

He's also given Russia the order to drop as many bombs on Ukraine as they like by taking away any kind of assistance to them. Another 26 civilians murdered today. He ought to hang his head in shame.
But then again he has none.

[i961pie]

I see Trump is falling out with Australia now, surely it's time for these countries he is hitting to look for different trading partners and for them to make trading with each other far easier than it is know.

[Jampie]

Australia doesn't have much in the way of exports to the US. The concern is definitely far more how absolutely integrated our defence and intelligence systems are with the US equivalents.

That said, if we were going to lose this alliance, now is a much better time for it to happen than 2030 or 2040 etc.

[i961pie]

Australia doesn't have much in the way of exports to the US. The concern is definitely far more how absolutely integrated our defence and intelligence systems are with the US equivalents.

That said, if we were going to lose this alliance, now is a much better time for it to happen than 2030 or 2040 etc.

Don't they export most of their aluminium to America?

[Jampie]

Don't they export most of their aluminium to America?

a little over 13% last I looked. A very fungible commodity, so we'd barely notice losing all of that. (and we probably wouldn't lose it all)

[andy6025]

I see Trump is falling out with Australia now, surely it's time for these countries he is hitting to look for different trading partners and for them to make trading with each other far easier than it is know.

China is Canadas second largest trading partner. We also used to have an excellent relationship with them, independent of what was usually dictated to us by the yanks. And the Chinese are like elephants - they never forget good deeds. When I lived there between 99-01, it was constantly pointed out to me how a Canadian doctor named Norman Bethune went over and embedded himself among them in the wars against the Japanese and in their civil war. Other notable moments of friendly relations between our countries was our refusal to sanction them and for our Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau (the current PMs father) to visit China against the demands of our American cousins. There are also a number of Canadians who have embedded in China and made names for themselves that anyone outside of China would not recognize. All these came together to give Canada a very good name among the Chinese - political and commoner class alike.

Fast forward to the mid 2000s, Canadian politicians at the behest of our American benefactors starting talking about the Chinese authoritarian threat - to Taiwan, to their own people and to Canadian democracy.

Since then we have accused them of many things from bribing our politicians, setting up secret police stations in Canada, of genociding their own people, of oppressing the feudal lord the Dali Lama, and all kinds of other crap. Most notably, we put under house arrest the daughter of one of their telecom companies chief executives for 3-4 years and threatened to extradite her to the US. In return China jailed two Canadian who worked as spies for the Americans, and they threatened to execute them. And as it turned out they actually were spies.

To top it off, last year Canada followed suit with the United States and Europe in imposing a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles. China stayed quiet. . . until yesterday. They imposed a 100% tariff on most of our agricultural products.

And all this while we engage in a trade war with the US. Yesterday my province of Ontario retaliated with a 25% tariff to electricity exports to the US, only for Trump to raise the tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50%.

Talk about constantly shooting ourselves in the head.

America is in fast decline. They are taking their vassals down fast with them - trying to throw them under the bus in a vain attempt to save themselves.

We could have so easily positioned ourselves much better by simply maintaining the good relationships that our ancestors fostered. But for the we would have to be able to see 1 or 2 moves ahead. But of course we do not. America has such a grip on our politicians that we already are, in effect, the 51st state.

[Lullapie]

Ceasefire on the horizon in Ukraine.

https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c3e4xzd8qq8t

I'm off to do some ironing.