Whoa, who knew?! It turns out that Trump's planned triumphal arch isn't just a triumphal arch at all. Nor a monument to the greatness that Trump says is Trump. No, no! It's intended to be an amazing military outpost!
Yes, that's what Trump says. Well, says now. After criticism of the arch grows. It's to be designed all along (supposedly) to hold drones...and...and snipers!! (Supposedly.)
Hey, if it worked for the Greeks with their Trojan horse, why not Trump and his drones and snipers!!
No word yet from Trump if the top of the Trumphal arch is going to pop off when it's time for the drones to go a-flying out and soar mightily across the skies of Washington, D.C. Nor any word from the Dear Leader how many snipers are going to be crammed inside the thingamajig. (I know it's supposed to be huge, a gaudy, 250 feet high -- 250 feet!, almost the length of a football field high -- and block views of Arlington National Cemetery, much of downtown D.C., the skyline, clouds, and a decent future.)
I do wonder, though, about all those snipers who get the unique assignment to be stationed inside the Trumphal arch. It can't be a prime assignment, sitting all day inside an arch which (according to models) will have no windows. This, by the way, is considered a challenge for professional snipers. So, it's not clear yet how they'll shoot from inside or get to the roof of the thingamabob. I do hope they, at least, have air conditioning, since otherwise it would get pretty musty inside. And hopefully, too, the enclosed steel structure won't block good TV and Internet reception, since there probably will be a whole lot of down time for the highly-trained marksmen. After all, there doesn't seem to ever have been a burning need for daily snipers in the middle of the nation's capital. Or weekly snipers. Or monthly or yearly. Or probably not since 1812 when the British attacked.
I would also think that, as gaudy-huge as the Trumphal monument will be (supposedly), it will be pretty crowded inside the thingamadoohickey, what with troops sharing space with drones and all the ammunition Trump says it will store (supposedly). Though maybe Trump figures -- what with the Navy Yard, Marine Barracks, Fort McNair and Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling nearby, all well-stocked with munitions and personnel-- they'll only need to billet just a few ace sharpshooters biding their time, until called to action.
By the way, one would think that a military complex filled with drones, snipers and ammo in the middle of downtown Washington, D.C. , designed (supposedly) to protect the city, would mark it as a blatant and massive target for anyone considering attacking the city. Which means it would seem to need to be protected itself. Perhaps with fencing, guards and howitzers -- just what you want for a tourist attraction in the middle of a city, honoring "triumph."
I'm sorry, but what Trump said is just monumentally idiotic. On a breathtakingly gargantuan level. Even by Trump standards. Even taking into consideration his dementia, which is degenerative.
But then, this seems to be a theme for Trump now: when you have a hideous construction plan that most Americans abhor, just claim after-the-fact that it's actually for national security. After all, when he announced his ostentatious ballroom, and then tore down the East Wing of the White House before getting approval, he said it was only about building a massive ballroom, that's all. Because, as he said, the country needed a massive gold-plated ballroom. (Supposedly.) But as outrage grew, and even the Supreme Court put a pause on construction, Trump suddenly said, no, no, it was really for national security. (Supposedly.) Even though there were other bunkers for the White House already hidden around the city. And so, that claim got the Supreme Court to alter its temporary pause and let construction continue.
What I won't be surprised is if Trump soon claims that he needs tens of millions of dollars more to renovate the Reflecting Pool (again) because the water hole is really needed for national security. That there will be Navy Seals stationed around the perimeter and frogmen patrolling the bottom underwater.
In fact, for all we know, Trump could decide he might be able to finally get his name on the Kennedy Center by claiming the real reason he needs the restoration is for, of course, national security. In fact, the facility is large enough that he could not only station a full battalion, bombs, helicopters on the roof, emergency gas reserves, paratroopers and more -- all, this time, with comfortable seats for the troops -- but they could probably also even fit an actual Trojan horse in there.
