Do the Trump supporters hate their country so much that they are willing to destroy it? The Republicans cannot be so cowardly and spineless that they continence Trump's treasonous behavior. His blind followers will believe anything he says, regardless how dangerous they are to our national interests and security. Let's not beat around the bush anymore. Former Secretary of State James Baker once said, "if it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, and looks like a duck, then it is a duck." In other words, Trump is a traitor and when we confront a monumental catastrophe caused by Donald J. Trump, who will they blame? Mexicans? Chinese? The Irish? Who will be their next scapegoat? But it does show the ethical and moral cowardice of conservatives, Republicans, and all their enablers. We put ourselves in this mess, and only we can save our country from the likes of Donald Trump.
8
It is surprising to read in the NY Times an article that approves of Latvia's parallel to the US campaign against Mexican-Americans. Indeed, Latvia's atrocity is worse: it's against Russian-Latvian citizens of long standing, equivalent to a US expulsion of Mexican-American US citizens (sic!).
Since the fall of the USSR, almost three decades ago, the Latvian majority has imposed severe limitations on the rights of its Russian-Latvian minority, one-third of the nation.
Aren't we are horrified, to say the least, at the drive by US nativists ethnically to cleanse our long-standing Mexican-American minority? Why does the Times print, approvingly apparently, an article celebrating exactly such ethnic cleansing in Latvia?
All Russian-Latvians whose own or their progenitors' citizenship goes back to 1940 or less are treated as unwelcome aliens. A double standard: many Latvians, fleeing Soviet tyranny, have become Latvian-Americans since 1940. Should they be sent back as recent intruders, aliens contaminating our gene pool?
Make no mistake. The Latvian majority, whatever its historic oppression, has carried on, for decades, a racist war against a third of its citizenry. The magic phrase is "ethnic purity."
The EU denounced this action as ethnic cleansing in 2006.
Does the vast European-originated majority of Americans, whose army seized the country from its natives, plan to go back to Europe? If we don't, then we are hypocrites to urge such a course in another country.
5
After Putin invades the Baltic's Trump will say "well there are a lot of Russian speakers there".
Only a die hard Trump supporter living in the bubble of Fox News cannot see what the rest of the world does, and that is Putin owns Donald Trump and the Republicans in Congress. You think they only hacked the Democratic parties emails I don't and I'm sure the Republicans in Congress don't either.
3
A little over a month ago I spent three days in Riga. I heard only Russian being spoken in the old city. When I walked into a park I finally heard two old ladies speaking a language that must have been Latvian.
I also was shocked to see an impressive number of the most expensive SUV models parked along some streets. I learned that the Casino attracts rich Russians. I also learned that Riga is the place where a lot of dirty Russian money is being laundered. I could help it but thought of bigger laundering schemes provided by no other but the president of America...Seemingly something must be hiding behind Russian moneys and is not only the criminal act but the very security of many European countries that have Putin as neighbor, seemingly not a good neighbor. Still, Trump's "gut feeling" and his money schemes seem to have gotten the upper hand, for now!
2
Thanks God America is stronger than Trump.
3
Trump says that Mr. Trudeau very dishonest and weak. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
2
NATO will be just fine. It is Trump who came into office with obsolete ideas that were hatched in the head of a tall-kindergartner 40 years ago and that only appeal to those who are as weak-minded as he is. Trump and Trumpism has just about run its course between colossally stupid tariffs, childish diplomacy, corruption and collusion, Donald Trump will be spending more time in the courtroom than on the world stage. It is inevitable.
4
For once, and probably the ONLY time, I agree with Mr. Trump ..., sort of....
NATO IS Obsolete! I've said it time and again for years. NATO is an albatross remnant of the Cold War and post WWII paranoia, controlled by a voracious U.S.A. insistent on world hegemony. Europe can today defend itself, with its own combined military without U.S. meddling and interference. Expansionist Russia (former U.S.S.R.) is no more while expansionist, nativist, belligerent U.S.A. IS and grows as great cause for international concern.
Disband NATO – the sooner the better. Don't wait for the U.S. to leave. It won't. New alliances must be forged with proper 'allies' and without U.S. exploitative intervention.
Disband NATO, abandon NAFTA. Leave 'America First' to its hubris and rudderless dissipation.
2
They contribute something no American will contribute of their own free will. Everything that is theirs. The land, the cities, towns, companies, farms, kids, grandparents, this country.
They say, if attacked we will, with your help keep the destruction here, not in the USA. That takes more than money. That takes courage. Do you have the courage to stand between Russia & the people of this country? I doubt it. If we don’t keep a war over there, Europe will still be taken over, but, Europeans will do nothing to keep the missiles over there, but, probably help them hit here. Why not, we will have deserted them. As we wanted to do before WW2. If Japan hadn’t attacked Pearl Harbor, & then Hitler declared war on us, we would have stayed out, until it came HERE. Those who lived through WW1, said going over there again wasn’t worth it. Isolation was better. After we were dragged kicking & screaming in, our men went, gave their lives as necessary, & kept the war there. This time without NATO, we will be on our own. We will lose. We don’t have the courage the men of the greatest generation (who didn’t want to fight, but, did anyway). We will lose. And deserve to. History will say we handed the world over to Russia & dictators. Evangelicals will be sent to concentration camps, their young children taken to boarding schools to be taught to be good little slaves, told their parents are sick. They will be atheists.The parents will become a large part of of the less thans. Deserve it too.
1
The president doesn't build things he only seems interested in disrupting, dismantling, and tearing them apart. Where is his leadership with new ideas, thoughtful plans, analysis, and gratitude to our NATO partners who have stood beside us for decades?
3
How soon they forget. Remember 911, the only time article 5 has been invoked in the history of NATO. All of the NATO allies defended the USA in Afghanistan at great cost both financially and lives.
4
As an overseas student in 1969-1970, I had the opportunity during a term break to travel (very inexpensively) to the Soviet Union, visiting Leningrad, Moscow, and Kiev with a fellow American. Although a fascinating, beautiful place in many respects, it was also chillingly intimidating to this Westerner. The very air seemed controlled and suffocating at times. I imagine that this inherent sense of authoritarian control has not abated much from when I was there, during the Cold War, to the present when the Russian state apparatus is firmly in Putin's dictatorial grasp.
One vivid personal reaction to my stay in the U.S.S.R. I shall never forget. For our return flight back to England, as usual, we entered our Aeroflot plane via an exterior stairway, under the watchful eyes of a motionless and erect soldier equipped with a scary automatic weapon. After taking off and later clearing Soviet airspace, I distinctly remember a palpable feeling of relief and gratitude wash over me. I was now returning to a liberal democracy which enshrined individual freedoms and protected human rights.
My contempt for Trump's ignorant, dangerous dalliances with the present Russian regime, accordingly has no limits.
4
I can substitute almost word for word your comments to mine, only changing your name to mine, and stating the fact that during period you described I and my Family were born and bred Soviet Citizen from Leningrad. We immigrated to the States in 1981, and I had the same feelings during our last minutes in the “motherland” and our steps to the airplane that will take us to freedom. The last words I heard from the official at the airport were: “good riddance”. I will never forget.
6
This is a very difficult problem. It boils down to this: should American soldiers be willing to fight and die to protect a country like Latvia? Many will say no and how can you blame them? I have no problem assisting these countries and even signing a defense treaty with them but NATO as it was originally intended is in fact obsolete. The Warsaw Pact no longer exists. It really is somewhat arrogant for these countries to expect the US to provide their sole defense. They must also be willing to defend themselves. Yes, it is in the interest of the US to keep Russia contained. But as we now see with this trade war, it is China that is going to be the problem country of the future. It is the last large bastion of Communism on earth and must not be allowed to become a military super power. It is China that we need to worry about and not so much Russia.
I think Russia is running well ahead of China in terms of land area seized. We should worry about both
1
The Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic are not authoritarian and corrupt. Along with Poland and Hungary, they are EU member nations. But then the US has become undemocratic and corrupt as well. So who are we to point fingers?
1
The Russia we're talking about today is nothing like the Russia of the 1950s and 60s. For a country that's as big as China or the U.S combined, it has the economy the size of Spain's. It's a dwarf in giant's clothing and its under siege by unfriendly neighbors with an ax to grind.
NATO should have been disbanded decades ago when the Soviet Union fell. By expanding its membership, we're just giving life to the military industrial complex and giving Putin fuel to fan the flames of Russian nationalism. It's not a good idea to gang up on a small man with a lethal arsenal.
1
My ancestors were pushed all over Europe, from Germany to the Balkans and then invited into Russia, only to be victims of pogroms, including one in which my great-aunt was raped and murdered in front of her small brother, my grandfather.
If Balkan states were not nervous about the annexation of Crimea by Russia, we would say they are foolish.
It remains to be seen what develops from Trump's meeting with Putin. Like many Americans, I trust neither one of them.
I am fighting to wrest control of at least one branch of Congress from the GOP, so we will have some checks on Trump. I invite everyone to join me by registering to vote, planning to vote and actually voting in November. If you can help others do the same, so much the better.
6
Lithuanian news is quoting Agence France Press that Russia began an exercise with Iskander rockets today in Kaliningrad Oblast. Trump has insulted NATO heads-of-state on his way to another mud-slinging in Britain, where he has spoken warmly about Theresa May's Nemesis, Boris Johnson. And he will follow up with a one-on-one meeting with Putin in Helsinki. It's looking more and more like the run-up to WW-I.
A rogue on either side could ignite a conflagration. Maybe the Republicans that spent the 4th of July in St. Petersburg and Moscow can enlighten us about what is in the cards.
2
They will NEVER understand it. This includes the "Open Borders" crowd which thinks there's enough money to feed, educate and house every illegal immigrant who can make it across the border.
1
From 1815 forward, the UK did everything it could to make life difficult for Russia and the then Russian Empire, despite the royal families being closely related. That stepped up and the US got into the act with the Russian Revolution. Both the US and UK intervened against the new government in the Russian civil war. The US was a major player in making "independent" countries out of chunks of Russia in the wake of the First World War and the disintegration of the Russian empire due to the Russian civil war. The US and UK became reluctant allies with what was left of Russia in WW2 but deliberately delayed sending troops into Europe in an effort to bleed their putative ally white in the hope of promoting 'regime change'. The US rushed in in 1945 not so much to finish off the Nazis but to block the victorious Russian advance. And so the cold war began. The game continues, with NATO merely a US tool to make mischief for Russia which it continues to claim is a major military and political threat to the world, sans evidence. Proxy wars continue (Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen) under cover of a barrage of US and UK lies and propaganda. The sooner NATO is dissolved and relations between Russia and West are normalised, the better. The millions dead to date and the many millions more made refugees are far too high a cost for pointless US strategic games. Meanwhile, of course, US companies, financiers & Trump's associates grow rich off private dealings with Russia.
Here's a challenge to you hackers and techno wizards out there... how about disrupting (destroying?) trump's Twitter feed.
That WOULD be a positive gesture toward World Peace.
Just sayin...
Or perhaps posting some of Putin's kickbacks/embezzlement deals publicly on Twitter?
Baltic nations are so «European» I mean so White and it's not surprise that, with Poland, Ukraine, Hungary they absolutely «need» the U.S. dollars through NATO and never will accept «coloured» migrants. In that respect they join Trump wish to get Norwegians instead of «colourful» Mexicans as immigrants in U.S.
Once you've had a few hundred thousand immigrants forcibly resettled into your country in order to wipe out your language and culture, it's not surprising that you'll be reluctant to accept ANY refugees, no matter their "color".
1
Who buys are weapons? Our NATO allies .. Do you think the following DOD Contractors:
Lockheed Martin Corporation.
The Boeing Company.
Raytheon Company.
General Dynamics Corporation.
Northrop Grumman Corporation.
United Technologies Corporation.
L-3 Communications.
BAE Systems.
Do you think they are going to sit back and let Trump ruin their trillion dollar gravy train? These companies are bigger than any U.S. President- They are the Mafia on steroids. They will not allow Trump ruin NATO.
2
1. To the ethnic Russians. Remember what the dictators of Russian have always done. They’ll come in, then round all of you up & send you to Siberia as traitors, because when the SovUnion broke up you stayed in Latvia, but, are not to be trusted, for you are not to their beliefs, Latvian. The Latvians can just go back to being Russia’s slaves. You will be removed. New Russians sent in to take over. No choices. Never were & with dictators there never are.
2. The USA better get it straight. Let Trump kill NATO the next war (& there will be one with Russia, with Trump’s traitorous help) the fighting will be HERE. The missiles will be headed here. Which is what the developers of NATO hoped to keep from happening. Keep the war in Europe. They had seen what Europe looked like after both WW1 & 2. Google it. Do you want it here? We can defeat Russia in Europe, if NATO survives. If not, learn Russian NOW. Anyone they think is too bright to enslave with join the ethnic Russians from Eastern Europe in Siberia. As Slaves. Without families. Children will be sent to special boarding schools, to make them forget freedom. But, won’t be hard, Trumpsters don’t want it. Neither to the Liberals, because it means having to stand up for this country & Fight. You’d rather be enslaved. And you’ll deserve it.
1
Removing any doubt that he is a Russian plant, the POTUS has given the US more than just a single reason to impeach.
It's way beyond time to lose this millstone around our collective necks. Impeach for treason, irrational behavior, non-stop lying to us, the Press, and our partners around the globe... I could go on, but, no need. Everyone knows the truth, save a few Fox (the GOP's official party spokesmen) employees.
We elected a tough guy and got a nitwit in the WH and on the global stage, making a mockery of our allies and interests, while elevating the most dangerous people alive today.
1
The questions that need to be ask are: Should NATO be pushed right up against the boarders of Russia? Is that not a provocation? Is "Russia once again on the prowl," as this article phrases it, a consequence of that provocation? Would Russia be less aggressive if NATO weren't recruiting right on the Russian boarder.
The USA has had fits whenever a Latin American county even thought about becoming something else than a capitalist country favoring the USA: Chile's Allende, Castro's Cuba. We've deposed such leaders or tried very hard to.
Why should we tolerate such hostility from ourselves, while we won't tolerate it from the Russians? Yes, I know. We're the good guys and the Russians are the bad ones.
After WWII Austria managed to be a neutral country right next to the Soviet bloc. The US would have destroyed the stability of Austria and the region if the US had tried to draw Austria into NATO.
Austria should be the model for all countries bordering on Russia, namely staying neutral and not being drawn into taking sides in the new cold war between US and Russia.
Whose fault is this new cold war, anyway? Is it entirely Russia's?
3
We stopped trying to topple Castro 50 years ago, Austria has joined the EU, as has Finland. No false neutrality needed.
2
Oh please. If you don't like deficits, then don't enact massive tax cuts.
3
We should defend all of our allies. But, that aside, who else is going to raise this? Certainly no one in the Obama mode nor Hillary Clinton. Trump, whatever his faults, doesn't care if they like him, doesn't care if they all talk about him and sometimes, he's right, he's the only one who can bring an issue to the fore.
2
When will our country realize that this president fights with our allies, embraces dictators, which is unpatriotic at best, if not worse bordering on treason.
Day by day he enjoys watching the world react to his behavior as a mis-behaving adolescent would.
We should stop giving him so much attention, it only reinforces the negative behaviors.
3
I guess Trump never heard of the Soviet bloc, glasnost, the Velvet Revolution, etc. Someone needs to fill him in.
3
These are strange times indeed when "Liberals" argue in favor of a US-dominated military alliance which exerts imperial control over Western Europe.
Here's all you need to know about NATO: Greece and Turkey are members, with the latter having invaded the former in Cyprus. Any military alliance in which one member attacks another without one member being expelled is a JOKE.
2
Cyprus was long separate from Greece. It was the sudden takeover of Cyprus by Greece that promoted the Turkish invasion in response. Neither action was appropriate.
2
Time for those nations to man/woman up and protect themselves.
Latvia had a large influx of Russian immigrants. These immigrants turned out to be an existential danger to Latvia's very existence.
Open border Democrats take note.
4
The president doesn't look for solutions to help NATO, he looks for problems with NATO, as he seems to be operating as a willing agent of Putin.
As the article states NATO member nations have devoted energy and resources to improving battle readiness and the speed of deployment. NATO and our Allies have served our interests, fought along side us, and shown their loyalty over the decades by protecting our military bases.
Where are the president's ethics, facts, real governance, planning and analysis, and gratitude to our allies who have looked out for our interests for so long?
3
NATO was formed to protect Western Europe from the Warsaw Pact nations. The Warsaw Pact ended a generation ago. Perhaps some threat exists somewhere in Europe, maybe somebody is worried about Russian tanks pouring across Europe. But really, that’s not going to happen. Silicon Valley firms recognize when its time to reinvent; why should the military still be structured around a situation that existed 50 years ago? Doing something new rather than what you’ve always done is stressful, but change is long overdue.
3
Crimea and Ukraine have shown that assuming " that's not going to happen" is no longer valid.
3
Allies can demonstrate their commitment to NATO by meeting military spending benchmarks. But they don't - and on purpose.
3
Most of the comments do not distinguish between defense spending specific to Europe by NATO specific to North America by NORAD (Canada) and global defense commitments by the US. Unfortunately, news and comments by the press do not seem to be capable of making the distinction either.
What proportion of US defense spending is allocated to European defense, to NORAD and to defense interests in East Asia?
Until we are made aware of these distributions, all we are getting is Noise. It is impossible for lay people to evaluate the reasonableness of the various positions until the answers to the above questions are forthcoming. Then appraisals can be made concerning the effectiveness of the various US defense commitments and of those of allies and dependents.
4
When will the populace of the USA understand that our deficit spending will ultimately destroy us? WHEN?
Trump is doing his best to alter the dynamic of deficit spending, while at the same time, reducing the burdens of the productive parts of society.
1
there is a Cleveland in Russia? Who knew?
1
Altering the dynamic of deficit spending - by dramatically increasing it with tax cuts and radical military spending increases.
You are right trump's deficit spending will not end well...
2
There is a distinct possibility that Trump is engaging in Russian backed hybrid warfare by acting as Putin’s Trojan horse inside the walls of NATO. He demands the increase of military spending in such a way that would possibly destroy many economies. The glory days of the military industrial complex faded into dusk in 1991, but now Trump is seeking a new armed dawn. Even if he’s right, spending on defence is too low, what good can come of this increase except heightened tensions with an enemy already prepared to use subversive tactics and nerve agents against opposing states? Russia is weak militarily, unable to afford any increases of its own, but it is dangerous because of its perverse and ruthless guile and willingness to use it.
