The military exercise was named, “Thunder of the North”. Dun, dun, dun! The 20 participating nations are mostly from the Middle East and Africa. In other words, this is the extraordinary league of backward nations. These nations depend on other nations for their modern military weapons and training. In fact, these nations depend on other nations for all of their modern tools, techniques, and ideas. These nations possess abundant natural resources (e.g., gas, oil, coal, metallic minerals, non-metallic minerals, metalloids, fertile lands, plants, and wildlife), thus, they allow other nations to harvest their natural resources in order to import modern technology and knowledge.
The Saudi regime probably has the most advanced military out of these 20 nations, but the Saudi regime’s military has major flaws. The Saudi regime’s fighter jets, attack jets, bombers, transport planes, guided missiles, precision bombs, GPS navigation, and other sophisticated weapons primarily come from the US and the EU. The Saudi regime cannot sustain any modern military operation without the constant supply of maintenance parts, repair components, upgrades, ammunition, and GPS navigation data from the US and the EU. The US and the EU probably installed various software and hardware restrictions (e.g., remote control) on their military exports to the Saudi regime and other customers. Thus, the Saudi regime needs the political approval and physical support of the US and EU regimes in order to conduct major military operations.
The Saudi regime will host this supposedly epic military exercise in order to promote regime change in Syria. However, the Saudi regime has no moral authority to violate Syria’s sovereignty. Of course, moral arguments are powerless against military might.
The question is: Will these 20 nations truly support a military invasion that is (1) led by the Saudi regime, (2) propped up by the US and EU regimes, and (3) directed against Syria, which has the backing of Iran and Russia?
As of now, the Saudi regime and its various partners have been struggling to conquer the Yemeni rebels who have been inhumanely sanctioned by the US regime and its partners. Based on paper specifications (e.g., population size, natural-resource types and quantities, and military technology), the Saudi-led coalition has every advantage against the Yemeni rebels. Yet, the Saudi-led coalition continues to struggle. This is probably due to low morale. Who wants to suffer and die for the Saudi lords?
I’m predicting the Saudi-led coalition against Syria will experience fierce resistance from the Syrians who are fighting for their land and lives, the Iranians who tenaciously refuse to kowtow to the empire of the Zionist US kleptocracy and its proxies, and the powerfully advanced military of Russia. Once the blood spills, bodies are disintegrated, and material costs skyrocket, the Saudi-led coalition will start doubting their resolve to conquer Syria in order to make glorious benefit for the Saudi lords.
Then the Saudi regime will be fumbling a two-front war in Yemen and Syria.
The Saudi regime has an amazing wealth that has been built on a seemingly infinite supply of oil-and-gas natural resources. The Saudi regime could have used their wealth to fund science and technology that advances humanity (e.g., medicine, solar power, hydro-power, space exploration, more efficient transportation, water purification, water conservation, preservation of wildlife, and paleontology). Instead, the Saudi regime builds a backward society that hides behind foreign-designed skyscrapers, foreign-made war machines, foreign-produced consumer-electronics, and other superficial displays of success. If anything, the Saudi regime needs to go.
Anyhow, America’s 2016 presidential “reality” show continues as planned by the oligarchy. The mainstream debates are controlled by the Democrat-Republican oligarchy. The debate’s location, time, moderators, audience, questions, candidates, and whatnot are all controlled by the oligarchy. This has been repeatedly said by the League of Women Voters and others for decades.
If you insist upon the mythology of dumb-mock-crazy elections, majority tyranny, and mob rule, then don’t forget about Gary Johnson and Jill Stein: “Many Americans undeclared; media makes illusion of 2-party choice” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS1hK4Nhx9E).
Gary Johnson is the best choice out of Jill Stein, Bernie Sanders, Clinton, Trump, and Cruz. However, I disagree with Gary Johnson on immigration and term limits. He is very supportive of immigration from Latin America, but I'm neutral on it. He thinks term limits will restrict corrupt and/or incompetent politicians, but I disagree.
Term limits are like a double-edged sword: it cuts both ways, thus, it could hurt or help. Term limits could restrict the policies of corrupt and/or incompetent politicians, but term limits could also promote inexperienced and unskilled politicians. Term limits could promote excessively short-term analyses by politicians. Term limits could motivate corrupt and/or incompetent politicians to be even more irresponsible, because why would corrupt and/or incompetent politicians care about their public duties when they'll be kicked out of office irregardless of their performance? We should carefully experiment with term limits before committing to it.
Byzantine laws are not the foundation of a good society. A good society is based on people with superior values or preferences, lifestyles, genetics, and facts. You could create infinite laws, but if the people suck, then the community will suck. Prisons are heavily regulated, yet, prison life is lousy, because a prison is filled with shitty people. In addition, a highly diverse nation like America needs different lifestyles for different cultures. One-size-fits-all solutions are clearly sub-optimal. Humane population control is also important for this planet of 7+ billion residents.