Trump Foreign Policy

[TheSker]

21 minutes ago, Guy Chamberlin said:

 

 

The closer you follow it, the worse it gets.

 

So yeah, I can see why people don't want to follow it.

 

I'm just sad their votes count the same as people who care. 

I appreciate the indirectly direct sage advice.  I'll probably continue to not follow it closely.

 

I don't wanna be sad.

 

And I'm directly in charge of my attitude about it.

[Moiraine]

2 hours ago, BigRedBuster said:

 

If that were true, people like Pruitt wouldn't be forced out of office.

 

 

Good post. I feel mostly helpless about all of it but I believe there has been at least some impact made by people voicing their opinions. It also helps for other people to hear about it. 

[commando]

don't think trump is working with russia to destroy nato??  check out tonight's rally

 

 

[TGHusker]

More on the NATO threats from Trump:

The guy is a wrecking ball. He treats friends as enemies and enemies as friends.  He'll come out of Russia with praises and will go to NATO and cut everyone down. 

 

 

https://www.axios.com/trump-nato-nightmare-defense-spending-europe-germany-74d2d010-e32a-40b2-8e71-920601f0e9a0.html

Quote

Why it matters: When the history of the Trump presidency is written, one of the most important chapters will be the way he changed America’s relationship with Europe.

• He doesn’t do what normal U.S. presidents do and make unequivocal statements about solidarity against shared threats. He asks them to pay up.
• Rhetorically at least, he seldom distinguishes between allies and adversaries. And when he does, he often saves the toughest words for America’s allies.
• Trump’s theory of the case is that Europe needs us more than we need them. And certainly for now, at least, Europeans have nowhere else to turn for their protection.
• It’s possible his theory works out in the long term and they become militarily much more self-sufficient. But what’s not clear is what it will mean for the U.S. in the long run to draw down so much goodwill with our traditional allies.
• European officials have been telling us they’re worried Trump will take a "purely transactional" approach to NATO and ignore shared values and the other dimensions of the alliance.

Reality check: Trump is correct that the other NATO members aren’t living up to their financial commitments. But they have been improving over the past two years.

What's next: The other NATO member states worry — and the rally seems to confirm their fears — that Trump will come into next week's NATO summit in Brussels like a wrecking ball, and beat up on them over not paying their bills.

• The path they would prefer: a victory lap for the progress made since he became president. 
• The Germans are especially concerned, but it’s not just them. There are so many other countries who live in real fear of Russia and know that Vladimir Putin is rooting for transatlantic tensions and divisions. 
• The Europeans' worst fear of all — so bad it’s almost unthinkable — would be for Trump to say at the summit that U.S. protection is somehow conditional on them meeting defense spending targets.
• Trump’s aides assure the allies he will provide an “ironclad” commitment to continue defending them, and certainly he’s done so a number of times over the past year.

Be smart: European officials tell us they’re still nervous because they don’t trust that Trump’s advisers actually speak for Trump.

 

 

[BigRedBuster]

 

[commando]

1 hour ago, BigRedBuster said:

 

trump is just doing as his master commands.

[Moiraine]

I don't think Trump is totally wrong about NATO spending, as an isolated issue. If the other members of NATO aren't willing to pay 2% GDP, why should we pay more than 2% GDP? It doesn't make sense that they can't afford that if they want our protection.

 

That said, Trump has been acting like he wouldn't even lift a finger if Russia invaded another country. I don't trust his reasons for wanting to reduce spending on NATO or even get out of NATO.

[BigRedBuster]

 

[TheSker]

24 minutes ago, BigRedBuster said:

 

I know you like to post virtually anything/everything that takes a dig at Trump.

 

But let's be clear that the argument being presented by these men isn't the key reason for Trump's issue with NATO.

 

It's financial.

[BigRedBuster]

6 minutes ago, TheSker said:

I know you like to post virtually anything/everything that takes a dig at Trump.

 

But let's be clear that the argument being presented by these men isn't the key reason for Trump's issue with NATO.

 

It's financial.

 

He literally said that the other countries in NATO has never done anything for our security. 

 

You dont find that appalling when when their soldiers have died helping us fight our wars?

 

i have no problem talking about the financial issues ...and I would agree with the President. 

 

But, statements like this should NOT go unnoticed. 

 

Right  now now we are alone in the world because of this piece of crap and most of that is because of his total lack of knowledge and lies on subjects like this. 

[TheSker]

2 minutes ago, BigRedBuster said:

 

He literally said that the other countries in NATO has never done anything for our security. 

 

You dont find that appalling when when their soldiers have died helping us fight our wars?

 

i have no problem talking about the financial issues ...and I would agree with the President. 

 

But, statements like this should NOT go unnoticed. 

 

Right  now now we are alone in the world because of this piece of crap and most of that is because of his total lack of knowledge and lies on subjects like this. 

Have you ever clung on to every word that comes out of ANY previous president like you do Trump?

 

Cuz a lot of presidents have said a lot of things.......

[BigRedBuster]

On 7/8/2018 at 10:38 AM, TheSker said:

Have you ever clung on to every word that comes out of ANY previous president like you do Trump?

 

Cuz a lot of presidents have said a lot of things.......

 

No President has ever so blatantly lied so often and insulted so many of our allies on  such a regular basis. 

 

Weather you realize it or not, that’s a serious issue. 

 

When was the last time a US President won’t visit London because of lies and insults have built up so much anger amongst the British population. 

 

Great Brittain has been one of our oldest and best allies. 

 

And now our President is scared to even go there......because of lies just like what I posted earlier. 

[commando]

26 minutes ago, TheSker said:

I know you like to post virtually anything/everything that takes a dig at Trump.

 

But let's be clear that the argument being presented by these men isn't the key reason for Trump's issue with NATO.

 

It's financial.

FWIW....i think the financial aspect isn't what trump really dislikes.....it is just a handy excuse.  

 

and germany has hidden costs to housing all those troops.   germany builds and maintains the schools the military kids go to over there for just 1 small costs they cover that trump isn't counting.   and those bases in germany are really the staging bases for our mid east wars also.   i think most if not all troops goiing to and from afghanistan rotate through germany.   they are not purely for the protection of germany but 100% of the costs is being counted by trump as protection for germany.  trump is using every angle to say germany and other nato countries are not paying their fair share.    IDK...maybe they aren't paying enough...but it isn't as black and white as trump is portraying it IMO.

[TheSker]

13 minutes ago, BigRedBuster said:

 

No President has ever so blatantly lied so often and insulted so many of our allies on  such a regular basis. 

 

Weather you you realize it or not, that’s a serious issue. 

 

When was the last time a US President won’t visit London because of lies and insults have built up so much anger amongst the British population. 

 

Great Brittain has been one of our oldest and best allies. 

 

And now now our President is scared to even go there......because of lies just like what I posted earlier. 

Great Britain has their own issues right now.

 

As does much of the EU.

[commando]

45 minutes ago, TheSker said:

Great Britain has their own issues right now.

 

As does much of the EU.

do tell please