Russia, rather than being expensively outgunned, needs to be completely isolated culturally, politically, and economically, and left to collapse from within. Putin gains his popularity from his highly aggressive foreign policy that elevates the country, at least in the minds of Russians, back to the status of a superpower. This is how the Russian psyche works: the adulation of the Strong Man. Take away Putin’s access to the world stage, severely restrict his ability to nurture the economy and see how long he lasts. Many Russians fear a post Putin Russia where chaos reigns. Let them taste chaos while Putin still takes responsibility and, perhaps, his successor will be chastened, although there are no guarantees.
9
The Russians are Capitalists and despise China. China wants to rule the world. I'd rather partner with the Russians!
1
You must be a Trumper. I stand with our Allies and American uniqueness.
Putin's Puppet has no objection to Russia annexing the Crimea why expect him to object to Russia annexing the Baltic States.
This is an obvious decision on the Trumpster's part... Weakening NATO is what Putin wants him to do and the typical rank-and-file Trump supporter couldn't find Estonia on a map.
9
Where is Congress to censure this "President" and do its part to continue the nearly three decades of general peace that the North Atlantic has been so fortunate to enjoy? Those in Trump's base who applaud this "tough talk" will be some of the first whose sons and daughters will pay the price if this "tough talk" escalates into large-theater, armed conflict. For shame.
7
Russia is a real concern, but Trump is right to shake-up NATO. In the 2012 book by Michael Hastings entitled "The Operators" it is revealed that this mix of contrary countries and approaches often results in a practical stalemate in operations when action is needed. In Afghanistan the chain of command for the simplest of decisions went all the way back to Brussels. Soldiers from some nations worked limited hours or would not fight alongside the Afghans. Others would not leave their operating bases or take part in combat operations. Some wouldn't fight after a snowfall. Is this alliance worth saving in its present form?
2
The total GDP of Latvia and Estonia is about $50 billion.
While 2% ... or now 4% ... would be a concession to Trump, it seems to be noise in the system for the overall military strength in Europe.
2
Putin would like for NATO to be obsolete and for Trump to undermine and maybe end it by withdrawing the United States from the very alliance that it created. Dean Acheson in "Present at the Creation" noted that the international world order had many fathers. The destruction will have only one: Trump.
15
One problem with NATO is that some of these Eastern European countries are NOT liberal democracies.
Poland, Hungary, Czech Rep., Slovak Rep., are authoritarian and corrupt. Turkey is a genuine dictatorship.
And America is treaty-bound to sacrifice its young people for the sake of these regimes?
The overexpansion of NATO was colossal mistake. It made the Russians (rightfully) go haywire, believing that despite our lofty rhetoric we were really still out to get them. It has tied us to the defense of illiberal regimes that refuse to pay their share. NATO is like a conglomerate that has started to collapse under the weight of it's bloated bureaucracy.
So many of today's problems are rooted in the naivety of the 1990s-era politicians. It's frustrating.
5
Good point. And across the board, it appears that the governments will be swinging more and more to groups that don't like spending $$$$ on the military.
1
One point missing here is that without NATO, the baltic states have little defense, and states with large and belligerent neighbors have really only one option: go nuclear.
2
One point missing here is that without NATO, the Baltic states have little defense, and states with large and belligerent neighbors have really only one option: go nuclear.
3
Yes we Europeans should spend more money and invest that money more effectively.
Yet with all the complaints from the US one important fact seems to be lost: Article 5 was invoked only once. It happened when the US was attacked and its allies came without hesitation to stand by America‘s side not only with words, but with deeds. And with the ultimate sacrifice given by more than a thousand men and women from literally all NATO countries who fought and died side by side with their American allies in defense of the United States.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_casualties_in_Afghanistan
What Americans are doing these days amounts to not less than spitting on their graves. Shame on Trump, shame on those who brought him into office and even more shame on those who keep supporting him.
29
Trump: Moscow's man in the White House?
Maybe the First Lady can enlighten her husband on the Iron Curtain and the Cold War.
12
Without NATO the unthinkable will happen: the Soviet Union will take over the world! Why, they'd even put military bases all over the globe, and we must not allow that!!
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
4
You’re joking, right?
2
"With their history Russians are naturally paranoid about invasions from west."
True, that! How many Americans know what all Russian school children know: that in 1918, after what we now call WW1, the USA invaded Russia in an attempt to destroy the Russian revolution?
Nations don't just forget things like that.
https://emcphd.wordpress.com
3
How many Russian school children know that Czar Nicholas II was hardly an innocent bystander in the run up to WW1, or that prior to Mother Russia's invasion from the west in 1941, Josef Stalin had no problem invading Poland from the east, and dividing up that country with Adolf Hitler?
6
The truly important thing to understand about Donald Trump is that for many years he has been a money-launderer for the Russian mob, and continues in that role to this day. He's president of the Trump organization before he's president of the United States; thus non-Russia-aligned Europe is superfluous to him, and indeed poses an obstacle to his personal profit. While utterly sickening, much evidence points to these conclusions.
27
It is simple to see why Trump wants to abundant NATO and other American post-world war II institution. These institutions are built to safeguard western liberal democracy that Trump hates. What is Trump's ideal world? You can tell a lot about a man from the friends that he choose.
10
TRUMP IS IN FREE FALL! He knows that the Mueller probe is nearing a conclusion and his very existence is threatened. We now simultaneously have:
1. An escalating trade war
2. Rapidly increasing financial/Market anxiety
3. Active and uncontrolled Human rights crimes
4. NATO alienation
5. Rapidly falling American agricultural sales abroad
6. An EPA that is systematically destroying our environment
7. Nomination of a "Trump-prejudiced" SC Justice
8. Continual lying
9. Abandoned Paris accords
10. Destruction of NAFTA
11. Ongoing Russian intervention in elections.
EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO DISTRACT FROM THE RUSSIA PROBE and TRUMP'S GUILT.
MAJOR DESTRUCTION AND NOTHING POSITIVE. He is trying to. Relate an existential crisis and declare Martial Law for national security to "get out of jail". All this while coddling up to Putin. YOU draw the inevitable conclusion!
16
Trump doesn't care. He works for Putin.
15
You have stated the situation with Trump perfectly, @Rachel. This is indeed the Trump agenda.
4
Dear NATO countries and their peoples:
Please know that the majority of Americans are ashamed and mortified by our current (illegitimate) "president. Please do not abandon us, as we continue to work to rid the United States of this scourge. We are with you.
23
President Trump is hellbent on wrecking NATO which he regards as obsolete and a means for European nations to freeload at the expense of the US. The utter recklessness in his behavior knows no bounds.
It is a shame that President Trump treats our NATO allies as our enemy. It is difficult if not impossible to put a dollar value on the value of being a leading member of NATO. NATO adds power to the U.S. by providing U.S. with a vital strategic advantage over China and Russia. NATO countries provide collective security to Europe's Atlantic area, and cooperate closely in the fight against terror. These close ties with our NATO allies add significant strength to the U.S.'s defense capabilities and global security.
Members of Congress, President Trump's senior advisors, and past leaders of our government in foreign policy, defense, and intelligence need to weigh in both directly to President Trump and publicly on the inherent value of maintaining our strong relationship with our allies.
Perhaps through this measured, balanced input will President Trump better understand the value of maintaining strong relationships with NATO and NATO countries, and the risks of casting aside such relationships based solely on the amount of funding our allies have put into the NATO pot.
13
Perhaps these other 28 Nato members should take a hard line and give trump the boot, with the caveat that when the USA ultimately replaces him with someone who is rational, intelligent and cordial, the USA will be welcomed back. We can't have a madman treating our closest allies in this manner while hugging despotic dictators. The alliance could survive the appropriate scolding.
26
Ms. Stankevich states the problem clearly:
"“On this day, I read the Latvian news and see one thing and then read the Russian news and see something totally different,” Ms. Stankevich said."
It's the same in the U.S. where we read the responsible, main steam news from many diverse and credible sources but have to put up with noise that is echoed from Trump's news outlet, Fox News, by his loyal trumpkins.
17
Russia would annex Estonia in a split second if NATO did not protect it. The Russian oligarchs have hundreds of summer villas there, and have done so since the time of the czars. Trump wants to hand the Baltic states back to Putin. Eastern Europe is next.
Let's face it. Trump is a Quisling of the first order. Why is no one objecting to his secret conclave with Vladimir?
32
Was it only March 10, 2016 when Obama called NATO counties "free riders"?
And from the WaPost:
Recently, Obama warned that Great Britain would no longer be able to claim a “special relationship” with the United States if it did not commit to spending at least 2 percent of its GDP on defense. “You have to pay your fair share,” Obama told David Cameron, who subsequently met the 2 percent threshold.
5
Security of Latvia and Estonia?
Perhaps Ukraine’s aspirations to be in NATO that were shelved in 2010 mean Crimea is unprotected while Latvia and Estonia are formally a part of NATO. That seems to mean that Ukraine’s choosing not to be part of NATO, perhaps because of corrupt Russian influence, also means NATO has no grounds upon which to demand that Russia give up Crimea.
1
After the fall of Soviet Union, NATO and USA had a golden chance to create a stable and peaceful Europe. But that opportunity was bungled by first looting Russian resources under corrupt Yeltsin government, and then by taking NATO right down to russian frontier. With their history Russians are naturally paranoid about invasions from west. Further support of neonazis in Ukraine by the Cookie distributing Obama tools has sealed the current atmosphere of mutual distrust. It will take a lot to undo the damage. Alternative will be corner Russia and push it into Chinese fold, which is arguably worse for the west.
4
This article repeatedly refers to Russia's aggression. The facts simply don't support that. It's the USA that has consistently been the aggressor ever since the end of WW2. Carter blew his chance to reduce military spending and followed the advice of lying, war mongering criminals. Then Reagan blew his chance for denuclearization with Russia when he insisted on the idiot star wars fantasy. Our military is the biggest boondoggle in the world's history and is driving us to bankruptcy and financial ruin. No empire has survived the weight of its standing armies. Trump may be a incompetent moron but his animosity towards the CIA and military empire is spot on.
10
Its not only Trump who shows a disregard for the Baltic states but also their partners in the EU. Estonia is one of only 5 NATO countries to meet the 2% of GDP defense spending goal, behind only the US and Greece. Likewise Latvia has been ramping up their defense spending since 2014, not coincidentally the same year Russia invaded Ukraine. EU countries need to contribute more to NATO not so the US can pay less, but as a show of solidarity with their fellow EU members.
1
Putin's puppet will do anything and everything to please him. Because Putin made him the president of USA. NATO is against Russia and Putin wants his puppet to dismantle or decimate or at least weaken it. If Trump does not do that, Putin may disclose a lot of things about Trump and may release some dirty video. Trump does not any choice but listen to Putin. It is very simple.
11
American Carnage continues...
We end our century of global dominance with his stated words courtesy of Stephen Miller on Jan 20, 2017.
The Republican Party is paralyzed with fear. Sad!
4
I have Latvian-American friends who were out this event, singing. Baltic pride is strong, partly because of their history of oppression. They remind me of the Irish, whose memory is long of their fight against British domination.
Meanwhile, in the U.S., the right-wing refers to Democrats as "communists" because they want a national healthcare system -- while worshipping Trump, who does the bidding of an ex-KGB agent.
Our right-wing is brainwashed. And part of that brainwashing has been the insistence that the left are the crazy ones. So when we point out how foolish they are, how foolish it is to abandon NATO, they say, "You're foolish!" It's much like Trump's remark: "You're the puppet!" That's literally all the rank-and-file Republicans have left. "No, we're not -- you are!" The insistence that Obama "ruined" America. Somehow. It's a Fox-News-specific narrative.
When a Republican dares to speak out against Trump, they have to hear about how they are not a "real" Republican because they don't fall in line behind Putin. It's maddening to watch.
23
You have stated the situation with Trump perfectly, @Rachel. This is indeed the Trump agenda.
9
Trump follows the orders of his real boss: Vladimir Putin. Trump has no loyalty to the United States.
Trump’s treasonous collusion with Russia helped him gain office. Manafort's and Flynn’s illegal dealings with the Russians, Sessions perjury about Russian contacts- were just the tip of the iceberg. Carter Page, Roy Tillerson, Wilbur Ross, Felix Sater, Rick Gates...it is no coincidence that so many of Trump's chosen inner circle have such strong links to Russia. Russian investors, under Putin's orders, bailed Trump out when no other investors would touch him. Trump is owned and operated by Putin.
Putin told Trump to undo the NATO alliance and Trump is following those orders.
13
There surely is some requirement that whenever our President - so-called president in the current version - meets with the leader of another nation - especially an adversarial nation - that there MUST be an objective record of what is said in that meeting. Without that, how do we as a nation know that our nation's interests are being represented and advocated. In the case of the Putin-Mafia Don summit, this is especially important. Nonetheless, I'm pretty sure will have to wait for the Russian government to report on the meeting. Maybe they'll include a photo the "the kiss" - the deep and passionate kiss between Mafia Don and his idol.
7
There's big difference between disruption and just trashing the place. I don't think the president or his staff understand the distinction or know how to finesse it.
They're more like. chess player who, not liking the way game is working out, just grabs the board and throws it across the room
4
Isn't NATO an antiquated organization at this point? A myth sustained to rationalize bloated military budgets that enrich private contractors. There are small kernels of sense in some of what trump says, if only he would stop shouting and adorning every statement in exaggerations.
4
I wish Trump was secretly wired when he meets Putin. It's like putting a mouse in the same room with a boa. Russia has never been our ally. Why is the President so cozy with Russia and so disrespectful to our friends? Our Republican Congress will be just as complicit if they don't start standing up to Donald--my Representative unfortunately included.
10
Anyone who has lived in a Europe divided by the 'Iron Curtain' will be quick to tell you the importance of NATO -- if anything, because it served as a deterence to Soviet rule.
That's also why the former East Bloc Baltic states are so up in arms when Donald Trump terms the alliance as "obsolete".
Unlike Mr. Trump, they know what it's like to live in a society where freedom is often something you have to pay for with your life.
And it's not only the Baltic countries that are worried, all of Europe is watching this NATO meeting and the following meeting between Mr. Putin and Mr. Trump with great concern, especially since the role of the United States as a beacon of Liberty seems to diminish with each passing day.
Oddly enough, the world seems to recognize this, whereas many Americans have not. SAD.
7
Actually, Trump raises an interesting question which need rethinking. NATO was predicated on the US as sole superpower shielding a Europe where we did NOT want a third European arms race leading to a third World War, and fending off USSR imperialism. Is it now time for Europe to rearm itself and take over responsibility for protecting weaker states from Russia? And have we previously not had this discussion because of vested interests that profit from endless perpetuation of the US military-industrial complex?
2
Are you advocating that NATO members each develop and deploy nuclear weapons. I thought the US was against nuclear proliferation.
10
Trump is denigrating American culture and politics to a culture of gossip, of immediacy with only one voice as the lead of it. He is killing a culture of American-European dialogue by including himself, and he is also failing at the highest Level of Potus to recognize that topicality and briefing are not Trumpian. He is assuming the role of an American who is highly distasteful, for his forced views and domineering style.
3
Trump is in no position to evaluate whether NATO is obsolete or not. The man doesn't know how many states there are, or the words to the national anthem. He is unable to read the Constitution for content. If the topic wasn't seen on television or mentioned by Fox News, it's a good bet he's never heard of it.
This is what it looks like when an ignorant, unrepentant and traitorous fool is running the country. A man such as this, who thoughtlessly derides our oldest and most loyal allies, while singing the praises of a former KGB murderer, is a clear and present danger to this country.
18
It's Obama who didn't know how many states there are.
Donald is Putin's puppet! How tragic for the U.S. that the Republicans in Congress turn a blind eye to Donald's obvious collusion! His comments about NATO confirm it, as does his visit with Putin this week! What U.S. president has met with the sworn enemy of freedom and democracy without anyone in the room to listen to the conversation?!
What are you hiding, Donald?!
8
Those republicans are complicit, especially the ones who went to Russia on the 4th of July. They're all bought and paid for.
1
NATO's value to the US is a matter of geography and proper accounting.
Germany's support for the US is invaluable. Imagine if Germany did not provide 'real estate', services and tax breaks to US bases in Germany. Imagine if Germany also denied US military flights access to German airspace. Some of those bases and fly-over rights are vital to the ability to project US military might in Europe, but also in the Middle-East and in Asia.
Imagine if all NATO countries refused to grant the US this kind of access and support. The US would be confronted at its doorstep with an Atlantic Ocean that cannot be effectively defended without European and Canadian cooperation. The US would be 'locked out' and prevented from projecting power cheaply and at will beyond its natural boundaries.
Imagine if Canada did not cooperate with the US in the defence of North America. Without acces to Canadian airspace, coastal waters and land bases, the defense of North America becomes impossible. Now imagine if Canada decided to lease air bases and harbor facilities to Russia or China...
Some NATO countries provide the US with access to their 'real estate', airspace, and bases as part of their contribution. To reduce their contribution to military budgets is to miss the point! The US has the big military budgets, but without access and support from the allies, US military expenditures would need to be far greater, and even then the US would never be secure. Look at a map! We all gain from NATO.
17
Trump and Putin want NATO completely weakened or gone altogether so that Russia can invade and take over whatever benefits them and their leader's ego. For reasons that we haven't yet been shown--though it seems quite obvious--Trump is helping with that agenda in any way that he can. He is compromised but we don't yet have the specifics. With NATO disempowered, Putin can have his way with Europe. I don't think his motive could be much clearer. It is Trump's role in this strategy which hasn't yet been spelled out. But Mueller is working on that.
7
The meeting with Putin may produce more of substance than anticipated. First, Trump could return Alaska (unfair deal). And, given Trump's knowledge of history, he might agree to a non-aggression pact.
Trump is certainly beholden to Putin and he may be scouting a place to live out his days where he does not have to fear extradition.
Donald Trump is to humanity what a giant asteroid was to dinosaurs sixty-five million years ago.
7
"you have to ask why we are paying for 35k troops to be stationed there ostensibly to protect Germany from Russia. "
that's nonsense. we're using bases in germany as staging area for military adventurism further afield. the days of us actively keeping a force in germany capable of repelling a full scale russian invasion are long gone.
moreover, i'm shocked you don't see the inherent contradiction: you claim that germany can be brought to its knees by russian energy policy (it can't, though it really should diversify) but don't seem to understand that we also have germany in an equivalent bind due to their reliance on NATO.
The difference is - all else being equal, we have alternatives to basing forces in germany. Russia has no alternative - none - than to sell energy to germany.
