The Saddest Little Dictator
Trump is so weak that Xi Jinping doesn’t even feel the need to manipulate him anymore. Meanwhile the rest of the world is moving on from America too.
1. Military Parades
China staged a massive military parade in Tiananmen Square today. This is a thing authoritarian governments do. You will notice that it was infinitely more impressive than the sad military parade Donald Trump ordered for himself last June.
Xi Jinping opened the parade by appearing at Tiananmen Gate flanked by Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un. This was a reversal of the Cold War, with China as the senior partner and Russia the supplicant.
Xi then toured the vast display, his bust protruding from a presidential car, past troops, missiles, tanks, and drones. I encourage you to look at the video. Click around and really take in the scene.
Now I want you to contemplate that the American president probably watched this event and felt not revulsion, but jealously. Here is passage from a Wall Street Journal report last week:
After the Washington parade, Trump told aides he was disappointed with the marching, and the U.S. Navy is trying to plan a bigger celebration this fall, hoping for a shimmering spectacle with seacraft, administration officials said.
But you probably want some good news and I have it for you: