This Carbon Based Life

By David Glenn Cox

Oh man, Oman. It can best be described as spinning out of control. Knocking the cookies off the table but good, and scattering them everywhere. Taking nothing and making something worse out of it. First, the Iranians had suggested a joint partnership in tolling the Strait of Hormuz with Oman. Oman, as a long-time ally of the US, dutifully said, “Thanks, but no thanks,” to Iran’s offer. Later, in a completely different interview, Omani officials said they would be willing to talk with Iran. Well, one plus nothing equals Trump. Trump took the Omani position of being open to talking with Iran, to mean a complete reversal of sides!

And here’s the spinning out-of-control part. Trump answers without so much as a raised eyebrow. We’ll just have to blow up Oman! Okay, okay, you and I are veterans here of the king’s crazy talk. Enough so that we don’t really get all that upset much anymore. But it’s not that he threatened Oman. It’s that it was the very first thought he had, without a second thought following close behind. The Red Queen screams, “Off with their heads!”

Mr. Trump’s remark hit the world press hard. The virgin ears on planet Earth don’t know what to make of it. Mr. Trump just threatened to blow up an ally. It went hard because Mr. Trump said it live and in front of the world press, And the press ran with it before the censors could AI in another “Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon!”

I have a correction and or an alteration to whatever the hell I know. The Strait of Hormuz is NOT an international waterway. Who knew? At its narrowest point, the Strait is only 13 miles wide. International law allows for national boundary control at 20 miles from shore. The territories of Iran and Oman overlap by six or seven miles. Ergo, there are no international waters. There are only Iranian waters and Omani waters. As if this wasn’t already complicated enough. Despite what is largely explained on daily American television, Iran and Oman hold full legal control of the Strait.

American allies look upon Mr. Trump’s threats of violence over basically nothing, and they begin to wonder. Has this farce gone on for too long? Mr. Trump has abandoned Ukraine. Mr. Trump has played fast and loose with troop deployments in Europe. Over a remark by the German Chancellor, Mr. Trump got his feelings hurt and canceled a planned troop rotation. Because his feelings were hurt. Our national defense is based on HIS feelings.

But this time is different somehow . It’s like our allies have been counting on their fingers all of the friends and allies this SOB has insulted or threatened. And that total has finally had an impact. Many in Europe and Asia are beginning to say to themselves, “You know what? Fuck these guys!” They’ll still be friendly enough, just not as friendly. And they will still share intelligence; if they feel like it. And maybe not, you never know.

Mr. Trump likes the song “Oh Canada” so much. He has graciously agreed to let the Canadians keep it as their state song! (It never goes away) The Emperor struts through fantasy dominions. That is an example of pure, unadulterated, virgin Crazy. In Mr. Trump’s mind; the delusion is REAL. Canada IS already the 51^st state and Trump’s only waiting on the paperwork to catch up. His benefice is granting them favors. “You may keep your little jingle. I, as your sovereign, shan’t take it away.”

Well? What’s the word I’m looking for here? Insane! Oh, yes, insane! And Mr. Trump did it right in front of you! You all saw it! The video is available of Mr. Trump threatening to blow up an ally just as casually as ordering a Coke. Emotionless. I don’t care if I kill thousands. They disobeyed me! They disrespected me! They must be made to pay!

It looks painfully obvious here on the outside, Mr. Trump could be convinced to attack Vatican City. Especially with rumors of oil. Big mouth Pope! Where does he get off? Whisk him off to wherever until he learns to pay the proper respect for the new gospel. Yeah! He’s a big-time drug kingpin! He’s smuggling fentanyl into the Untied Snakes inside his Pope hat! Investigating E. Jean Carroll, nothing crooked about that!

I heard a network analyst surmise that the speed of the Venezuela operation convinced Mr. Trump that he was invincible. For a malignant narcissist, that’s just about the top of the Ferris wheel. All-powerful and invincible. That’s a heady formula for a man living within the bounds of normalcy, but for Trump Its monster food. It’s not just that the decisions are bad because they are bad. It’s the proposed route by which they were arrived at. Where they make war decisions, decisions of life and death, as casually as deciding between McDonald’s or Taco Bell?

The media pitches their product; there’s a peace settlement a coming! Good News! A peace settlement is coming, just as soon as Mr. Trump signs off. Mr. Trump has been trying to sign off on the agreement for three weeks now. But hey, This is America, have a good time. Never mind what the rest of the world thinks. Watch Trump claim victory as he signs off on defeat. For Trump hath said it. It must be so. He said crazy stuff in front of the whole world. There is no longer a legitimate defense. Questions of competency, right before your very eyes.

The Vice President declared among a cadre of high-ranking military officers at the Air Force graduation, “You can’t boo me!” Like a child with a toy who has made a new discovery. “You can’t boo me.” Who would say such a thing? “You’re all stuck here! No matter how boring or how long. Say, this is great! Now listen! Cue, this was the Vice President trying to be folksy and funny. “Ha, ha, ha, you can’t boo me! Ha-ha! That’s a good one, huh? Say, is this thing on? Hello? Hello? Like most graduation speeches, no one really cares. But JD had just learned of a new superpower. They can’t boo me!

 I wouldn’t lean too hard on that, JD!

“Today I know that all things are watching, that nothing goes unseen, that even wallpaper has a better memory than human beings.” ― Günter Grass,