1
Trump is making a huge mistake. Like Boris Johnson, he is arguing for a unilateral defense policy where the staunchest of alliances since Churchill are being side-stepped for an American Propaganda exercise which Trump is expert at. His denigration of NATO and the european alliance is as awful as the colloquial question mark he is so fond of, "What'd ya say?" Trump's sense of history appears close to Zero. His sense of American Nation appears 100%, albeit with a great many Americans sidelined, very intelligent Americans who disagree with Trump's Approach, with his dealing, and with his language. Trump is making a Charade of diplomacy. Like d'Annunzio with his puppets, Trump thinks that "I said so" is an adequate answer to global issues. It is Trump and nothing more.
5
For some reason (the baleful influence of Putin?) the President intends to withdraw us from NATO. When he does, yesterday's Senate Resolution affirming the value to Americans of NATO and meant to deter Trump will become a scrap of paper as Republicans Senators cower in their offices, just like Republican House members fearful of Trump's hypnotized base. It will become a much more dangerous world for an America wallowing in false pride but alone.
5
The editorial process at the Times--and our educational system--seem to have broken down. This article mentions only two of the Baltic states, Latvia and Estonia. Lithuania is also a Baltic state and a member of NATO. the omission is quite extraordinary.
2
I suspect Lithuania is at less risk for several reasons,
1. Unlike her neighbors, Russians weren't planted there to destroy the language and culture. Lithuania was never as polluted by Russia so the Hitlerian argument that "significant minorities of..." Russians won't fly
2. Lithuania is of minimal strategic interest to Russia, the real prize in the southern baltics is Koenigsberg, which Russia seized from Germany in 1945
3. Lithuania is going to a bargaining chip Putin/Trump offer to Poland for it's cooperation.
1
"Germany" and "Italy" were not nations until the second half of the 19th century. ""Czechia"? Not until 21st century.
1
MUGA
Making USSR Great Again.
Putin wants it. Trump is all too happy to oblige.
5
A reality check on NATO members' funding responsibilities, written last year, when Trump began his campaign against the alliance: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/26/world/europe/nato-trump-spending.html
1
NATO cannot allow President Chaos to belittle them. By doing so, they must give in to his demands and cajoling. Ignore him.
2
Trump, Trumpers and newbie right wingers seem to be ignorant as to why NATO was set up as it is - After WWII the US took on the protective role to prevent the countries in Europe from building up armies and going back to fighting each other. We essentially guaranteed the peace. We all saw what happened when the soviet union dissolved and the fighting among it's "satillite" countries resumed as if the war was never concluded. Maybe it won't happen in Europe, but with the rise of the ultra right wing again in Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Hungary, etc. you can never say for sure. Trump just comes off as a wimpy guy who thinks he got cheated somehow. He looks very foolish. Actually, he IS very foolish. But normal people have known that for decades. Trumpers, are you paying attention...AT ALL??
6
As a regular visitor to the US with many wonderful American friends and aquintances, I am saddened to say that on principle I plan to take a hiatus on most things American. The sheer stupidity and reckless invective spewing from Trump and the willingness of many in the US to ignore his destructive policies and attitudes leave me no choice. I certainly respect your democracy but my respect for your country has regrettably taken a precipitous drop. I don't believe I'm alone in this. Good luck in November, perhaps a changing tide will right the ship somewhat.
12
Watching all this i can't help but think....:
Mr. Putin will go down in history as the greatest intelligence operative ever! Promote the division of Europe by promoting Brexit, Help get Trump elected by subverting our elections. Then Trump stokes the greatest possible divisions among the Western Democracies - undermining the relative peace provided thru NATO, post WW2-- And watch (support) Trump start a global trade war. Putin is a thug with a brilliantly evil mind.... and we let it happen.....They must laugh every night at the Kremlin, and raise a toast to Vlad.
7
To deride as "obsolet" is for my the important Information, the kind of working and reaching goals of security are going over other channels and paths, than talkings every few months and "phoneing". It is also the clear Signal, that the US-President don´t allow other NATO-States to bring security in a disharmony into NATO over incinated discussions, to try making politics on the back of other members. So, this is the message: Turkey should know, that they are OUT!!! - out of ruling and out of influence, out of secret-sharing to IRAN and Syria... .
The GOOD NEWS are: Latvia and other so called Baltic States should be having a BIG GOAL on national contacts to the important institutions within the USA. They are independed in becoming targeted from "surounded Neighbour" who don´t want and/or become more influence into a high-internet-developed nation... and cooking their "own soup".
To resume: The orientation in structures of nations, organized in institutions like NATO - there is no doubt of importance!!! - will become more and more less, because the decisions, planings, strategies will created on other places and "change flowing" in development of relation of "problem-areas".
To bring it down in less Abstract words: By orientated in USA and institutions - and decide on national-Level, what is BEST "every day".
1
Sorry, Latvia, Putin's kompromat on Trump is the guiding light of U.S. foreign policy in Europe now.
5
An announcement from this meeting of Ukraine joining NATO on a n immediate basis would be a positive victory that would dwarf Putin's invasion of Crimea 1000 times over. Trump would put to bed a lot of the talk that he does Putin's bidding, "competitor" Putin would be put in his place, reliability of gas transit through Ukraine could be improved, Ukraine's economic potential (for the benefit of its citizens and for those of the west in general) could be realized through a peace dividend. Putin would never attack an article 5 / NATO country. The financial costs to Europe and to the USA of such a move are slim to none. The US would gain basing options. Ukraine might have to give up Crimea and the parts of occupied donbass on the Russian side of the contact line, but this would by far be the greatest "win" for the west since the cold war. It makes sense on every level and the only thing preventing it is irrational fear - irrational fears that russia will invade NATO (he won't) and irrational fear that russia will start energy wars because of this (he can't afford to).
1
"Even as Mr. Trump has railed against NATO, the United States military has continued to lead the alliance in combating what is now commonly referred to as Russian hybrid warfare..."
There you go. The US and NATO are actively involved in a hybrid war with Russia. Meanwhile, Trump is out there promoting the enemy and denying that any war exists. I won't even discuss the geopolitics occurring in the Middle East.
And Trump's base doesn't care, why? They like watching Trump insult western leaders? The polls suggest Trump's base is indifferent to Russia. They give him a pass because they like something else in his policy or they simply appreciate the irreverence without understanding the history. You would think 60 million Americans along with a Republican Congress would take the situation more seriously.
Make no mistake though, Trump is the one driving this policy of western disquiet. This has nothing to do with public opinion or establishment politics. This is Trump's personal agenda. Any reasonable person should wonder what Trump is getting out of this. It must be something worth a whole lot to Donald J. Trump because conceding US world supremacy is not going to help the US public one bit.
8
Here is the order of things that will happen with our great diplomat, Trump:
-complete the alienation of our NATO allies with boorish tirades and threats
-Go hug treacherous Putin and assure him that he may have the rest of Ukraine.
-Tell Putin the US will ignore the European NATO countries when and if Russia decides to re-occupy the three Baltic States. As weak states,they are not worth US protection.
-all economic blockades will be removed.
4
Wonder how Trump and Putin and Xi will like German (and Japanese and South Korean) nukes? How long would it take Germany to get up and running? 60 days? Less? Also, would the US rather have its security frontier be in Estonia and Latvia, or on Rockaway Beach and Virginia Beach?
3
If trump were president in 1941 we would be speaking German today.
1
Trump hates Germany. He would have used US troops to defeat Germany, then handed over Europe to Stalin who would then have taken over the world. We wouldn't be having this conversation, but if we were, it would be in Russian.
I watched the clip of Trump haranguing Nato officials, and, in my opinion, the ineffective response of the Secretary General. You see time and again officials attempting to counter him with the traditional form of verbal interchange, using logic and facts, and coming out humiliated. Why don't people become media saavy like Trump is, and counter him in a more effective way? Why don't they understand, this is not the way you deal with a bully? Why don't they challenge his premise? Why don't they prepare for more effective exchanges with Trump? They know what he is going to do. I am sick of watching this repeated time and time again.
8
Perhaps it's because arguing with Trump in his style is like wrestling with a pig. Everyone gets dirty, and the pig is the one who enjoys it and escalates it.
Trump is singularly adept at ultimately hanging himself, with the documented insults, threats, lies and cruel acts. The whole world can hear and see them .
The question is, how much documentation of Trump's ineptitude, mendacity and so on is required, before US voters rise up and take action to turf him and his administration?
1
Talk about role reversals! Now we have liberals defending the US defense budget, much of which goes for protecting other NATO members. And a nominally Republican president is saying we spend too much on the defense of other countries and we need to spend less. Except for the bombast, Trump's position isn't much different from Obama's. President Obama wanted to reduce military spending and overseas commitments so there would be more money for domestic priorities. I disagreed with Obama and I disagree with Trump. I remain an internationalist who thinks our mutual defense treaties are an important part of our foreign policy.
It may be pure coincidence, but the 2018 Latvian defense budget reaches the 2% target for the first time in 2018.
3
So, we spend billions to protect Germany and other NATO allies from Russia. No one even comes close to the amount we are spending. All the while those same NATO countries are buying as much as 100% of their natural gas from that same enemy we are defending them against. Not only are NATO allies helping to fund Russia's economy and therefore there military, they have put themselves at their mercy if Russia should decide to cut them off. Say in the dead of winter.
Meanwhile, those same NATO allies are mostly under-funding their own military. The people closest to the enemy we banded together to protect ourselves from don't seem worried enough about their allegedly dangerous enemy to build up their own defenses.
All of this adds up to one inescapable fact. Trump is right that NATO countries are not doing enough to protect themselves while relying on us to do it for them. Billions a year are spent in this endeavor.
There used to be a time when people that are more liberal would be against spending billions on military operations world wide for a couple of reasons. The money could be better used here for things like our ailing infrastructure or paying for more social services and that we should not be the worlds cop and push our might around.
Now, just because it is Trump that is bringing the truth to light, liberals are defending spending billions defending countries against a foe that those very countries are doing business with.
Ironic.
"We probably don't need any military alliances. "
You're probably one of those who believe that we won WWII all by ourselves.
6
We supply about 22% of the total NATO spending. Given the size of economy relative to the other NATO nations, we're getting off cheap.
6
My husband and I visited the Czech Republic and Hungary with a group from our synagogue during the summer of 2016.
In Prague, there were daily protests against Putin's incursion in Ukraine.
In Budapest, we spoke with a number of members of the Jewish community who were very concerned about the potential for a Trump presidency. Their concerns included ramped up Antisemitism, which they were already experiencing under the Orban regime and the potential for Trump to increase the likelihood that Putin would extend his orbit into Hungary again. The people we spoke with recounted their fears of persecution during the Soviet era and were none too happy to contemplate a return to Russian domination.
Trump's propinquity with dictators and tyrants and hostility to our allies should be a matter of grave concern to us all.
14
Ok, then we need to be able to control who they do business with if we are going to be their protection.
Like a bodyguard that keeps it's charge from dangerous situations. Like being dependent of the entity we are supposed to be protecting them from.
What they should be concerned with is their country buying most of it's natural gas from Russia.
That is the easiest way for Putin to take them over if he should decide to. Cut off their natural gas in the dead of winter.
Yes and it was the US that rebuilt them.
Trump will destroy, bankrupt and then walk away. Oops.
9
That's what he usually does and we only wish his blind devotees realized this...he hurts those who love him most, all his life!!! It's only about him.
1
You just contradicted yourself.
Also that foreign policy was based on profit for US industries and interests in those nations, not altruism. The dictator Shah of Iran, we installed, brutalized his people but gave the USA oil rights...so you could have your SUV.
He who stands alone, does not stand for long. It is way more complicated than that. Please ditch the high school history book and read real research based analysis of why we engage.
1
Everyone should be fearful of Trump's agenda. Now what is Trump's agenda? Trump's agenda is Putin's agenda. Trump clearly is doing exactly what the Russians demanded of him, when the supported him illegally in 2016. It is about time that we stop beating around the bush and face the fact that Trump is under Russian control. Nothing he has done to date makes sense and can be justified by long standing American foreign policy objectives. Why won't Trump permit a notetaker during his meeting with Putin? What doesn't Trump want the American people to know? Trump pulled the same stunt with Kim Jong-Un in Singapore and sought to sell his alleged agreement on Korean denuclearization as a win, when no such agreement was ever achieved. The only suckers who believed Trump then and now are the suckers who voted for him while he is currently destroying our alliance structure to benefit the man who owns him, and has ever since he entered politics.
9
The existence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as sovereign nations is totally dependent on their status as members of NATO, which in turn is anchored by America's substantial investment in nuclear and conventional forces. In event of Russian aggression towards the Baltics, only the USA could bring significant ground, air, and sea power to the fight quickly enough to make a difference. We put our cities and towns at risk of nuclear attack to ensure the freedom of 28 other countries, so it is not too much to ask of our European friends to pony up considerably more than the paltry 1 to 1.5 percent of GNP that most provide for their defense. Of all the NATO members, the Baltics ought to be leading the way.
Trump's course manner and ego are embarrassing, but his core message is on the mark: It's time for 28 NATO members to get serious about their defense forces, or it's time for the U.S. to stop putting our homeland and troops at risk.
1
The Danube States are growing in economic importance, in resources, manufacturing, and shipping. They would see a big boost from Chin's BRI (One Belt, One Road) project. Strong advocates of governmentally supported free markets, open trade, several are moving to models of authoritarian government, an appeal in these ex-Soviet satellites.
The Danube States contain 3 of the top 10 global economies, and are a vital border of Europe with the East. Trump misses the future as he lacks vital plans to execute win/win accords. Imaginary grievances won't go far.
3
My college roommate from 50+ years ago was originally from Estonia. His family was caught in the middle when both Germany and the USSR invaded their country. The family was on the run for most of WWII and ended up in displaced persons (DP) camps after the war before emigrating to the U.S.
He pointed out that, under Stalin, the USSR deported large numbers of ethnic Estonians to other parts of that country and imported large numbers of ethnic Russians with the goal of making Estonia a "Russian/USSR country" with little or no knowledge of nor allegiance to it's former national identity.
The current native Estonian citizens have many reasons to fear Russia and Putin. The thought that Russia could "reclaim" Estonia (and Latvia and Lithuania) is not a fiction. It has it's roots in Stalin's actions after WWII, something that Putin apparently wants to use as an excuse to occupy their nation again.
It is a shame -- no, a tragedy -- that Donald Trump has no knowledge of history as he deals with Putin.
Donald Trump likely has no knowledge (or interest) in the behavior of Neville Chamberlin, the British Prime Minister who appeased Adolf Hitler by allowing Nazi Germany to appropriate the "German speaking" part of Czechoslovakia in 1938.
Will Trump appease Putin by giving tacit approval to a Russian "re-appropriation" of the former Soviet Socialist Republics" of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as he did with the Crimea? We'll have to wait and see, and hope not!
11
There has to be at least a partial genetic basis for cowardice and treason. Four generations of Trumps in America and not a single person has served in the military, even during WWII. Look at the Brits, their Royals serve, and in risky jobs...Harry in the infantry, William as a pilot. The Trump sons seem to be infatuated by weaponry, but only to kill defenseless wildlife and from safe distance.
13
Just what does putin have on trump? Only Muller (the Wizard) will know.
4
This article ignores the fact that not only is Lithuania one of the three Baltic countries threatened by Russia to the East, but it is the only one of the three that has a huge Russian military presence at its southwestern border, in the Kaliningrad Oblast region on the Baltic Sea -- a leftover border issue from the Cold War. So Russian convoys regularly supply Kaliningrad by crossing southern Lithuania according to negotiated protocols. A scarier geopolitical situation is hard to imagine, making Lithuania especially vulnerable; your article could have done a better job of presenting the bigger picture.
3
This situation has brought me to re-read W.H. Auden's poem September 1, 1939 - about Germany's invasion of Poland, initiating WW2. "The elderly rubbish they talk..." Scary times with a leader who knows no history and has God knows what motives.
Exiled Thucydides knew
All that a speech can say
About Democracy,
And what dictators do,
The elderly rubbish they talk
To an apathetic grave;
Analysed all in his book,
The enlightenment driven away,
The habit-forming pain,
Mismanagement and grief:
We must suffer them all again.
8
Trump may pronounce NATO as obsolete, but US action is DIFFERENT.
The NY TImes, June 27, 2018
"In Eastern Europe, U.S. Military Girds Against Russian Might and Manipulation"
Defense News 5/28/2018
"US Army flows fresh tanks, troops into Europe"
Defense News 5/28/2018
"Poking the bear: US Air Force builds in Russia’s backyard"
The Trump administration delivered lethal weapons to the Ukraine - long sought by the Ukraine - than the previous administration denied .
Newsweek 4/30/18
"America Sends Ukraine Javelin Anti-Tank Missiles—How Will Putin Respond?
LA TIMES 12/26/17
"U.S. decision to provide anti-tank missiles to Ukraine angers Russian leaders"
3
The Con Don and his Robber Baron brethren around the world see their supposed power slipping away. They want WW3. They want chaos. They want fear-anger-hate. They and their operatives will do anything - destroy anything - to try to hang onto their stolen/inherited wealth. They are common bullies and crooks. Some are loud-mouthed like The Con Don, Netanyahu, Erdogan and Duerte. Some are quiet like Putin. But they all have one agenda - steal as much of OUR hard-earned taxpayer dollars and resources as they can as fast as they can.
Please, Good People of NATO, do not be bullied or intimidated by the great orange monster. Remember how Robber Barons and radical religionists used demented, maniacs Hitler and Stalin to destroy your lives and land a few short years ago.
Do NOT let them do it again. Now not. Not ever.
9
The Soviet Union inserted tens of thousands of Russians into the Baltic States and Poland in an effort to assimilate these nations into Russia. Now that those nations are free, the Russians are claiming extreme discrimination against them. Given the chance, Putin will do what he did in Georgia and Ukraine - send in unmarked 'rebels' to help 'his people' and take over. With Trump's distain for NATO, and his affection for Putin; Europe needs to go all-out in stationing troops and hardware near the Russian borders. Don't count on the US to help.
11
Trump could not have been madder. He will make sure that in the next showdown USA will be alone. V. C. Bhutani, Delhi
5
The time has come for a European army.
8
Yeah!
We haven't had a good World War in nearly 75 years.
Now is as good a time as any.
Wouldn't you say?
Lithuania is even more concerned. How did this piece overlook them?
7
On whose shoulders has America stood to become a super power?
6
No ones.
It is our shoulders that are being stood upon.
2
On the wreckage of essentially all of Europe and much of Asia after WW II, thus with no real competition or countervailing power at the time.
2
Russia stood on the shoulders of smaller countries to become a super power. What happened to it after it lost all the resources of those countries?
I no longer know who’s side a Trump-led America is on. Sooner or later Russia is going to test their new ally and see how far they can go in Ukraine. Trump is a traitor.
