This Carbon Based Life

By David Glenn Cox

Trump issued a harsh message to Iran. When the ceasefire time runs out, I’m unlikely to extend it. I’m going to get ugly! Roar! As percolated Pete Hegseth reads from the book of “Pulp Fiction” for Samuel L. Jackson sayeth. The administration can’t ever understand why they are upside down, if they never know right side up.

Twelve hours later, Mr. Trump announces he’s unilaterally extending the ceasefire as a favor to the Pakistanis. Oh, please, sir, don’t start your failed war strategy again. Well, okay then, just for you, I won’t! Mr. Trump will refrain from restarting the shooting war he wishes he had never gotten involved with. Now, Mr. Trump wants to declare victory and go home. Iran fires on three ships and takes two ships hostage. Apparently, the US forgot to ask Iran if they would also like to honor the ceasefire extension. Do you see the arrogance here? If we say there’s a ceasefire, there’s a ceasefire!

The pretense of being in absolute control, when not actually in control of anything, except for backing up. Mr. Trump was unconditional surrender US Grant and now he’s become Taco Tuesday. No hurry, He’ll extend the ceasefire, maybe forever. Like Korea, just a ceasefire and Mr. Trump doesn’t have to negotiate when he obviously doesn’t have the upper hand. Mr. Trump looks for a way off the hook, if the Iranians will let him off the hook.

Iran wants a resolution, but there is no resolution. Israel will give Iran no resolution, and the US can’t give any resolution spelled “D-e-f-e-a-t.” The administration is caught between military/political loss and loss of the base. On a personal poll, every Trumper that I know personally has turned on Trump. A recent media made up poll reported Trump’s popularity was at 31% Can you imagine what an honest poll might show? Nine percent popularity or twelve percent popularity?

Mr. Trump starts a war, mutilates the economy, and ensures inflation remains a constant. And only drops one percent in popularity? Yet all of these Trump loyalists and provocateurs have turned on Trump. Scandals such as Epstein, Pam Bondi and now, Kash Bar Patel. There’s nothing wrong with drinking at work. Churchill did it and Grant too; it’s the results that matter. There’s nothing wrong with throwing your weight around and coming into the office a bit late sometimes. But generally, not showing up until after lunch is taking privilege to excess.

The idea is to get the other person to drink and tell you all of their secrets, and not blab your own. If you can’t log into your government computer and your first thought is, “I must have been fired!” What does that tell us about Kash’s mental health and or Kash’s employment situation? It’s difficult to work some place where you could be fired at any moment, and left to find out when you can’t log in. Quick! Turn on the TV; I think I’ve just been fired! If you know you’re doing a good job, (doing your best) showing up on time, why would they fire you? Is it paranoia or a guilty conscience? Is it, “Oh shit, they’ve found me out!” Or just the simple, I’m working for an illogical, paranoid madman. So anything is possible.

I found this tidbit interesting. Peckerhead Pete fired the head of the Navy the other day. My first thought was, “You blow one hole in one unarmed merchant ship and they can you!” They can you quietly. See if you can still log in? Why would Kash ever think he might get fired like that? Just weirdo thinking, or had Kash seen it done before? Kash was accused of being passed out behind locked doors, and unreachable. Of having to be professionally extracted. I used to party pretty hard when I young but they never had to break down the door to wake me. Okay, maybe just that one time.

Kash might want to keep trying to log in. Kash is toast. On the floating Republican Trump morality double standard, being a feckless drunk is inexcusable, but cheating your spouse, pedophilia or being a sexual predator is no big deal. They made Peckerhead Pete take the pledge not to drink. Pete promised, and that means? What does Pete’s promise mean exactly? It could be Pete’s head is on the chopping block next. Unsuccessful war and bad advice equals unemployment.

Allegedly, Mr. Trump wants out of this war. So who is pushing the hard line here? Cartoon Pete with his Sergeant Rock act and his tough-guy image. G.I. Joe the all-American warmonger. “Don’t quit now, Donald! You have them right where you want them,” says Pete. Just stand tall and stick to your guns, Donald and we’ll will win!”

The rock meets the hard place. Trump’s only chance for victory is to stick to his guns and pretend he’s winning at something. Like Yosemite Sam, Mr. Trump turns a dozen colors of angry. Mr. Trump has made so many threats and statements that his words have become totally meaningless. The President of the Untidied States, but who cares what he says? He might say the exact opposite tomorrow. Meanwhile, Rome smolders. Little Nero practices on his ocarina.

Time is of the essence. Nero fiddles while Rome burns down.

Statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing falsities, and will diligently study them, and refuse to examine any refutations of them; and thus he will by and by convince himself that the war is just, and will thank God for the better sleep he enjoys after this process of grotesque self-deception. – Mark Twain