Nah, it’s part of China’s little play for the southern region. The Chinese won’t allow nuclear explosions in their backyard, they’ll sooner wipe out the regime - which they can do overnight, since their armies don’t care for things like human rights and collateral casualties. They just use NK for brinkmanship and to bleed US resources, nothing more.
No, I think you are discounting how much diplomacy has not been orchestrated by Russia since 1989. Syria was the first step towards rolling back the clock, which is the whole plan for Putin. Possible US withdrawals from various scenarios will simply see a return to mid-XX century levels of Russian involvement in global diplomacy. I can see Trump even sponsoring that, introducing “his great friend” to this or that convention.
I’m your only friend
I’m not your only friend
But I’m a little locking friend
But really I’m not actually your friend
But I am
Elfin Hobbit in the outlet by the light switch
Who watches over you
Make a little locked-safe in your soul
Not to put too fine a point on it
Say I’m the only bee in your bonnet
Make a little locked-safe in your soul
I have a secret to tell
Hidden under the stairs
It’s a simple message and I’m leaving out the whistles and cares
So the room must listen to me
Filibuster vigilantly
My name is Robbie B one note spelled s-a-f-e This thread is infinite Like the Longines Symphonette it doesn’t rest
I always thought the fasces of the Roman lictors were intentionally impractical, what with the very heavy rods restraining the axes. You can see examples on the walls of the Senate or the obverse of a US dime. The original Etruscan ones seem to have had thinner rods, more like the Mace of the House, which is probably a usable weapon. But as you can see in @OtherMichael’s post, the fasces of Mussolini put the axe outside of the rods, completely subverting the symbolism. The (Germanic styled) axe has been freed from the restraints, which are left still bound behind it, only the rifle sling and pistol baldric hold it back.