30
How many troops did we send as compared to other NATO countries0? How much money did we spend as opposed to other NATO countries?
In all operations since WWII it has been the US carrying the overwhelming majority of the costs both in lives and money.
Europe is not the same broken bombed out place it was in the 50's. Time to rework it to reflect today and not 60 years ago.
3
Since Germany is buying the majority of it's oil and gas from our supposed enemy Russia while under-funding it's own military, you have to ask why we are paying for 35k troops to be stationed there ostensibly to protect Germany from Russia.
Trump has a great point in his criticism of NATO countries. Due to the fact that Germany could be brought to it's knees if Russia were to cut of gas and oil supplies in the dead of winter, our troop presence there becomes less of a deterrent.
Meanwhile, Germany's military is woefully underfunded. For a country that wants US protection from Russia they don't seem to take that particular threat very seriously.
Trump is looking out for the US. Apparently his critics are looking out for Europe.
3
I would happily pay every penny of Europe's defense if it meant that they didn't need to develop their own offensive armies. We only need to look back over the last 100 years to see how that turned out the last time Germany had an army of any size.
Let them be free and prosper. We continue to prosper along with them. Once we turn our backs on Europe, the clock starts ticking down towards the next conflagration.
Their defense is our best weapon for peace.
Trump portrayed Obama as some kind of Manchurian Candidate when in all actuality he is acting like one. For whatever reason Putin owns Trump and he must be very happy with the turmoil his foil is causing.Where are all of the Right Wingers who brought us up on the line That they would rather be Dead than Red? Our Two Fisted Right Wing is sitting on their hands while Trump acts like a Bull in a China Closet with our friends and allies. The Right has gotten their tax cuts and judgeships so their is little benefit to let former Democrat Trump to continue to be a Wrecking Ball. The feckless Left gave up so much ground in the past that they have little left to fight with. If Red State Dems lose their seats it would not be the end of the world. Americans from all walks of life respect people who still fight when odds are against them.
9
It seems more clear each that Putin is trump's handler, and that Trump's agenda is to do Putin's bidding.
15
"Treasonous Trump". It certainly has an increasingly recognizable ring to it. The Mueller Investigation most likely, with reams of evidence, will firmly establish this Fake President's iniquitous place in the American lexicon and history books. "Treasonous Trump". Will his lawyers request that he be allowed to share the same living quarters now being occupied by Bernie Madoff? "Treasonous Trump". As a tribute to him, perhaps his forever moniker should be changed to "Tremendously Treasonous Trump". He would prefer that.
13
Donald Trump is the one that is "obsolete" and basically useless. He could care less about this country or the NATO Alliance, but he'll do whatever it takes to please his hero, Vladimir Putin.
Trump is damaged goods and a traitor. He needs to go.
19
"It Can't Happen Here!"
3
"After the annexation of Crimea, which shook Latvia..."
Standard propaganda lie. Why should it 'shake' Latvia? The overwhelming majority of Crimeans are Russians, since the area used to be part of the Russian Empire since Catherine the Great. Ukrainian 'management' was only administrative and only since 1954.
Latvia's independence isn't threatened, but of course serving as a front for anti-Russian propaganda pays off.
I don't think for one millisecond, that 'Putin' has any desires for any of the tiny Baltic countries. Why would he? They have absolutely nothing worth going to war for. Tiny territory, small population, virtually non-existent economy, no resources. From the military perspective, Kaliningrad, as a forward post gives the Russians strategic superiority, without the need to go any further. An if Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia would treat their Russian minorities better (according to 'European values') that aching tooth would also be removed.
5
If Trump hates NATO be cause Putin holds the blackmail info on him, perhaps he just pull all of our troops out. The defense contractors need war and endless troop deployments to justify their massive defense budget. The Repiglicans love the defense budget because it creates jobs in their low education districts where the best job might be in the armed services. Trump talks about dependence on Russian gas, well his envrionmental poicie make us dependent on oil instead our greatest resources in wind, natural gas, and solar. Trump is the whipping boy for Putin and it shows,. Everyone who supports him would be willing to sell out the Baltic States and our country, Our country is lost,.
5
So again Trump is doing Putin's work for him.
I just wish I knew how much Trump was being paid for this job?
9
And still- No joint letter from the former presidents? Have they too joined the Traitor Party?
12
Yet another Trump surrender.
6
When Trump parrots Putin's line, you really wonder what does he have on POTUS.
15
"Now, with Russia once again on the prowl..."
We can assume that Mr. Santora is referring to events growing out of Victoria Nuland's doughnut freedom offensive in Ukraine or perhaps Russia's defense of Syria against yet another bogus freedom offensive. If anyone has been "on the prowl" of late, it is the U.S.
3
Trump does what he has done his entire life: threaten and extort. Even if he can get some short term concessions from European leaders this way, with Ross Douthat et al immediately and predictably singing their praise for it, we need to remember that the price of losing our trustworthiness is much bigger. Without Europe’s guaranteed backup and the moral high ground, America’s military and political manoeuvring room in the World is much smaller.
15
As went the U.S.S.R. so will go the EU. Putin's tit-for-tat.
5
Traitor, the word is finally being used more and used correctly.
The would be emperor is nakedly a traitor- pure, simple and yet enabled by once loyal Republicans.
Like the Latvians, we need to start singing.
Better that than whistling in the wind, as we have been doing... til now.
22
Canadians supported the US in all it’s military exploits - Iraq and Afghanistan - I saw the funeral cortèges from Trenton AFB to Toronto - people lining the overpasses to honor the troops fighting GWBs wars. Americans whooped and hollered over Reagan’s and the Bush’s rhetoric - now they blindly follow the Mad Hatter whose goal is to destroy everything in his path.
23
Terrific post. Nothing like the Highway of Heroes. Trump is an out and out traitor.
7
Not in the Iraq adventure.
1
Not all Americans--a MAJORITY voted against Trumpster, and a MAJORITY disapprove of his destructive rule. Unlike President Obama, who is regularly derided by our media and Republicans, Trump, or Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, or Ronald Reagan, Trump has never broken above 50% approval a single day he's been in office, so let's be clear, it is a minority of Americans, and basically a minority of voters, who blindly follow him. The media, who love him, however, amplify everything he does as if he has a mandate. He doesn't!
2
Putin got exactly what he paid for when he installed Trump. He must be extremely satisfied with his purchase.
23
Trump is the epitome of what can go wrong with a democracy when a completely incompetent, ego maniacally driven power seeking demagogue seeks his support from equally blind hatefilled anti-everything easily led puppets are his or her base.
Compounding this which thorough naive and apparently frighted opposition who because of no game plan, no foresight and excuse this but "old" style politicians essentially stepped aside while democracy was challenged and igetting knocked down with each blow.
The Powell Doctrine of the 70's laid out these plans and the Republicans carried it out slowly but stubbornly with their minds and eyes on the offices of the POTUS and the "ownership" of the SCOTUS..
7
It is not surprising that the most ignorant man ever to hold the office of president of the United States would consider NATO to be obsolete at the very time that NATO may be more important than it has been in many years. The United States and the Western democracies are under attack by Russia and Putin is licking his chops at the prospect of the dissolution of NATO.
31
Trump is trying to use mob-style tactics with NATO and the EU: pay up and give the US what Trump demands or it would be shame if something bad happens.
He will come to regret this approach, but will of course deflect.
It is us US citizens and our US businesses that will bear the brunt of his totally flawed approach.
10
Do you know who was the only member of NATO ever that invoked a mutual defense clause? Not the Baltics, not the Germans - it was the U.S. after 9/11. And the other nations joined them in Afghanistan. I can understand the frustration resulting from the huge U.S. financial contribution to NATO. However, there are also things like mutual bond and mutual loyalty - which DT doesn´t seem to value at all. And he neither would be happy if Europeans spent their increased defense budget on their own production. He´d rather see the money flowing to the U.S. defense industry...
12
@Tom
Do you know who has spent more money in NATO? Hint: Afghanistan, Iraq.
@boroka
Like Trump, you think that protecting the Baltic nations is only protecting the Baltic nations. But the U.S. has strategic reasons for protecting the Baltics.
4
@Tom
Do you know who has spent more money in NATO? Hint: Afghanistan, Iraq.
The Baltic states should be concerned. Each is a potential Sudetenland crisis and the current occupant of the White House has already established himself as this generation's Chamberlain (if not Quisling).
16
World Peace is impossible until the population of the planet is reduced by at least seven billion.
6
Trump is an idiot, but NATO is a paper tiger. Not one country in the group has a powerful land force and you can bomb a place until the rubble bounces, but if you cannot put a Soldier on it and hold it it is not yours.
When I served in US Army Europe during the Cold War era (1980's) we were significantly outnumbered by the Soviets and Warsaw Pact forces, but we had a serious advantage in the quality of our weapons and the training and quality of our force. The Soviets commonly used Officers to do jobs the US Army easily accomplished with Non-Commissioned Officers, for example. Our Abrams Tanks were better than theirs and our troops were well trained at Grafenwöhr and other training grounds.
In the aftermath of the first Gulf War, VII Corps was not returned to Germany after Desert Storm. It was disbanded and the subordinate units were reassigned or shuttered. After Dubya's and Obama's War in Iraq, V Corps was disbanded again with some units re-assigned and others retired.
The Canadians are gone from Germany, the British are gone as well. We are mostly gone except for a small show the flag force. Germany has been shrinking it's force. The bulk of the ground units in Germany are combat support- not fighting units. In Army terminology, tail- not tooth.
If Putin rolled the tanks on the Baltic States we could go Nuclear or we could sit by like we did with the Crimean Peninsula. NATO could not sustain a ground campaign against a fraction of the Russian Army.
6
@David Gregory: Thanks for pointing that out. I too am a former US soldier who served in Germany. The Western European nations have the needed military aged manpower, industrial resources and even the latent nuclear weapon capacity to counterbalance any Russian threats. If they choose not to employ them, we cannot do it for them. We can back them up from across the ocean, helping to make their own stand more credible. That is all that we can do. Those who believe otherwise read too many Superman comics as kids and watched one too many Lone Ranger flic. They have childlike views of the real world.
3
General Mattis is the only adult in the Trump cabal. Fine Marine officer, outstanding leader, level headed and honest.
5
The United States represents 4% of the world's population but controls 20% of its total GDP. And Trump wants to change this system? Well, there are a lot of other folks who would like to see it changed as well, and most of them like Mr. Putin are not Americans. Trump's quivering mass of prejudices, his ignorance and dysfunctionalism, can only succeed in one thing, making America last! How long will decent Americans allow this traitorous charade to continue?
18
So Trump goes off to meet Putin for a secret meeting to receive further instructions/ orders.
Putin rewards Trump by helping Trump stay in power by helping Republicans win in the mid-term elections.
Trump doesn't own property in Crimea or Latvia, and he doesn't care what happens to their people.
Trump would probably let Putin have Canada if there were Russian speaking people there.
12
Grifting and con artistry, not NATO should be obsolete.
Where would that leave our "president"?
8
For the decades Of my adulthood, I always believed that our system was resilient. It had survived 2 world wars, several bad presidents, a major depression, etc.
But, I didn’t foresee a bull in a China shop president like this guy Trump. The damage that he has done in just 18 months is stunning. What’s even more amazing is that his correctly named “base” continues to love him.
Maybe, under our present system, the chief executive does have too much power. Maybe we should have basic voter tests in civics, so,that people are at least better informed. Of course, we stand a better chance of returning to the Articles of Confederation. I wonder if Trump,and his base even know what those were.
21
Baltic nations should worry. Europe doesn’t care at all about them. Buying natural gas from Russia is giving Russia money to threaten the Baltics.
Once again it’s only America that has to step in.
Then as a European thank you they place very unfair tariffs on our products.
Trump is 100% correct
3
Why one of our European allies hasn’t thrown a drink in the face of this ill-mannered, ill-tempered monster is beyond me. They’d be justified! And, watch, Trump won’t have a single negative thing to say about Putin, never mind being confrontational.
15
Forgive me for my lack of sensitivity about the Baltic Nations. I am more concerned about the take over of America by Theocratic Reactionaries, led by an incompetent, ego maniac.
For the first time in my 84 years I fear for the future of our country.Thoughts of Civil War enter my mind & I shudder.
Where are 10 righteous Men & Women in the Republican Party that will rise up to defeat this despot, & bring back normality to our Nation.
32
My parents were of The Greatest Generation - they endured the Great Depression and World War II. For their adult years, the presidents they knew were Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, LBJ, Richard Nixon (who we would take back right now, given the chance) and Ronald Reagan. I'm glad they they are not alive today to see what this disgusting madman Trump and the shameless Republican controlled Congress have done to despoil America, and creating a hateful, deplorable, ignorant base. It would have broken their hearts.
8
Trump doesn't care about the Baltic states.
First and foremost he is interested in adoring his idol dictator Putin, and making tons of money with him after both terms are over or even sooner.
He will sell the USA or the Baltic states down the river if he has to.
15
I fear he already has sold us down that river.
1
Sunday Reader, only time will tell.
Donald Trump sees everything in terms of dollars and cents, and based on what other members of NATO pay for defense, thinks we are paying too much. What he needs to use as a guide instead is the cost in treasury and blood of World Wars I and II. Based on these, we're getting by cheap.
See: RevolutionOfReason.com
9
The NYT has for years lectured and criticized the peoples of Baltic and Central European nations for their "nationalist" domestic policies and their openly exhibited pride in their long struggle against Russian/Soviet domination. If they want NATO to continue to be their protector against (imagined or real) Russian expansionism, they should contribute to the expense of that undertaking.
2
Not everyone in the Americas was enamored with the Eastward expansion of NATO in the post cold war era. the Baltic Nations historic mistreatment and exterpation of ethnic and religious minorities within their terretories is cause enough to not wish to defend them with our tax Dollars. I'm not a russophile, however, the Balts may deserve them.
Actually, the Baltic countries were quite progressive in their treatment of minorities, providing state funding for their schools and other institutions. If instead you are referring to the unwillingness of many of the ethnic Russians settled there by the USSR to accept Latvian citizenship after the USSR's collapse, Latvia's treatment of them seems generous.
3
There are two things we must not lose sight of where it comes to NATO:
--Article 5 of the treaty requires the member countries to come to the aid of any other member country that has been attacked. The first and ONLY time that article has been invoked was when WE were attacked on 9/11. NATO sent troops to Afghanistan on our behalf--and has forces there still, now seventeen years later.
--With the Cold War and the Warsaw Pact, the European Union's overwhelming security concern has been the threat of an incursion by Russia--a threat increasingly more looming given the Kremlin's actions in the Ukraine and Putin's repeated pledge to recover the real estate lost in the break-up of the old Soviet Union.
So in face of our allies' demonstrated loyalty and legitimate fears, what does our president do? He systematically and regularly undermines them individually, reducing their individual power, and he increasingly derides NATO, undermining their (and our) collective power. And at the same time--as his just-the-two-of-us summit with Putin fast approaches--he ramps of his praise of Russia, the proven enemy of all of us.
At this point only the willfully blind can avoid the conclusion that our own president is preparing our withdrawal from NATO and thus its collapse--as a gift on a silver platter for his handler.
18
If Trump feels that NATO is obsolete, would he simply dissolve it, leaving its current member countries defenseless before the Bear? Does he have some sort of plan to modernize or replace NATO with a different sort of mutual defense organization? (Don't make me laugh. Trump, PLAN?) I suppose it's all well and good to pester the other NATO countries to contribute more money - I'm sure it plays hugely with his base - although I'm not familiar enough with the situation to know how practical a notion it is. It's pretty clear that the US spends outrageously on defense and the military, and wants to spend a lot more. To defend against what, precisely, if he's cozying up to Russia and wants to dump NATO? Does he just want to buy lots of tactical systems and aircraft and parade them in Red, er, DC? I feel, as usual, like he hasn't a clue what he's doing and is simply playing to his base, in order to feel like he can puff out his chest and preen.
6
Denmark lost more lives in Afghanistan than the US. (compared to population size 2001-2014)
Trump falsely claims, that the US is not getting much protection from the other NATO members. Hours after 9/11, NATO evoked article 5 (an attack on one member is an attack on all of NATO) - afterwards several NATO states joined the US led coalition in Afghanistan. During that war Denmark has lost 7,4 lives per million inhabitants, the US has lost 6,9 lives per million (same as the UK) - speaking as Trump does about Denmark (and others) contribution to NATO and US' security is not only false - it is an insult to our dead soldiers and their relatives.
20
Hi Anton, most Americans realize that and do appreciate our allies. Unfortunately, we can't change our idiot-in-chief just yet. But this will pass eventually. Plus, it's not like the U.S. will spend less on the military if our allies spend more. The lobbyists for the military contractors are very good.
5
Not everyone in the US is as greedy, selfish and/or simple minded as Trump and his followers. Many of us are extremely concerned, not to mention embaressed, about both Trump, and the kind of people who elected him.
2
Agree. The rise of nationalism leads to world war, every single time.
Hopefully the chest pounding flag waiving jingoistic individuals will be the first to get killed, but of course that never happens. They stay at home waiving flags, 'doing important things' while sending other people's children to die.
1
Baltic nations whistling past the graveyard if they think the Western European nations are going to defend them from Russian attacks... they will all turn to the west waiting for the US to take care of their backyard. We should let them know clearly now, they will lead the way.
The original primary purpose of NATO having American military bases and troops in Europe -Germany, Italy, Turkey- was to have American blood and treasure shed in order to guarantee a credible conventional military response to an attack by the Soviet Union.
The Cold War was basically a socioeconomic political conflict. Winning the war led to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the unification of Germany. Right -wing white ethnic sectarian supremacist nationalism has replaced that threat. Much more worrisome than any external threat to Europei is an internal one.
4
"First it was the Russians. Then the Germans. Then the Russians again. Only in the last quarter-century has Latvia been able to reclaim its nationhood, and only in the last decade has it felt secure in that claim."
The historical ignorance of the American press is clearly on display here, and it isn't helping us understand the geopolitics of situation. Latvia is a phony nation, and a phony nation can't "reclaim its nationhood" when it never had it in the first place. For its entire history since the end of the Middle Ages, with the brief exception of 20 years between 1920 and 1940, Latvia was ruled by either Sweden or Russia. And even in that period, Latvia only achieved "nationhood" because a bunch of diplomats from other countries decided to devise a way to place a buffer between Russia and Germany to prevent future wars.
Then we allowed this fraudulent "nation" to become part of NATO and put the US on the front lines of its defense against Russia, risking the nuclear devastation of the US on behalf of people without a historically justifiable country to call home. Smart, huh? Thanks, Bill Clinton.
