State Department freezes new funding for nearly all US aid programs worldwide
The State Department has frozen new funding for almost all U.S. aid programs worldwide, making exceptions to allow humanitarian food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt to continue.
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I bet the Chinese are more than eager to take over all the soft power USA currently enjoy.
Fortunately for USA, the Chinese are too stupid to actually do it, because China wants to be a "respected" (as in feared) superpower, in much the same way Russia does.
Hopefully Trump will be out in 4 years, but I wouldn't be surprised if he hands the reign to someone as bad or worse, and USA will become an authoritarian dictatorship, under the guise of some kind of national security crisis.
Imagine how rich Musk could become if he controlled USA as Putin controls Russia!
Not sure I’m with you on the China not spreading their influence. It’s been exactly what they have been doing in Africa and the Middle East. This has been going on for a long while (close to 10 years) and seems to be working.
Yes absolutely, China has been going in places where USA doesn't have a strong standing.
What I'm arguing is that China could go in where USA is actually strong, and create closer relationships.
Except for their behavior lately makes most US allies very cautious towards China with good reason.
The soft power of African countries is limited.
I think you're overestimating the importance of the West. If China is able to control all of SA, SEA, and Africa, including all of their resource riches through debt, why would they care about Europe? What can Europe seriously offer them?
Freedom from that control.
If Europe was willing to offer that China wouldn't be winning in Africa in the first place.
Are you joking? China is absolutely willing to and understands how to grab that doft power
No they don't, if they did, they wouldn't escalate threats towards Taiwan. There is much more to be gained from increased cooperation with highly developed democratic countries around the world, but China is fucking up because of nationalistic ideological fanaticism that is very off-putting for democratic countries.
That’s different than being willing to take up soft power opportunities in other parts of the world. I promise you China will reach out to South America soon
They've already done that for years. Because it's low hanging fruit, and most of those countries have strained relationships with USA for good reasons, much like the middle east.
USA has done way too much power-play for control and financial reasons, the Chinese are doing the same now.
Not sure if you've been living under a rock but China has already been expanding their soft power like crazy since the previous trump term. China is fucking everywhere, especially in Africa and Latin America, they have a huge amount of countries in their pockets already
"Hopefully Trump will be out in 4 years,"
Eeeeeeeyeah, that's the type of widespread thinking that's going to prevent the actual solution to the problem. We will not be able to vote our way out of this one, they have been absolutely transparent with everything they said they would do and relinquishing their power is not on the table. We have to take it back by force.
You lost me. The new silk road capitalizes on every US and Russian withdrawal since the cold war. Besides a few Soviet mercenaries, who do you think is developing Africa? They just pulled out of Nicaragua after trying to build a second Panama canal for a decade. They're pushing physical borders with India, looming over Taiwan.. bruh
Hopefully Trump is out way sooner.
I bet the Chinese are more than eager to take over all the soft power USA currently enjoy.
I like dogging on Trump as much as the next guy, but until we have major problems (physical health, homeless, mental health, etc) solved in the US, I don't give a fuck about our soft power.
I don't give a fuck about our soft power.
This is a shortsighted and narrow-minded point of view - unless it's just a misunderstanding of the term. Part of this "soft power" is just having international friends who will work with us, negotiate with us, and cooperate in efforts such as combating human trafficking and ransomware, both of which the US plays a large role in. These relationships are important for the internal stability of the US. We can't limit our focus to internal issues only, that is a losing strategy.
This is about priorities.
I don't give a fuck about our soft power inasmuch as giving other countries money is a requirement to maintain it.
I'd rather we have focus on internal issues at all, and resolve many of those, before we dedicate resources to fixing other people's problems.
but until we have major problems (physical health, homeless, mental health, etc) solved in the US, I don’t give a fuck about our soft power.
Oh boy, I think you are in for an awakening, because losing democratic and humanitarian values in general, will make all of that worse too.
Are you not aware what Nazism does? That's what you have in USA. If Trump really wanted to solve those problems, he would have the blessings from most countries.
When did you ever see an authoritarian government care about the weakest in their country?
Are you not aware what Nazism does?
This is pathetic and insulting discourse. This thread is about providing aid to other countries. Stay on topic.
Look at what I responded to To think Trump will improve: (physical health, homeless, mental health, etc). That's what's pathetic.
You have to be a special kind of naive to believe that.
I like dogging on Trump as much as the next guy, but until we have major problems (physical health, homeless, mental health, etc) solved in the US, I don’t give a fuck about our soft power.
It's wild that you pasted my quote in here although you continue to argue against a strawman.
Only neolibs give a shit about the "soft power" that we get from foreign aid.
How is it a strawman to call a Nazi what he is? He even allowed Musk Heiling at inauguration, saying NOTHING against it afterwards.
If you think Trump is not a Nazi, I can't imagine what it takes to convince you?
Alright, man. Have fun on the internet.
