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In reply to the discussion: Fat Orange Rapist Felon Grampy Jesus is REALLY ANGRY that you don't want him to have a nice new $400M plane. [View all]Bernardo de La Paz
(60,320 posts)7. I think you mean white elephant (ruinous gift). Trojan horse would refer to any espionage bugs. So could be both
If the Thai king wanted to ruin some domestic adversary, he would give them a white elephant. Because it was from the king the person could not give it away because that would disrespect the king and the person would be shunned by everyone and go down. So the person had to pay for upkeep and feeding and maintenance that they could not afford and would go down that way. Plus people would consider the recipient to be rich and expect them to be generous in turn, spending money in the community, which they would soon not be able to afford.
Here's a better explanation:
The term derives from the sacred white elephants kept by Southeast Asian monarchs in Burma, Thailand (Siam), Laos and Cambodia.[2] To possess a white elephant was regardedand is still regarded in Thailand and Burmaas a sign that the monarch reigned with justice and power, and that the kingdom was blessed with peace and prosperity. The opulence expected of anyone who owned a beast of such stature was great. Monarchs often exemplified their possession of white elephants in their formal titles (e.g., Hsinbyushin, lit. 'Lord of the White Elephant' and the third monarch of the Konbaung dynasty).[3] Because the animals were considered sacred and laws protected them from labor, receiving a gift of a white elephant from a monarch was simultaneously a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing because the animal was sacred and a sign of the monarch's favour, and a curse because the recipient now had an animal that was expensive to maintain, could not be given away, and could not be put to much practical use.
The Trojan Horse had a military weapon inside (a cadre of special forces military). There would likely be bugs in the plane that Russia (for example) could exploit on the ground by tapping into whatever stream the Qataris obtained from the plane.
So perhaps it is both.
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Fat Orange Rapist Felon Grampy Jesus is REALLY ANGRY that you don't want him to have a nice new $400M plane. [View all]
Miles Archer
May 2025
OP
Nothing is free..not even kittens. This "gift" is not his as it will belong to the country if it ever happens
Deuxcents
May 2025
#1
Anyone with a lick of sense would be suspicious of such an expensive gift from a country with extensive ties to Hamas.
tanyev
May 2025
#3
This "gift" is far from free and why is Qatar so generous? Where will this sky palace be parked..
Deuxcents
May 2025
#4
I think you mean white elephant (ruinous gift). Trojan horse would refer to any espionage bugs. So could be both
Bernardo de La Paz
May 2025
#7
Probably the Qatari espionage bugs are also free and step-bugged by Russia
Bernardo de La Paz
May 2025
#6
So..that white elephant could be loaded with nefarious bugs wrapped in gold leaf?!
Deuxcents
May 2025
#9
Trojan Horse (had special forces military inside). Plane more T Horse than W.E. because US could afford upkeep. . . nt
Bernardo de La Paz
May 2025
#10
Hmmm...one might be more expensive with upkeep than the other but they're both budget busters
Deuxcents
May 2025
#11
Def not helpful to the budget, not needed. Plus I'm pretty sure it would need lots of mods for command center
Bernardo de La Paz
May 2025
#12
Shitstain got angry when informed that he couldn't decorate Trump Airlines planes with marble . . .
hatrack
May 2025
#21
because there was some weird quid pro quo going on and now he can't do the quo part so no quid. nt
Javaman
May 2025
#25
Just read something on this today, its from Bush 1, they started their life in 1990
thatdemguy
May 2025
#28