Latvia is no less legitimate than many dozens of ethnically and linguistically based nations that emerged from the breakup of empires, including Soviet Russia, during the twentieth century. Like many others, Soviet Russia reluctantly withdrew, leaving many of its own colonials behind.
13
Baltic nations are willingly moving toward the 2 per cent standard. They are among the most cooperative in NATO.
6
Chuck, you're not well-informed. Might I suggest looking into the Duchy of Courland and the 1918-1920 Latvian War of Independence (fought against both Germans and the USSR)? You might also consider that your arguments apply as well to Finland and Estonia and even most post-colonial countries in Africa and Asia.
4
Aren't all the western European nations NATO members as well? These articles would give readers more perspective if we the readers could see the size of NATO's budget and who pays the bills. For that matter, let's see the budget of the anti-American UN and who pays the UN's bills. Then maybe we could better understand the geo-political economics and why Mr. Trump talks about some institutions being "obsolete". Maybe "obsolescence" is better defined as economic obsolescence, where the capital investment gets no return.
Reducing capital investment may increase the R.O.I. on existing infrastructure, be it military or political.
1
So he all but quits NATO then goes off on a one on one with Putin?
Anyone with half a brain may think he wants it alone so he can hand over troop levels and asset positions.
13
Please read The Gulag Archipelago, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's account of arrest and imprisonment by the Soviet Secret police whilst serving in WW2. The Russians not only arrived en masse in places like Latvia and Ukraine, but replaced Ukrainians and Latvians and many other native populations in the nations absorbed by the Soviet Block during and after WW2. The native populations were were arrested, taken from there homes and sent to the gulags, camps, imprisonment and their deaths. Many were shot. Millions suffered unknown fates far from their stolen homes. This was population replacement - a deliberate campaign to make occupied lands more Russian, not organic migration. The Soviet objectives continue to bear fruit. Solzhenitsyn's work has renewed relevance. It's also a wonderful, eloquent masterwork to read.
26
Latvia’s Russian population is being manipulated by Russian propaganda.
Latvia needs to know if they can trust these citizens or not. It’s a tough problem with no good solutions.
13
How will the man masquerading as a US President-Mr "T", justify to all the West and to our own military , as well as members of NATO , AND the Russians who , decades ago-back in the 1990's , so desperately wanted to become a member of NATO-an organization he now finds no use for. . .?
I cannot expect the members of his own , peculiarly anti American party to justify such a peculiar mental and political gymnastics , and I know, had he been an Israeli Prime Minister-he would be killed as a "pursuer", one who is intent on the destruction of his own people and is , hence, made a legitimate target for kiling by the Israeli religious authorities-the same way that many Islamic religious made Western Islamic intellectuals targets for death sentences decades ago, because the political and religious authorities were unhappy with their alleged political "drift".
Mr "T" has painted himself into a corner and made his party look as ridiculous as he does.
One presumes Mr. Putin is happy, at least. Pehaps Mr. T will remain in Russia with his new, most ardent lover and political companion! I hope they're happy together.
12
I swear to God, it feels like Trump is a fifth columnist.....taking orders directly from Putin and doing everything he possibly can to weaken or dismantle Western security and to destroy the US economy. That golden showers video must be first and foremost on his mind when making all his presidential decisions.
22
I have been to Latvia and Riga in particular - now some 5 years ago.
Indeed, the Russian presence is large and casual conversation indicated divisions.
But this is not only related to the Baltics.
This division of Russian immigrants and native population is in all ex Soviet Republics.
I lived in Baku, Azerbaijan - a country at one time fully controlled by Russians. To a point where Azeri language which is Turkish in origin - Russians forced Cyrrylic alphabets on them to write Azeri. Even today, educated Azeris prefer Russian to their own language.
I was at Chernobyl in Ukraine. Same story where Ukrainian tour guide told us that Russians at the plant had the best jobs, best accommodation etc.
And in many of these republics, Russians maintained separate and
unequal, and superior status from the locals.
So, this story from Latvia is no surprise. What needs to happen is for Latvians to start integrating these Russians into their society. As it is, its government requires knowledge of Latvian language for citizenship.
So, this is a generational issue that is best addressed by the Baltic countries themselves - while we and NATO offer them security.
16
Stephen Colbert was right about the Putin-Trump bromance!
16
American voters are responsible for this. It was clear in the campaign that Trump had no experience and little to no understanding of foreign affairs. Although the depth was not realized, the fact that he had an unusually strong loyalty to Putin and Russia was, as Hillary Clinton pointed out over and over.
How did a stooge for Russia end up at that table berating our World War II Allies? How did we end up with a President who embraces dictators while ridiculing the democracies? The voters allowed Putin's Puppet to take power and now it's up to the voters to begin correcting this tragic, unprecedented mistake by voting D in 2018.
Reject Putin's Puppet in 2018.
35
Being negative about NATO and friendly about Putin are flip sides of the same coin.
15
Mathis is in a tough spot, as he 100% disagrees with Trump about NATO.
6
Mathis should resign immediately. He brings only dishonor to himself and our nation. Do not enable monsters!
Hello to the beautiful Baltic countries! You more than anyone know what is at stake and how to resist. I hope that we will all get through this terrible time when Russia has defeated the US by purchasing our president and his party.
16
I thought that the USA membership in NATO is a result of a treaty that had been ratified by the Senate. If so, that treaty becomes a part of the "Law of the Land" law like any other law. Trump cannot decide unilaterally to throw the treaty out the window. Only Congress can make, change or annul any law or treaty that reaches the level of a law by way of Senate ratification. The President's job is to enforce our laws. Breaking a treaty is the equivalent of not abiding by the laws of our country. If anyone has an answer to whether that is the case, please add your comment.
16
Nato should arrest Trump for crimes against humanity and hold him in Europe for trial.
16
Also obsolete: caring, the truth, the emoluments clause, basic human decency, trade partners, equality, facts, the planet, the Supreme Court, compromise, integrity, humility, self-control, democracy, morality, the future.
28
I wouldn't worry about the corrupt country, whose top officials are embroiled in a banking scandal. Corruption is rampant throughout the government, as it was in the Ukraine. It's population has shrunk over the past two decades more than any other country in the world - from 2.4 million to 1.9 million as approximately 25% of the country's residents live in extreme poverty.
......it might be better off ruled by Russia....I'm not worried about Latvia....
2
NATO was formed to stop the nations of Europe from killing each other. Helping America contain the newly agressive Soviets was a bonus. The countries of Europe were at each other's throats for centuries; constant warfare. Their growing industrial might allowed them to spread their military power around the world and warfare then extended to their colonies. When their new weapons grew more powerful, their wars extended to include the entire world.
America (traditionally isolationist) get dragged into those world wars to stop the fighting - twice. NATO was formed so we didn't have to do it a third time. When President Washington warned us to avoid foreign entanglements he was talking about Europe: don't ally with any European power. Don't get dragged into their wars. Keep an ocean between us. Well, today an ocean is not big enough. So we have NATO which is not for America's benefit, it's for Europe's benefit. Our friends in Europe seem to have lost sight of that.
NATO was formed at least as much for the United States' benefit as it was for Western Europe. In 1949 the U.S. faced efforts to contain the USSR in Europe (hence NATO), but also an emerging People's Republic of China that was rolling back our Nationalist Chinese Allies. The latter was perceived as directed by the Soviets -- and although this was not the case, it underscored the American need for European contributions to help take the pressure of the U.S. military's massive focus on Europe. This point was only underscored when the Korean War broke out and other parts of the globe became security concerns.
Mr. Williams is fundamentally incorrect in what appears to be an attempt to read George Washington's recommendation to a nascent republic in the late 18th century into very different circumstances by the mid 20th. It would be absolutely misguided if we -- like Donald Trump -- were to conclude that the NATO alliance is "obsolete," even as Trump, like U.S. presidents before him, observe(d) that NATO states should contribute a bit more.
12
Thomas Williams. WW2-Hitler declared war on the US. four days after Pearl Harbor. You didn't get dragged in.
You were attacked.
Russia is also the next country on your very Northern border. NATO is for all of our benefit not just Europe's.
Wholly agree some countries are not pulling their weight. Trump is bang on the money there.
BTW The UK outspends Russia on defence-as does France.
7
The lamps are going out across America.
Our lamps burn brightly. We'll get on fine without today's kind of America.
10
Nato is not obsolete.
America may become so .. if Trump achieves his objectives.
23
Sorry people. At this point the problem is not (swallow) president trump. He is making clear that he despises NATO and other democracies, and that he idolizes dictators and mock democracies. The lair is not laying.
The problem is the Republican congress unwillingness to steamroll him. There was a Senate vote to support NATO. Like Trump cares. So ineffectual.
And Mueller is taking so long, that if he does not come up with burning hot evidence of treason he is doomed and Trump will win bigly. If he discovers that Trump laundry-money amounts to a few million dollars, that is peanuts, his voters have already forgiven him.
19
The three Baltic States have a rough interplay with their Russian neighbor. Stalin saw them as client states of the Nazis and treated them accordingly with purges and ethic ‘relocation.’ That history is embedded in the Russian mind yet. NATO accepting them as members played into Putin’s role as savior. Natural they look to ‘the West’ as allies but results expected. This story is not over.
6
The feelings of the Baltic nations are very, very understandable. However, instead of the pear shaped idea of NATO, the EU should adopt a musketeer oath against Russia, so that if Russia showed aggression against any EU member state, then the EU would cut all trade with Russia. The EU is Russia's largest trading partner and the EU could bring Russia to its knees without firing a shot. It would be a lot more effective.
14
Our family spent the past seven days in Riga, Latvia for the national song festival. Despite a horrific 20th century where half their population was wiped out (many from my wife’s family in ways almost unimaginable. Tour the KGB Museum in Riga to know what I mean), we witnessed singing, dancing, and pride I rarely see in the US. The small Baltic countries need US support, not threats of pulling out of NATO, to remain free and independent. Will Republican leaders finally step up and talk the talk about freedom and democracy around the world in the face of our president’s abdication of this critical responsibility?
23
The article's sense of history is rather selective.
Yes, Stalin annexed the Baltics in 1939. But we should remember that before 1918 the Baltics were Russian too. Stalin was just restoring what Russia previously had lost. The bad luck of the population in 1939 was not so much that they lost their independence again as that they lost it to a paranoid Stalin who sent a large percentage of the population to Siberia.
For what it did in Ukraine Russia had motives that were specific for that situation. There is no sign that Russia has more generic plans for expansion.
Of course there is some fear in such tiny countries for their much bigger neighbor. But you will find similar fear in the Caribs and Central America towards the US. Yet no one would advocate stationing Russian or Chinese troops there to reassure the local population.
5
Pretty selective commentary, as well. Latvians have been subject to external rule since the arrival of Prince Albert around the year 1200. Which occupying power--Germans, Lithuanians, Swedes, Russians--should have retained power is immaterial to Latvian sovereignty. Take your pick. Putin has stated he would like to restore the borders of Soviet power and that threat is palpable in the Baltics. He is no better in Latvian eyes than Stalin, who was the worst.
10
Before 1918, the Baltics, Finland, Armenia, etc were not "Russian", but rather conquered territories of the imperial Russian Empire. Starting in the 1950s and continuing until its 1990 end, the USSR consciously conducted a campaign of cultural genocide against the Baltics, shipping in hundreds of thousands of ethnic Russians, shipping out ethnic Balts, mandating use of Russian in place of the local languages and so on. The vast majority of the ethnic Russians living in the Baltics today are thus also historical victims of the USSR; it's a credit to the Baltic states that most have chosen to remain there rather than return to Russia.
8
As an Irishman, I am empathetic to the feelings of Latvians. The result of years of occupation by a foreign power, and the subsequent suppression of one's culture, is nothing but division and tribalism. Ireland lost the right to express its native language and was torn in two by the seeds of sectarian division.
However, in the Ireland of today, I can sense a shift in the mindset of young people (such as myself). We are much more appreciative of our nation's traditions and pay homage to those who kept our culture and language alive. Protestants and Catholics alike are respectful of each other's background. We are progressing slowly on the path of reintroducing the speaking of Gaeilge (Irish language) into children's daily lives, rather than just a "filler subject" in school. Perhaps one day we may operate as a bilingual nation, as in Belgium or Canada.
I have the same optimism for Lativa. The open-mindedness and respectfulness of young people will trump the remnants of division. Good luck (veiksmi/удачи)!
15
I'm convinced that Putin has more dirt on the Republican party than he ever had on the democrats and Hillary. I can't believe I'm the only person to think this, just look at the silence from the Republicans in Congress they are as afraid of Putin as Trump is. Only thing that makes sense to me is they are being blackmailed also.
Imagine Mueller releasing a report that states Republicans were hacked also by Putin but he chose to hold it as blackmail material, the actions of a few Republican congressmen begin to make sense it is not just a Trump they are attempting to protect.
21
That the GOP and Trump supporters willingly turn a blind eye to his inane and insane international policy - fighting with trusworthy democratic allies while kowtowing to Putin and other tyrants - only underscores the depth of their corruption. Power truly is all they care about - except that they (and, alas, the US) will ultimately pay the price of this Faustian deal.
14
In the not too distant future, when the American voters and especially Trump supported overcome their hangover and shed their willful blindness, Trump himself will be obsolete. Remembered only as a toxic nightmare upon American democracy.
7
My father fought in WWII; my grandfather, in WWI, only a generation apart. We haven't had another world war in over 70 years (nearly 4 generations) because of the strength of our European and Asian alliances. The military expenditure that was a drag on our economy was the $1 trillion spent on the Iraq war without raising the taxes to pay for it.
Probably the best way to gain Trump's support would be for each NATO member to offer the branding and management rights to an already-existing hotel or golf resort within each of their countries to the Trump Organization. Then he would certainly consider NATO worthwhile!
18
You could not be more spot-on with your comment. Trump only cares about Trump.
12
I can only hope Mueller can prevent his final findings from getting buried in the mud. He needs to publish all he has right to the world wide web.
13
The only person for whom NATO is obsolete is Putin. He wants back the “glory” of USSR when whole nations were captive under a vicious dictatorship, behind the iron curtain. For trump is easy: he owes Putin his life and cannot and is not interested to differ. The question is why is the whole American government going along with this madness? Are the republicans totally losing their minds to the trump spell or they see more gains in selling Europe to Putin? So much for the transatlantic friendship...
18
But Trump's control (Putin) want's him to make NATO irrelevant and wants him to renege on Article 5, so Russia can take prat of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Trump is just doing what he is told.
9
“On this day, I read the Latvian news and see one thing and then read the Russian news and see something totally different,” Ms. Stankevich said.
This is chillingly like what happens every day in the USA with mainstream media versus Fox News propaganda. And Russia is at work here too.
20
Having a friend is never outmoded. Having a President who thinks he is Supreme Leader or Monarch was fought against in our Revolution & was outmoded . Impeach.
13
NATO troops have laid down their lives in Afghanistan and
Iraq and NATO even supplied Aid during the aftermath of
Katrina. Without NATO, after the Soviet Union got the bomb,
who knows what would have happened to Western Europe
democracies who at the time had some significant communist party support within their Parliaments and outside
meddling by the Soviet Union, Sound familiar?
9
Trump has already paid his debt to Russia by making it clear to the Latvias of eastern europe that he will ignore Russian threats so they had better start accepting Russian hegemony.No real need for the upcoming summit but to make that gift permenent.
6
The United States has greatly benefited from its hegemony, as defined by Kori Schake in her recent book "Safe Passage: The Transition from British to American Hegemony" : "HEGEMONY IS THE ability to set the rules of international involvement, and to create order among states by enforcing those rules".
Trump is willfully seeking to dismantle the architecture and the institutions that have, beyond ensuring peace (when we don't venture unilaterally) and American affluence, ensured the economic playing field that so favors American businesses.
The divide and rule bully culture only diminishes our influence on the world stage, to those who claim this will revert to pre-Trump era in two years you are pulling cotton over your eyes, the damage is permanently eroding and trading away that great American franchise in favor of the next hegemonic force.
6
This is like a chapter out of the game Civilization. Spreading culture and counterculture missions. Strategies for longterm world domination!
1
President Trump does not possess the gift of subtlety or really political common sense. However, the current old form of NATO in fact is obsolete. The reasons are actually in the article - Russian threats related to cyber-security and undermining governments via false propaganda are quite true - and thus a different NATO is required. The expenses of troops and military bases for the US simply need to be reduced by quite a bit - that is Europe's job now - whereas it couldn't have been after WW2. Our role here in the US should be actively combating the nature of Russian aggression as mentioned above as well as a robust missile defense provision via NATO, including and in particular the Baltic nations. Troops and bases in large numbers? Nope. That is on Europe now.
3
Obviously you have not looked closer at Europe. Troops and bases AND increase spending of European nations are all needed to counteract the threat from the east.
9
By missile defense,I assume you mean defense against ICBMs. Can you give an example of this kind of defense system that actually works?
3
Our US-led NATO anti-missile defense systems involve the combination of land and sea based radar and anti-missiles on a scheduled development program. We are in a third phase of SM-3 missile interceptor variants. The current last phase is for the SM3-2B anti-missile missile. These type of systems, along with cyber security assistance to NATO countries as well as fighting false Russian propaganda- should be our contribution. Spending more money on troops and basic military equipment should be on Europe's shoulders, and I include England in that as well. We need to take care of Medicaid and public education for our own population fully before continuing to be the defense system of Europe while their populations enjoy lavish social supports while minimizing their own military budgets at our expense.
I'm surprised there is no mention of the third Baltic nation, Lithuania. I assume that is because Lithuania has a smaller Russian minority, only 5%.
3
The only NATO dues are about $2 billion a year for HQ and similar expenses. The United States does not pay its fair share of these expenses: we pay 22% of the total while we are 45% of NATO GDP.
The dues are small enough that it clearly is not very important how we negotiated this sweet deal. The point is that Trump is nonsensical in saying others own back payments.
A different measure of debts owed: In response to the attack on the United States, and honoring their commitment to defend the United States, one-third of Western military deaths in Afghanistan were suffered by other NATO countries. Proportional to it's population, Denmark had a greater death toll in Afghanistan than the United States.
14
Latvia is tiny. It is surrounded by far more powerful nations. It has running through it one of Russia's major East/West river outlets to the sea. Near half its population is Russian.
Latvia is unable to be independent. It can exist only by the gift of other more powerful nations. They make that gift to help or harm each other, not because of any particular merits of tiny Latvia.
Right now, Latvia exists because the US via NATO creates and protects it. No other reason.
Is that a reasonable expenditure of American power? Maybe it is, but we must see it in those terms. That is what is happening, and that is who pays.
How much should the US pay? War? How big of a war for Latvia?
