The Rocket's Red Glare

In honor of the July 4th holiday, I decided to avoid discussing any other disturbing Tweets in favor of the couple that let us know what our Commander-in-Chief is like as a strategic thinker. The above screen-capped sample notes that North Korea has launched another missile (a thing they have been doing of late with Trump in charge--this one qualifies as an intercontinental ballistic missile, which is something of a big deal).

North Korea has been specifically signaling the US regarding its missile-related objectives. But Trump specifically calls out South Korea and Japan and also China as being the nations who need to keep North Korea in line. I don't think it is the US president's place to direct what should be done with the JSDF or South Korean military--although a joint South Korean/US operation is also making missile splashies to show NoKo what's up.  I seriously doubt China will decide now is the time to invade and occupy North Korea because NK just doesn't have their shit together. North Korea has not had its shit together for awhile, and China just has had that be the status quo. Don't know why now would be different.

In other words, Trump is dropping names before he's even got a plan. This bothers me. It bothers me because one of the issues many of us 2016 voters had with Trump was competency, and whether Trump had adequate quantities thereof. The news orgs sort of implied he didn't. People who were more inclined to ignore news orgs voted for Trump.

In a test where some basic knowledge would help, quantities of us don't know whether our chief executive is ready for this. Understanding the world matters. Knowing the rules of dealing with other countries matters. It is true that US firepower is such that we could annihilate NK. It is also true that an anti-proliferation scheme and diplomatic alternatives should have been a consideration, well before Trump took office, amongst his foreign policy advisors (if he listens to any).

Many of us just don't trust a President Trump with stuff like this. We are informed by the media regarding his positions, and what we have heard appalls us. Our republic depends upon an informed populace. I worry about our republic, on this anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, because this president had eschewed learning and assaults the media who try to deliver facts.