Therefore, does Latvia even belong in NATO? We'd fight a major war to save France or Germany. Would we really do that for Latvia? Should we? Why? What is in it for us?
"Russia is on the prowl." This article says that. Odd, there are a lot of wars going on, and every one of them without exception was the US prowling, not Russia. That is the real story even of what we blame on Russia, in Ukraine and Syria and Georgia. Lies don't change reality, despite Trump or Dubya or a neocon-compliant mainstream media.
6
You're going down that slippery slope, Latvia is too small to be independent...and as the next nation on the slope is considered, same argument.
Ah yes, the Sudentenland, just a piece of Czechoslovakia that was given away and everyone sighed with relief...that was the last territorial demand.,,
9
What's in it for us is that supporting self - determination of nations makes the world safer and enriches all our lives. Finland, Greece and others have similarly small populations and precarious locations next to large neighbors; acquiescing in their takeovers would just allow imperialism back into our world system.
7
Even if there were no Trump and no Putin, Russia always has felt landlocked and has desired control over access to more port facilities on the Baltic and on the Black Sea. I am afraid it would be foolhardy to think that should they wish (again) to control those ports that the US could or would engage in a war against Russia -- on Russia's own doorstep -- to prevent them from taking control (once more) of those ports. We most likely would lose, just as any European power would have lost had they tried to prevent the US from taking control of the ports in Texas and California from Mexico or in Florida from Spain. Russia also once claimed control of Alaska and the West Coast way down to San Francico. They gave them up. Now why do you think? Realpolitik is what it is -- candid appraisal of who wants what and has the most power to apply wherever it is. Good guys vs.bad guys has little to do with what is practical.
3
Dividing Europe into the east/west parts and bringing East Europe in its exclusive sphere of influence was what Russia had been eagerly dreaming for could have been a reality if Trump had his way. But alas! it's not so. For, despite denigrating the NATO alliance by calling it obsolete, or undermining the alliance by planning a one-on-one summit with Putin next week, not only the Baltic states Latvia, Lithuania have shown solidarity with the NATO and exposed Trump's evil plan but the European leaders too after the G-7 experience have become a bit more clever and smarter to confront the nefarious Trump plans and his bidding for Putin in Europe about sowing confusion and divisions there. The NATO leadership is well prepared to bust Trump plan of exposing Europe to the Russian threat.
14
'Lawmakers on Tuesday overwhelmingly voted in favor of a motion supporting NATO, as President Trump continues to criticize the alliance ahead of his summit in Europe.
The nonbinding motion, which came as the Senate voted to reconcile its version of the annual defense policy bill with that of the House, expresses the Senate’s support for NATO and calls on negotiators to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to it.
The 97-2 vote in the Senate comes as Trump heads to Brussels. He will also travel to the United Kingdom and meet one-on-one with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki during his trip.
GOP Sens. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Mike Lee (Utah) voted against the measure.
Democratic Sen. Jack Reed (R.I.) proposed the measure, calling the U.S. support for NATO "ironclad."
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/396399-senate-overwhelmingly-...
Hopefully this is the beginning of a real and meaningful departure from the continuing dangerous ignorance and idiocy of Trump. We can only hope that European nations and our allies around the world see that Donald Trump is not representative of America, the aberrant 'president', and for our own citizens that hopefully the damage he is creating now can be rectified in the future.
I find hope in this resolution adopted by the great majority of our Senators today.
33
Trump's been called a double agent in some circles. With this kind of approach to foreign policy he isn't doing anything to distract from that accusation. Combine that with his admiration and public support of dictators and tyrants, what we have here is a movable overthrow for where America is headed. He does it by running to and being embraced by that segment of Americans who are easily fleeced with a need not to make America great but believe that with Trump they're making themselves great. Suggesting that NATO is obsolete is the final nail towards replacing Democracy with isolationist hostility, and it'd work with a dominant enough military to back it up. There's a new Domino Theory afoot, a schism operating among us to radicalize our better natures and replace them with something ugly.
19
He undermines national security by snubbing NATO. Weakens the long-standing alliance, and is ramping up his
ill-advised affinity for Putin/Russia.
He's described as itching for a fight, set for face off, and playing a zero-sum game by fixating on paying 2%.
As if it's coming out of his wallet.
In a bit of irony, I wonder how many of these leaders read the report of how Trump didn't pay his long-term driver, who is suing him right now for unpaid wages of almost $200,000.
https://hillreporter.com/trumps-personal-driver-sues-for-unpaid-wages-3498
25
NATO wants to exist even though there no need for it. The European nations need to take care of themselves. All of our money is being wasted with defense contractors in the US and in Europe.
NATO made up its new mission in Libya, Afghanistan by sending a few soldiers who did not much but stay in the background.
We need to get out
Start sending Russian Nationals home to mother Russia, sans assets.
Give them due process, but money laundering, tax evasion... you know the drill.
There is nothing that Russia despises more than Russians contaminated by the West, coming back to dear Russia.
Don't forget to shed a tear for the victims of Putin's apartment bombings in 1999.
Asymettric conflict is the de facto standard in this disturbing century. Russia should not only engage in it, Russia should experience it!
6
Who is going to do all
of this? Trump? May? Corbyn? Trump is likely the only actual double agent in the bunch, but, based in their behavior, there’s little reason to doubt Corbyn and the entire Conservative Party are compromised in their own ways.
1
If NATO is really committed to stopping Russia, it will stop Russia.
Russia is not capitalist. It is a kleptocracy and fake democracy ruled by mafiosos, at least one of whom has insatiable ego needs (sound familiar?) that will continue to drive his expansionist demonstrations of “manhood.”
NATO should be very worried because Putin is going to play Trump for a buffoon. I doubt Trump even knows an iota about NATO. He is more worried about the stuff Putin has on Trump. May be NATO should call Putin's bluff given the shaky economy and extent of the thievery in Russia.
11
When will EVERYBODY admit that Putin has kompromat on Trump, most likely in the form of a sex tape in which Trump is TERRIFIED of it making the rounds on the internet? Regardless how "outrageous" this sounds, agent Chris Steele said theres a 70% chance that it's the truth. It is the only thing that explains Trumps behavior towards Putin.
25
DJT seems to be bro-mancing a number of dictators including the North Korean leader. I dont think his affinity for Putin is out of character.
The day after Trump's election, mentally listing the damages, I thought, among many other things, "If I was a Latvian or an Estonian, I'd be really anxious this morning." I really didn't think it would get this bad this fast.
All I know is what I read in the papers. At this point I'd say the odds are considerably better than even that Trump will sell out the Baltics. How much clearer does he need to make his intentions?
13
Russia,#3 and #5 supplier to USA of Aluminum and Steel, is not subject to the tariffs lately imposed by Trump to other industrial nations, including its close commercial partners in NAFTA...Trump is utterly under Russian control; this is very bad news for Western Europe and other NATO members. The USA is no more trustable under Trump and Russia will make its move accordingly! Bad, very bad for the free world...stand by for the blast, it is coming soon.
36
Donald J. Trump is America's Number One security threat. Period.
55
Two wins for Putin, Trump and Brexit. Will the dissolution of NATO be #3?
14
Ah, David. Finland was invaded by Russia. As part of the peace treaty with Russia ending that war, Finland agreed to the condition it would not join in an alliance against the bloody Russians. PS Finland is not "similarly small", nor is it a "Baltic" nation. It's Nordic with a coastline on the Baltic Sea. PSS The Baltic States joined NATO to protect themselves from a warmongering nation of bloviators with a long history of violence.
2
Right, because protecting the European market and trade routes to Europe and the Middle East for American industry and products have no strategic value to you.
1
Winston Churchill, Dwight Eisenhower, and Generals McCarthy and Patton are rolling over in their graves. World War 2 vets, those who are left, should be outraged.
2
The citizens of Latvia and Estonia are right to be concerned.
Malcolm Nance, a former officer in Naval Intelligence, and Steve Schmidt, former Republican strategist and director of John McCain's 2008 campaign, have both expressed concerns about Trump's seeming lack of commitment to NATO. Schmidt went so far as to posit that the end of NATO might occur if emboldened Russian militia invade Estonia, followed by NATO's decision to send in troops to battle the Russians - and Donald Trump refusing to commit U.S. troops to the NATO effort to preserve the sovereignty of Estonian. That would smell the end of NATO as we know it.
My impression is that the majority of the citizens of the United States are horrified by Donald Trump's behavior and fully support continued U.S. membership in NATO.
19
The Baltic nations, along with Ukraine and Belarus, have deep roots with Russia and are populated by ethnic Russians who still mourn their separation from the mother country.
It was not so many years ago, after all, that these nations were all a part of the Soviet Union. So with Russia's growing strength on the world stage, some of them may make rational decisions to reunite with their former ally. Shared language, culture and history often bring disparate peoples together.
3
Rolf,
My father was born and raised in Riga. He and his brother and parents had to flee when Stalin's tanks entered Latvia and threatened to kill them and many other Latvians. A brutal and repressive military occupation does not represent a shared culture, language and history. It was a crime.
50
The Baltics share neither culture nor language with Russia. Estonian, in fact, is not even an Indo-European language, the family of languages to which most European languages as well as Russian, belong.
As for shared history, that is one of occupied and occupier. Most Russians immigrated to the Baltics, especially to Estonia and Latvia, after World War II, when Russia sent them there to replace the many thousands of natives that had been forcibly deported to camps in Russia.
13
Let's talk about Ukraine. Contrary to popular thought it is not a country that mourns its separation from Soviet rule. There are ethnic Russians living in Ukraine who would love to be part of Russia but then there are vast areas of Ukraine that view themselves as Ukrainian and even speak Ukrainian, not Russian, eventhough both languages are spoken. This concept of placing Eastern Europe, Balkans etc. into a Russian love-coagulation is just nonsense! They are sepate countries for a reason. Let's not forget that it was originaly Kiev that was the center of the "RUS" not Moscow. Maybe Russia would have us forget that but Ukrainians are proud of their heritage and have no need to be subserviant to Russia or even Europe for that matter.
10
NATO is writing checks that can’t be cashed. NATO’s defense guarantees for the Baltics are largely illusions.
Simply put, if the Russians really wanted to take over the Baltics right now, they could do so fairly quickly and there is nothing that NATO could do to stop them.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/02/03/if-russia-started-a-war-in-the-balt...
The only realistic deterrence will come from the Baltic states themselves with increases in manpower and firepower sufficient to raise the costs of a potential Russian invasion to unacceptable levels.
Songs are lovely, but tanks are more effective.
4
Demonstrations in Latvia helped bring down the Soviet Union. Americans, and many others, are indebted to the people of little Latvia.
13
...and keep going until its 800-odd colonial outposts are all shuttered, and its troops are repatriated...militarily occupying a planet whose every inch the Pentagon has unilaterally carved into 8 areas of regional command and spending 10X what the next 10 countries combined spend per annum to maintain this empire while people in the homeland go hungry and homeless is the worst sort of madness.
7
Actually, they have been subsidizing US global hegemony, as do all countries that host US military installations.
6
We should not place undue high expectations on President Trump. Since he never reads, to expect him to have learned from history would be a fool's errand. If his kindred spirit Putin told him NATO is obsolete because the Soviet Union no longer exists, it seems reasonable that Trump would believe him. After all, he believes Putin when Putin says he had no role in the 2016 elections.
If there is no Soviet Union, in Trump's mind there is no threat so to ask him what would replace an "obsolete" organization such as NATO, he would think the question is nonsense. Perhaps since NATO is governed by a treaty, the feckless Senate might want to weigh in before Trump tells our allies across the pond they are now on their own. Then again, perhaps they won't.
6
The argument for NATO is that capitalist Russia is just as "aggressive" and expansionist as the communist Soviet Union and therefore needs to be kept in check by a 34 nation military alliance comprising practically all of Europe.
The evidence of this aggression is annexing the Russian ethnic section of Crimea and supporting the breakaway Don Bas region of Ukraine.
In both instances, Russia tried first to defuse those conflicts. The Minsk Agreement would have led to a peaceful transition in Ukraine, but for the American sponsored coup and the current government that consists of openly fascists parties. So the "conflict" is more our making than theirs.
As for Crimea, Russia made it clear that they could not have a Western military base on their only Black seaport, just as we could not have a Soviet or Russian base in Cuba or Mexico.
As for "asymmetric and nontraditional military capabilities", let's just say that no nation carries out these capabilities better or more often than the United States.
It would be easy to get Russia to stand down from these actions. But they would ask us to do the same.
NATO is an anachronism to the Cold War era and those days are over. While we wait in vain for our "peace dividend" the Times simply refuses to accept this as do the arms merchants who sell NATO countries much of their equipment.
At the end of the day, Trump's admonition for NATO to pay its fair share simply means buy more American weapons. NATO is both obsolete and foolish.
2
“It is often said that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was founded in response to the threat posed by the Soviet Union. This is only partially true. In fact, the Alliance’s creation was part of a broader effort to serve three purposes: deterring Soviet expansionism, forbidding the revival of nationalist militarism in Europe through a strong North American presence on the continent, and encouraging European political integration.” Unfortunately, we are the nationalists now.
1
The argument that the U.S. has been "protecting" Europe/the European Union by spending gobs of money on the military is patently ridiculous. Why? Because the U.S. hasn't won a war since WWII. The U.S. is good a squandering money and lives on defense spending and blowing off big arms, but they have virtually nothing to show for it.
11
Trump likes to pick legal knife fights solo mano mano against small fry. Unfortunately, the magnitude of his current job is way over his head. He's unprepared. He embarrasses his wife constantly, embarrasses the United States constantly, and fails to understand other countries are not small contractors dbw, or formerly dbw, his company. In this instance the Baltics are the historical bread basket of Europe and have been the historical flash point of war on the continent. But don't let on to Trump, fiction works better in feeding his uneducated base the messaging they require to continue support. So it's not just failure to prepare. It's a big, ongoing con.
15
I was watching local news here and they featured 4 middle school students who were valedictorians(9th Grade). What I found as that these students after speaking had a better grasp of the language and were significantly more articulate than our President.
8
I was watching local news here and they featured 4 middle school students who were valedictorians(9th Grade). What I found as that these students after speaking had a better grasp of the language and were significantly more articulate than our President. As for WWII, the U.S. was absent for the most part from the European theater until June 1944 (10 months before the war ended). The dirty work to dismantle Germany was done by the Russians.
4
This is not a game. If Putin makes a move on his near-abroad, the Germans will re-arm and mobilize quickly to lead an Allied defense. If Trump keeps the US neutral, the last 75 years will have been for naught. And China will be taking copious notes.
16
After WWII, the USSR colonized the Baltic countries (that they had conquered in 1939 with Nazi assistance) with retiring military personnel.
The Baltics were the most Western part of the USSR, highly desirable places to live compared to the rest of Russia, and by Rusifying these three small countries, the Soviets expected to dominate the local populations.
Current Russian thinking is that they would need to intervene in the Baltics to protect Russian speaking people that they put in these countries originally.
I doubt there is a NATO level military solution to defend the Baltic countries.
But don't despair.
In response to a Baltic assault, the US could always recognize Chechnya as an independent nation - and arm them.
Tough love, baby, tough love.
3
@UTBG-
The problem isn’t over there. It’s here, inside Congress and the White House.
Putin installed a sock-puppet who does his bidding while Congress turns a blind eye. The President of the United States behaves like he is a Russian military intelligence asset, which suggests that he actually is. Among other things, that means Trump is a traitor. Normally, Congress would intervene and remove him. But the Republican majority controlling Congress actually facilitates Trump’s treason, out of cowardice, craven ambition in some cases, but mainly for the basest partisan political reasons.
President Washington’s warnings about the evils of political partisanship and the dangers that it poses to national unity if not national survival itself explained at some length in his famous Farewell Address (that hardly anybody alive has ever read), have been fully vindicated.
14
To many in the US, Europe is our ancestral home. It has been disparaged by many but it gave this country the rule of law, education, inventiveness, faith and morals. It gave this country it's immigrants,
We have to fight for NATO as well as for other's causes like immigrant's, and woman's rights which The Great Coward disparages all of the time.
We must defend NATO as if it were our own shield against tyranny, because dear friends it is.
20
The Republicans are getting their judges. If Trump concedes Latvia and Estonia to Putin, well, it's a price McConnell is willing to pay for his judges.....
8
The Baltic nations should not worry and regard Trump as a crazy uncle who will be gone in a couple of years. Hopefully, Russia won’t invade in the interim.
3
Trump saying that NATO is obsolete is another significant example of Trump being aligned with Putin at the expense of our allies.
Is Putin blackmailing Trump?
It's obvious that the GOP has become the party of Trump.
It's also obvious that traditional Republicans, e.g. McConnell, Ryan, Graham, etc., will never question Trump out of fear of angering Trump's base.
Are there enough influential Republicans to finally place country over party (and over self) to save America, and the free world, from Trump + Putin?
11
Manchurian President Trump menaces Europe, our USA and all democratic nations. He is Putin's puppet. One day, we shall find out what Putin has on him.
32
If trump was merely an embarrassment, that would be bad enough, but this madman actually has power to do things that undermine our security and weaken major alliances all around the world, and he seems to delight in the chaos and mayhem he is creating. Meanwhile he's palsy walsy with a dictator who has anything but our best interests in mind. My God!
REPUBLICANS, WHY ARE YOU LETTING THIS HAPPEN TO US???
161
John, I would suggest that a number of key Republican leaders, dating back to the mid-90's have been compromised using the same variety of techniques & temptations that would work so well on the Trumpeter years later. In fact , the Russian campaign to undermine our democracy could not have been effective without a critical mass from one of our political parties to support a compromised president.
Fix a critical eye on the behavior of Republican leadership beginning in 1994. The stunning shift away from basic patriotism and toward a priority concentrated on party loyalty was clear for all to behold. As one example, consider the relentless pursuit of Bill Clinton over an inconsequential lapse of personal judgement, while the US military is engaged in combat in the Balkans. And why exactly did Newt Gingrich retire from politics right in the middle of it all?
To me, with a basic application of 20/20 hindsight, I can see a fundamental rebalancing of allegiances beginning with Newt Gingrich. By 2000, the Republican Party dropped all but the most superficial gestures of patriotism and loyalty, when the interests and ambitions of the Republican Party seemed to compete. After 20 years of Russian conditioning, we have a Republican Party that is cooperative in its role advancing Russian priorities in place of our own!
Trump was simply the last piece of the puzzle!
3
the repubs are gutless; that was clear in the primaries - as soon as he had one of his 'rallies' they all tried to imitate him ... fat chance ... in case you noticed, 'policy' was never discussed ... now, if there is any negative response, he schedules a 'speech' at a factory so the loud 'white' ignorant hate filled voices drown out everything else ... and the repubs slink back, strap on their yokes, murmuring something not quite intelligible while Devin Nunes skulks around the white house in the wee hours ... rest assured; it will all work out; they deserve each other - imagine 'no exit' on steroids !
Republicans are letting this happen because they have held party over country since Regan was president. They have no morals, no principles, and while not inexpensive, surprisingly affordable to anyone that wants to pay to play.
Touting themselves as the party of "family values", they rape the environment, trash our schools, gave billions in tax cuts to fellow 1 percenters, and heartlessly rip immigrant children from the arms of their parents, while making a mockery of the core values of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and just about every other faith in the world.
Make American decent again.
VOTE THEM OUT!
When the defunct GOP is just a nightmare memory, another party will have formed with actual conservative values to replace them, not the phony brand of conservativism they practice.
They should be worried. Trump is an agent of Russia, a traitor, who is getting his instructions from the man that is "running" him, KGB-Vlad.
22
Looks as if he's going to serve these three countries up to Putin in Helsinki, after accusing his predecessor of "losing" Crimea. So much winning...back in the USSR.
17
We, the people, are not interested in being allies with dictator's. How do you stop this jerk from screwing up 70 years of peace, and freaking out everyday American's and our allies? He is not a king, so where is our useless Congress in all this to buffer our impulsive buffoon, Baby Trump. I know the Republican's are all in church cowering behind the devil. I refuse to accept this. I suggest all of you out there....excoriate your representatives...... relentlessly and out loud. Call them out every day in every way out as the lowly chicken coward's they are. Stand outside their homes, stand outside Congress and call these lowly creeps out.....and don't be too gentle about it.
22
Donald Trump with his white nationalist "America First" policy is taking the U.S. on a dangerous regressive course back to the pre-World War II period of isolationism and non-engagement. That was the era of rapacious authoritarian dictators plotting to expand into powerful empires. It took millions of lives many of them American and many of them our European allies to defeat the fascist axis. Once again, dictators stride the earth and Donald Trump stands in awe of them. Of course, Trump has already performed his Neville Chamberlain appeasement imitation of "Peace in our time" by fantasizing that his failed summit with North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-un, has ended the nuclear threat from North Korea. Now, as he readies to kneel before his enabler and new Russian dictator, Vladimir Putin, he's committing another equally dangerous act of appeasement by declaring NATO, the very post-war alliance that has preserved the peace in Europe, "obsolete." The consequences, as they were with Hitler's Germany, are obvious. Mr. Putin will move forward with his military and political agenda to re-establish his version of the Third Reich--the Soviet empire. Crimea is gone; Ukraine is destabilized; the Baltic states are nervous; and after that perhaps Poland the very nation that triggered World War II. This a betrayal of his oath of office "to protect" the nation that borders on treachery.
19
Ever wonder why so many Latvians, Lithuanians, Estonians, Poles, and whatever Jews where left in those territories fled west after the Soviet forces liberated them? Towards the Germans, who had brutally occupied them? Because as bad as the Nazis were in WWII, the Russian were expected to be worse. Russia has had a long history of brutally occupying and subjugating what they considered vassal states. The end of the cold war just temporarily weakened them. This threat will not go away until the Russians democratize and deal with the reality of peaceful co-existence with the west. As long as you have one strong man with access to a big and powerful military, NATO will have to stand ready.
31
When you say "one strong man with access to a big and powerful military" - to whom are you referring?
Since many Americans are more interested in the Kardashian's private parts than history, we are getting to relive the Munich Pact under Trump.
11
God bless and protect the Baltic states, besieged by Neo-Nazis and Russians, both given 'immoral' support by the US President. Latvian-Americans, Ukrainian-Americans, Polish-Americans, should all be particularly troubled by Trump's attack on NATO, which has protected Western Europe since WWII and the former Communist block since the fall of the Soviet Empire. All Europeans and especially all Americans must distinguish the valid need to increase European investment in their own security (which President Obama convinced their leaders to achieve) from the shameful attack on collective security, embodied in NATO, led by this shameless Quisling Trump.
22
Why is the NYT's digging back to January of last year for this, "obsolete," quote?
1
One dysfunctional President can destabilize the whole globe. Make America isolated again. It should be his motto. Only he could do it, as he says.
17
They have a right to be uneasy.
When Trump talks with Russia,Putin will play him like a violin.
Then behind closed doors he will promise the Russians the world.
12
First thought: why reprint every insulting comment 45 has made about various allies? You just provide him more stage.
Second: If Russia becomes aggressive toward the former Soviet satellites, now members of NATO, what will 45 do, if anything? Join his bud putin in the ravaging of Europe---a third time?
What would 45 do if his bud putin decides to take Western European countries? Who would he aide?
These are scary thoughts because no one has ANY IDEA what he may do in either instance. My inclination is to believe he would not lift a finger to protect any one of our NATO allies. That he is so compromised by putin, he would have our military sit out any aggressive moves by his "boss".
12
Power without purpose is no power at all. And it doesn’t last. If Trump will really hand over power to Putin, what makes him think that he will be rewarded with a hotel in the end? Hasn’t he ever thought that Putin will tie up loose ends and get rid of him when the US is destroyed and he doesn’t need him?
Whatever. Evil always eats its young. And Trump won’t win.
7
I believe The Singing Revolution was in Estonia.....
2
I understand and at one time shared your confusion. The phrase “singing revolution” was apparently coined in Estonia but is shared with Latvia and Lithuania. Ownership is far less important than it’s role in the modern day history of the Baltics.
6
Is Trump an asset of Russia? Is he a traitor? The facts on the ground seem to more and more be consistent with that narrative. If so then "Lock Him Up". Where is the GOP on this? Aren't they worried at all?
21
Trump is right about NATO allies paying their fair share. Without the United States they would all be speaking German.
3
Why are the Republicans so afraid of Trump?
13
This is a strong reason why Trump needs to be impeached with Pence on the same impeachment train. No one is seeing the big picture. Russia's plan to undermine Western Europe and the US. Next thing you know, Putin's going to start bragging the Russia won the Cold War. Why can't anyone see what's going on?
20
How can the Republicans in Congress let Trump do and say whatever he pleases. Do they not care about what is happening in America and the world. Once America was a leader among
nations and now we are just a bully. While they stand by he is
destroying what was and is best. Once we had statesmen who believed in the ideals set forth by out founding fathers. Now we have only SILENCE
17
Hear hear. I believed it back when Hillary Clinton first stated it. Never doubted it.
4
We're with chambolle on that ! Chambolle is all over it!
The real fantasy here is about Putin "recreating USSR". And a wild one at that.
2
It so sad the we the nation that saved Europe from itself has to hold out a tin cup for payment on the freedom we gave Europe
6
Trump might hand Putin the Baltic countries as a 'peace offering' a la Neville Chamberlain... or would it be an extortion payment?
4
Thanks to the 114th US Congress for precipitating a Constitutional crisis.
The Judiciary should be able to hold out as a check against the unlikely case of the other two branches conspiring in bad faith, but we let one of them abuse its confirmatory roshambo power.
If we can survive until November, we may yet forestall a GoP imperium.
18
Trump is clearly a puppet in the pocket of Putin and the rest of the world needs to look elsewhere than the US for the foreseeable future. While he may sort of have a point about defence spending the US chooses to have a presence and influence around the world and so we need to pay for that influence. Trump can pull soldiers out but he'll not really cut his budget unless he shrinks the US military and that is not something he will do. Wake up people - he's Putin's puppet and needs to be impeached for treason.
8
He'll be happy to throw the Baltics to the wolves. He's throwing everyone on earth under a bus with the exception of his family and a few other very wealthy people.
14
Big picture time, folks: Trump is Putin's puppet. He really is the Manchurian candidate. He's been under Russia's thumb for years. He's the perfect stooge. Do I sound cray cray? I think not. Putin's goal is to gut the power of the USA/western Europe by any means. He saw, in Trump, the perfect foil, helped him become POTUS, enriched the NRA and Republicans, among others. Time to really look at the big picture of what's going on here, and stop being so distracted by his day-to-day chaos. McConnell has been in on it as well-I believe he knew Trump would win, so he "gambled" with the Garland pick. There really is a "vast right wing conspiracy", HRC called it 30 years ago. With every day that goes by, I believe it more and more.
24
Ironic. Because even if Trump were not being blackmailed by Putin (he likely is), Trump's natural sympathies are for all other dictators ... so he'd accommodate Putin anyway. (Which, as we will soon discover, includes ordering US troops to stand down as Putin's troops and tanks roll west).
3
For those who think NATO is obsolete, do not understand that it is the only thing preventing Putin from taking over lands that were once part of both the USSR and Imperial Russia. The Baltic States, Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine, are regions that Putin would like to re-annex. Putin has said, a few times, he laments for the Soviet Union.
Trump pulling out of NATO, or making the US a weaker participant, will open the door to Putin to claim the territory, because of either it has a Russian population, or the region is critical to Russian history (Ukraine).
He may not stop there, as there are ethic Russians living in Poland, Slavic Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria; for starts.
History showed what happened when the US refused to join the League of Nations; the rise of fascism and WWII. Europe is now again going through similar nationalism, and the US stand between that and a possibly repeat of the events tat led to rise to the people like Hitler.
The "American First" attitude failed, after WWI, and will fail again, probably creating an situation where a powerful Russian state continues to destabilize Europe, as well as the US.
22
The USA is not the protector of the Planet. Almost 75 years on the European Continent, by the American military, has allowed Europe to reassemble economically. (The EU far surpasses Russia in population and GDP.) Again, Western Europe HAS the capacity for its own defence. Even the mechanism, Article 42(7) of the European Union Treaty. A region that is not willing to provide for its own defence is not worthy of assistance.
2
Entirely right. So ignorant and short sighted.
2
R, Fine, no NATO. When the next World War ends up on our door step, I hope you are ready to defend this country.
2
"Russia on the prowl"? Give me a break. How did a similarly small Baltic nation of Finland ever manage to not be invaded by USSR and then Russia without being a member of NATO? Could it be that by not being hostile to Russia and by not hosting foreign troops on its territory? Why wouldn't Latvia try the same approach instead of demanding a multibillion-wasting behemoth of a military alliance at American expense to keep those scary Russians away? Wouldn't that be more economical and far less stressful for everybody?
3
Yes, the USSR did invade Finland in 1939. Their transgression resulted in the USSR getting kicked out of the League of Nations.
In fact, the USSR demanded land from Finland as an added protection around Leningrad. Finland was not hosting troops and was not hostile to USSR. Finland fought back and inflicted heavy casualties on the Soviet side; eventually the two sides signed a peace agreement.
Check it out, it's known as the Winter War or the Russo-Finnish War.
7
It's no secret Finland was invaded by the Soviets in 1939 (because of this the USSR was booted from the League of Nations). Your conclusion that Finland wasn't hostile to the Soviets is not quite factual. Swedish volunteers as well as those from other countries went there to fight and various countries sent aid and arms to Finland. Read some history about the relationship of the two countries you might learn possibly Finland wasn't strategically important, and the Soviets didn't want to spend their resources in that geographical area. And, the Soviet soldiers were a bit inept. The invasion lasted about three months.
4
Latvia was a declared neutral country at the start of World War 2. The secret Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact then handed Latvia to the Soviets. As soon as the Soviets took over Latvia, the deportations began - 15,000+ Latvians were sent to the Gulags in Siberia in 1941. Once the Nazi occupiers came in from 1941-45, they sent the intellectuals and elites to Germany to keep them out of reach of the Soviets.
When the Soviets reoccupied Latvia near the end of World War 2, they severely punished Latvians for their alleged collaboration and resisting Soviet occupation. The Soviets then conducted a second mass deportation of 42,000 Latvians to end their resistance to the mass collectivisation of their farms and get rid of supporters of the local partisans fighting their Soviet occupiers.
3
Who wouldn't want someone else to protect them and pay for it. This is what the NATO countries have been doing.
A quick fact check. The European Union, pre-Brexit, comprises over 500 million people. Its GDP, in 2017, was 15.3 trillion Euro. (22% of the global economy) Left to its own devices, and a regional will, Western Europe has the capability to provide for its own defence. Without further participation from European partners of NATO, the United States of America should begin the process of withdrawal under Article 13 of the Treaty.
Based on Trump's behavior and the sentiment of his base the countries of Europe in NATO must look beyond the USA as their defender against Russia. They need to develop a shared and integrated military force to counter Russia. Just look at relative size of their economies and military expenditures. They dwarf that of Russia. In 2016 the EU spent $226 billion on defense whereas Russia spent $69 Billion. By supporting a shared commitment to defend each other they should be able to protect themselves from the aggressive behavior of Russia.
2
What is to be gained by denigrating NATO? NATO serves a useful function in maintaining order. If the goal is to get Nations to boost their defense spending, it can be done without humiliation. My concern is that NATO is being trashed, and that the ill will left behind will weaken the alliance. I would welcome more commentary on this issue by our former diplomats and military experts.
6
And, what would Trump do if Putin's military rolled across the borders of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to occupy those countries? Probably congratulate Putin for 'making Russia great again'.
13
Article says:
“They also celebrate different holidays, including one that deeply divides the country: May 9. For Russian speakers, that was the day that World War II ended and is a cause for celebration. For Latvians, it was the day the occupation started.”
Hey, didn’t the USSR invade all three Baltic states in the fall of *1939*, shortly after invading Eastern Poland?
3
Your headline "obsolete" refers to a comment Trump made 1 1/2 years ago, and has not repeated. Trump is not abandoning
NATO; he just wants the members to pay more. He has increased US forces in Europe and supplied some lethal arms to Ukraine, which Obama had not done.
1
The Baltic nations have been terrified for years about Russia mowing them over. They've been VERY dependent upon the US for protection. Trump's threats of withdrawing will put them on the edge. They've seen what has been done in the Ukraine. They very well could be next. Poland is also exceedingly nervous. There could be a mass exodus in the region if Putin decides to strong arm them. Yet again, he may not do anything there.
6
But, those refugees seeking asylum will be white. Trump and the Republicans will take them in with open arms.
1
"Even as Mr. Trump has railed against NATO, the United States military has continued to lead the alliance"
Hopefully all involved realize that Trump speaks only for Trump. He was rejected by a clear majority of voters. His money is all that counts attitude does not represent the views of the majority of Americans.
We stand with our allies, not with Trump.
37
How sad that these three Baltic nations are still fighting to survive. I hope the other NATO countries will stand by them since I don't think that our President wants to support Article 5 of the treaty.
16
It makes sense to improve NATO, redefine its roll, redefine the role and contributions of each country. No country should ride for free. Trump will not get it done, however. He is abrasive, offensive, insulting, too closely aligned with Russia to be trusted, he will get no co-operation from other countries. Perhaps the next president will be more able and will get it done.
9
The entire Kremlin, possibly all of Russia spread over nine time zones, does not have a single electronic calculator with enough digits to calculate the Return On Investment that Russia keeps getting every day from their Dear Friend in DC.
We are simply giving away, frittering away - day by day - what our country, these United States, had established for itself at such huge cost in blood, treasure, helping the allies, facing adversaries and have peoples, nations and governments see our values, despite our slip-ups. Took us about 242 years to get here, and in less than 242 weeks...
39
Let me translate Trump's statements about NATO and EU for you -
There are 5 countries that have met their NATO spending targets - US, 3.61%, Greece, 2.38%, Britain, 2.21%, Estonia, 2.16%, Poland, 2%. Notice that neighboring Poland made the list and neighboring Baltic country Estonia is on the list.
Lithuania, 1.49 %and Latvia, 1.45 % are almost there. Trump is not criticizing these countries. The US ambassador to Estonia was more than silly to have resigned, since Estonia has SURPASSED her commitments to NATO, again Trump as not directing his criticism at all at Estonia!
Trump is really targeting his criticism at Merkel and Germany, at 1.19%, which has the strongest economy in the EU, and therefore should not be a NATO scofflaw. He has no love lost with Merkel, he is a controlled borders person and Merkel is an open borders advocate, so since Merkel has not held her criticism on Trump, Trump will return the favor and not hold his criticism of Merkel where she is as a scofflow.
About the EU - Trump sees that the US has a trade deficit with the EU, particularly with Germany, who sells Americans quite a lot of German cars. Trump sees that the EU imposes tariffs at a higher rate on American cars sold in Germany than tariffs on German cars sold in the US, and is critical of this and is attempting to right this imbalance. He is not criticizing at all the Baltic countries when he criticizes the EU, his target again is really Merkel and Germany.
7
The issue, and the Baltics' fear, is whether Trump is going to destroy NATO, not whom he is criticizing. Are you saying
that after Trump wrecks NATO, he'll come around to defend Estonia from his new buddy Russia?
7
If Trump wants to criticize Germany, he could do so. Your statement defending him and supposedly clarifying his position is your own, not his. If indeed he wants to pressure Germany into paying their fair share, rather than just making chaos and anxiety for those that are (Estonia, for example), he could easily do so. Is he stupid, lazy, or does he prefer the chaos and the ensuing news coverage?
3
If Russia decides to move into the Baltic States would the American people really be in favor of total war to defend them? Can you really imagine France, Germany, England going to war to defend these states? NATO expansion into these states was a huge strategic error. NATO, in its current form, commits US blood and treasure in a carless manner.
7
What if Putin decides the Baltic States are not enough and invades Poland or Czech?? Where do you draw the line?? Appeasement is appeasement regardless.... I witnessed first hand the former Soviet eastern block in the 70's. I don't wish to ever go back to those times but if Trump is bought and paid for, anything can happen and will happen.
7
So what are your thoughts about our policy of defending Taiwan from China?
I totally disagree with your comments in the Baltic states and NATO
1
NATO countries shed blood to defend us after 9/11
8
I agree with President Trump in principle while completely disagreeing with his rationale and conclusions.
NATO is an anachronism that was formed to deal with the geopolitical security concerns of post-WWII Europe. Modern day Russia is nothing like the Soviet Union and by comparison is less of a military threat. What Russia does have, however, is a vast and sophisticated capability for intelligence operations abroad. They are capable of causing considerable damage as seen in their involvement 2016 U.S. elections, Brexit, and the Catalan independence referendum of 2017 (many of the online polling sites were found to be on Russian servers). Thus, Russia is indeed a threat, but we're in an age in which an F-15 can be less effective than a hacker.
1
Mr Trump's problem is that he does not know nor appreciate anything of history. He is just a pawn in Putin's game of getting back the old Soviet empire which split up after the Cold War. He really has no clue what he's doing with NATO nor the Baltics because he doesn't know why they even exist. Except that they have real estate, maybe some with beaches.
17
Trump is undermining NATO and our European allies while cozying up to Putin. We are in deep trouble. This will not end well.
91
Plain as day -- marching toward something bad -- like WW III.....all the bad scenarios one can imagine.
3
If Trump wants to weaken NATO, why is he hounding it’s members to up their military spending? Only five NATO countries spend 2% of their GDP on defense. Canada and Germany, certainly not poor countries, spend slightly over 1% of GDP. This framing of Trump as the enemy of NATO is illogical based on his actions. It looks like Trump wants save NATO.
4
The voters said nothing of the sort. America's better than that.
Your election was hacked by a foreign government, remember? That government helped the Trump administration get into power. That government is working on two fronts to destabilize NATO and invade Europe.
The world is still counting on you guys to do the right thing. We know you have the true revolutionary spirit of the Founding Fathers in you. We know that America, land of the free and home of the brave, lives on in its people. The Trump administration can't change that.
5
It is obvious that Trump is working as an agent of Putin, and is deliberately trying to damage and undermine NATO and the European Union. The people of Europe and the United States need to recognize this reality and vote against the "white nationalist" politicians who are exploiting the refugee crisis that Putin is causing for this very purpose.
69
So, Donald J., what’s the plan? Vacate all American bases in the EU/NATO nation’s and build them in Russia, where your boss lives and holds court? The new American vision of the world ... authoritarian alliances that forbid free speech and social responsibility?
33
The NATO countries should assume the US is out until post-Trump. They would grow stronger for it. Let Trump go to bluster and tweet away somewhere else -- don't give him the platform (think G-7). Let him gush over and attempt to collude with Putin.
By doing this, we here in the US would find out exactly who in congress stands for what (it's pretty clear already, but this would really crystallize it), and everyone, including the vaunted "base," would have to decide what they want America to really stand for and be in practice.
The MAGA thing was clever Trump marketing, but, sadly, in practice, Trump is toxic and corrosive to the USA and the values it established following WWII. The 'base' will find out the hard way, I guess.
We're going to be taking quite a few more steps backwards before we step forward again. So, buckle up, stayed tuned in, get active, a vote every chance you get.
6
This "America [sic] first" thing is deeply troubling, and ultimately based upon completely false premises. It is based upon the flawed concept of "american exceptionalism", which basically states that the USA is somehow special, different from other countries in important ways and therefore shouldn't be subjected to the same standards agreed upon by other countries in the world, such as not using weapons like cluster bombs and land mines, and picking and choosing if and when to support successful organizations such as NATO and the UN. What the folks who support "american" exceptionalism don't seem to realize is that the world is not a nasty place where only "winning" at all costs matters, and where one side must win at the cost of other sides losing. The key to successful negotiation has ALWAYS been to find solid, sustainable "win-win" solutions where EVERYONE wins and there are no true losers. The current leader of this country prides himself on his negotiating skills... sigh!!
6
Even Trump’s base - some portion of it, at least - would see any actual attempt by him to withdraw from NATO as the treason it would be. Reagan worshippers who love to say that Reagan won the Cold War would be unable to stand by as Trump turned the NATO Alliance over to the KGB. Democrats should be screaming about this any time Trump even hints at weakening NATO, and this should be at the top of the growing list of high crimes for which he could be impeached.
16
I wonder if the average Trump base supporter knows the difference between NATO and NAFTA?
20
Forget about the Trump supporters. 9 out of 10 Americans don’t know the difference. That’s why we’re in our current predicament.
4
We were in Estonia the spring after Trump's election. The same Estonia that Newt Gingrich ignorantly called, "a suburb of St. Petersburg". We were told of Estonian troops training in IED's in case of the Russians crossed the border. We faced sincere questions about whether Trump would green-light a Russian invasion. To say that their confidence in US support to prevent Russian aggression was shaken would be an understatement.
Kennedy said "Ich bin ein Berliner". Reagan said "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Trumps delights in entertaining his base by savaging allies.
Trumps affinity with autocrats and dictators and antipathy toward both young and old democracies is a source of embarrassment, disgrace and fear.
25
"...May 9. For Russian speakers, that was the day that World War II ended and is a cause for celebration. For Latvians, it was the day the occupation started."
I wonder how many Latvian Jews can share that sentiment. Oh, wait. They didn't live to see the Soviet occupation because they were exterminated by the Nazis, often with some help of their Latvian neighbors.
The story of Baltic nations is inspiring. They were the little states that stood up to the Soviet Union and precipitated its collapse under Gorbachev. However, there is plenty grey in their history as well. By the way, there were plenty Latvians who were eager Soviets as well when that was the opportunist thing to do.
I realize the comment is tangential to the NATO issue. But the sentiment of anyone somehow viewing the Nazi regime in a positive light, even when juxtaposed to the Soviet repression, is jarring. Mature nations should have a mature view of their history, which is not black and white.
14
NATO is obsolete to Putin. Trump? US? No. Trump’s plummeting of NATO and the European Union reciprocally fulfills Trump’s obligation to Putin for Russia’s campaign to get Trump elected President. Trump’s manifesto is to destroy all US alliances, moral and democrat practices so to render US of A obsolete. In fact the party is over for sovereign democratic nations... the reign of terror fueled by global despots and oligarchs has just began.
13
Trump’s just saying what he’s told to say by Steve Bannon. The weakening of institutions weakens democracy and weakened democracies accord fewer protections to the people. The founders believed that the people must be governed. If men were angels, we wouldn’t need government. We need it now more than ever.
12
Or in Lincoln's words, more than ever we need to call upon "the better angles of our nature."
7
Sorry, the correct quote is "better angels of our nature."
1
I was accused the other day of hating Trump,I corrected the person ,saying I despised Trump. Why? Because fundamentally ,he is immoral. He is so wrapt in the deal ,that he would sell his own mother ,if it were in his interest. What scares Lithuanians,Latvians & Estonians ,is his ability to sell out people. He endangers his family, country , his associates . He even talks of taking America through bankruptcy with disregard of the harm it will do. So should anyone trust him? He has never sacrificed anything for his country. Just look at his non-profit ,which accused of only serving his family. His family has never served its country,neither of them. So many people,not just Americans , consider our President evil. Untrustworthy. A swamp dweller.
48
It’s about time the NATO countries step up to provide for their own defense. They need to put their big boy pants on. Norway, the richest country in Europe,refuses to meet their obligations. France left NATO for 50 years yet benefited from living under our umbrella of protection. Sweden does not belong to NATO yet lives under that same umbrella. Add Finland to the club. You would think that with the European GDP, that far outdistances Russia, the Europeans would be able to protect themselves. The bottom line is that our NATO so called partners are scofflaws. Previous administrations quietly requested that NATO members up their defense spending. It’s about time we start demanding their cooperation especially since we saved these countries in the last two world wars.
2
Sweden spends 3.5% of its GDP on defense.
13
Trump loves Russia because they finance his businesses. They ARE NOT our ally. Russia is the enemy the USA and of all free nations in Europe and the world.
32
Who stood up for Ukraine (and who was president) ?
1
Clearly, Putin, with 100 times the brain power than our sad excuse for a president, has something quite powerful over Trump. Mr Mueller, you need to turn over that rock that exposes our resident fraud: Trump, so he can be dispatched ASAP. The enforced peace of the world depends upon it. Please hurry.
95
What the heck is Trump's motivation for loving Putin? Hotels on the horizon? Keeping skeletons hidden i.e. financial improprieties from the past? BOTH!
24
I'd bet if he had a golf course in one of the Baltic countries he's be defending them. Seems to be the secret to getting favor from this administration.
17
Trump's father raised him to be a bully and a racist. Trump believes to his core that being what he thinks is "a man" trumps all other values. Now all that Trump wants is to go down in history as a strong man. He'll ally as closely as he can with Putin. And if Russia moves on the Baltic states, what does it cost Trump?-- nothing. In Trump's sick, self-loathing ego, THAT is the art of the deal.
15
Heck yes, Russia had a stake in our presidential election. Trump will hand the Baltics to Putin on a silver platter.
14
Do Americans plan to sit back and allow Trump to sell the country to Putin for hotels here and there?
78
WHERE is the so-called Republican leadership? What price are you willing to pay, Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan, and FOR WHAT? You will have all the power, but nothing will be left.
The fact that Americans are notoriously ignorant of geography and history (even very recent history) means we will forfeit the American experiment, if Putin has his way.
6
With the inept Republican majority Congress who are afraid to meddle with their useful idiot, will keep giving him a pass. As for the rest of us we hope to do a house-cleaning in November.
4
What the Cold War taught us:
We don't need Latvia,Lithuania, Estonia, all the bits and pieces of Yugoslavia, Poland, Ukraine or Hungary.
The world was peaceful and stable.
Besides some folks in those places speak Russian.
NATO war games do not guarantee peace,
They are prohibitively expensive.
They are provocative to Dear Leader's boss Vlady.
Ending war games will enable poor Ben a decent desk.
The savings will allow the construction of more Melania Be Best Reunification Camps.
And we can build more tanks and planes
and a coal powered navy!!
4
It's not just Trump who's trashing the Republic but his brain-dead thoroughly self-centered and ignorant supporters. Let's not forget that right before going to the NATO meeting he pardoned some parasitic hypocritical law-breaking ranchers who find that their extensive subsidies they receive from the rest of us are not enough but that they also deserve not to pay rent on the public lands that use to graze their cows.
I think what we really need to do is organize a boycott of American beef...
32
President Trump lives for the moment. He is clueless about the past and how it has shaped our current world. Instead of spending time golfing on this trip his time would well spent going to some of the small villages in the former Warsaw Pact to see how occupation by first the Nazis and then the Soviets affected them. He has no clue how the residents of these countries would fear not knowing if the Gestapo or KGB would come in the middle of the night to take a family member away. Family lore has it that members of our family were taken away from their little village in Poland around 1949 never to be seen again. President Trump will be fudging on his scorecard instead of seeing the immense national pride these countries have in being independent and trying to make up for the years spend under someone else's thumb. Instead he will snuggle up to another thug and say he really isn't that bad.
17
Once again, our garbage "president" automatically kowtows to the Kremlin and to Putin. Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania-- they all have suffered horribly in WW II, and even more so under Russian Soviet occupation. There is NO excuse for our feckless GOP to stand by listlessly and allow this ignoramus in the WH to make such pronouncements about Russia reoccupying these sovereign countries. Of course, only a coward and traitor to the USA like Trump could proffer such.
22
trump is a destroyer of democracies (especially, this one) and a Russian agent in plain sight. If he is not stopped by Mueller and/or the midterm elections he will win in 2020. The GOP politicians and the GOP judges in the Supreme Court will make sure of that. In 2024, he will use the same traitorous cabal to rescind the Twenty-Second Amendment to allow him to run for a third term. Or, depending upon how corrupt and despotic the U.S. Government becomes, just give him a third term. Everything trump does is to cripple the Constitution and to rule absolutely. "The shining city upon the hill" is corroding. It's so obvious.
36
I find some hope in the fact that Donald Trump is 72 years old, and does not lead a healthy lifestyle. Meanness can't keep him alive forever.
15
Following any elimination of presidential term limits, Mr. Obama would come out of retirement and crush Donnie in the general election. Now that would be a delicious end to Trump.
6
NATO became obsolete during the Bosnian Holocaust.
2
Scare mongering...childish on the NYTimes part.
Trump has pushed forward NATO missile defense and forward projection of forces more than NATO wanted to do and more than Obama did.
Even though Trump is a narcissistic, egomaniacal person, put it to rest for once. Stop trying to treat everything he does as a punching bag.
Mark my words - the media is creating the course/direction of the country and, oh, by the way, Russia figured this out a long time ago. Feed the media, like a pack of hungry wolves with the smell of rotting flesh (which Russia did), and they come out to lap it up driving the populist into stupidity (the easiest path is the least common denominator)
Actually fun to watch. You have NYTimes and MSNBC on one side and Fox News on the other. Like children fighting over scraps in a heap.
2
I think part of the reason for NATO was so that the U.S. would protect European allies so they would need smaller armies and be less likely to fight each other. Don't forget that NATO was preceded by hundreds of years of wars between the various European countries, which dragged in the U.S. and a lot of the rest of the world. Yes, they can arm themselves, but the more they're armed and going nuclear, the more likely, not less likely, that more wars are going to break out. When you have a hammer, you look for nails to hit it with. Also, as the previous poster put it, we need access. That's true of having allies in general. The more bridges we burn, the less help we're going to have when and if we believe we have to mount military force in hostile countries. Trump will be gone in a fairly short time as history goes. He doesn't care what kind of world he leaves, he just likes showing he's powerful and those he can't easily bend to his will, he either subjugates himself to (Putin) or shoves aside. I don't think his interests or judgments are the ones I want to trust.
7
Maybe it's time we talk about what's really important about NATO.
It's not their military readiness. Do we need Latvia to loan us soldiers or tanks? No, we have plenty of everything needed to fight.
Do we need them to take our side? Sure, that's a nice thing, but we've shown before that we don't really care if anyone comes with us or not.
You'd think the real estate agent would understand. It's about location. We keep our troops and our allies near the countries most likely to fight us. We keep them over there, because we don't want to fight anyone over here. Wars have a way of really messing with the economy of the places they are fought.
Maybe that's a little too cold for folks to admit, but that is the strategic importance. Think what just one day of warfare on American soil would cost our economy. And if there is one thing we should know by now, it's money that matters in the USA.
15
Derision of NATO may not be nice but Trump is correct that, except of a few countries, the members do not contribute their fair shares to the defense. The problem is not new and not concocted by Trump. Obama also brought this point occasionally although his “strategic patience” did not help to solve the problem and here comes Trump. I see his statements about NATO more as a medial format than the policy declaration, however; I hope it will pour some cold shower on other NATO members, particularly Germany to get finally real with their defense commitments. This is in the best interest of Baltic Nations and actually all EU.
3
What President Bone Spurs doesn’t get is that the NATO countries have contributed a lot more than mere money. They gave the lives of their soldiers for dubious endeavors like Vietnam and Iraq. But President Bone Spurs wouldn’t know anything about service since he’s never done any. I will never understand how the same people who criticized Kerry and said that he didn’t deserve his silver star now swoon with such love for Trump.
138
I understand it; it's called stupidity.
14
Agreed.
Isn't it cruel irony... democrat Al Gore actually served in the military in Viet Nam while George Bush remained stateside in the national guard. John Kerry was a bona fide Viet Nam war hero but was lied about by republican "swift boat" conmen.
Chicken hawks like trump, bolton, and their ilk talk tough but fail in demonstrating actual courage and integrity. Yet, trump has the support of 87% of republicans.
Still the MAJORITY of US can NOT stand him nor what he stands for.
The Estonians were subjected to Putin/Russian cyber-aggression long before we were. They and other Eastern European peoples have reason to fear Russian intentions. Unfortunately, their larger brethren, the Poles and the Hungarians, are responding by following their historic tropes of authoritarianism and antisemitism, with active encouragement from the Trump regime. Defending democratic values doe not seem high on the agenda of at least a few NATO members. Oh, and Turkey is not winning any prizes for Atlantic values. But, then, neither are we, with 90 percent of Republicans celebrating the Trump-Putin entente.
25
I must be missing something: Why can't the Europeans step up to the plate and fight for Estonia and Latvia?
After all, they basically told Trump just earlier today to -- I am paraphrasing -- get lost.
5
The Republican calculus: two Supreme Court seats is worth the disruption to the world order that Trump is causing. Two Supreme Court seats is worth the magnitude of the corruption in the White House and the cabinet. Two Supreme Court seats is worth a trade war. Two Supreme Court seats is worth our soul.
31
You were With Her.
You lost.
Get on with your life.
1
We do not need our “allies” if they are too cheap to protect themselves.
It'll probably be two more in the next 6 1/2 years. You watch!
It should be noted that Estonia is one of five NATO countries that pays its fair share for defense. The others are the U.S., Greece, Poland and the U.K.
18
I hope cartographers are ready to update some maps because this is a green light for Russia.
5
It IS outdated, other countries don't pay bills.
Have fun.
2
NATO countries are deadbeats. They are supposed to spend 2% of their GDP on their militaries but no one except us has done that for decades. We spend 4%. Germany for example spends 1.2%. Us protecting Germany is a lot more valuable to Germany than Germany protecting us, that’s for sure.
They use the trillions saved to offer their citizens free healthcare and college while we can’t even offer healthcare to our vets properly.
8
Don't blame Germany or any other member of NATO or the EU for our own nation's belligerence, stupid mistakes and grotesque waste of trillions of our tax dollars.
Ever hear of Vietnam? Iraq? That's where your healthcare, education and other programs your tax dollars should have funded were squandered. Up in smoke - literally.
And as a result of the chaos we unleashed in the Middle East, hordes of refugees fleeing violence, destruction and political unrest washed up on Europe's nearby shores. The United States, which made that mess over Europe's objection, refuses to offer them sanctuary, and then berates Europe for taking them in, instead of simply abandoning them to their fate... just as the 'America First' crowd did with the Jews who attempted to flee Hitler's stormtroopers and enter the U.S. in the 1930s and 1940s.
So don't give us that malarkey about the EU 'sponging' on the U.S. We willingly budgeted over $700 billion to military spending for 2018 alone, shortly after passing over a trillion in tax cuts to our wealthiest individuals and corporation.
The EU did not force us to commit that enormous blunder, and we did not do it to defend the EU. We did it all on our lonesome. It's what we do - or what 'conservative Republicans' and Trumpistas do, anyway.
You can only milk so many excuses out of your politics of resentment. That phony baloney about the EU and NATO is not going to wash with anyone but members of the Fox News, InfoWars, Breitbart and Trump cults.
35
Not entirely correct. Greece, Poland,Estonia and the United Kingdom spend more than 2% of their GDP on their respective military. But you are correct that other members of NATO should spend more. Keep in mind that if the US did pull out of NATO Germany would probably build weapons of mass destruction.
4
Your healthcare failings have nothing to do with this. You chose a bad inefficient system. It costs you 17% of GDP and still leaves scores uninsured, and on average worse health outcomes than in some middle-income countries.
In Europe they decided long time ago to regulate their healthcare system and make it efficient and universal. That's why it costs them only 10 to 13% (and less in some poorer European nations), while providing better quality on average.
Ergo: Your healthcare mess is a choice. If the US decided to trim their military spending from 3.4% down to 2% and spend the additional 1.4% of GDP in the current healthcare setup NOTHING would change, except some doctors, hospitals administrators, insurers and pharmaceutical companies pocketing even more money.
9
My hope is that our intelligence services are monitoring Trump's verbal and electronic communications with the Russians. There are abundant reasons for keeping a watch on what he does.
30
I think he’s an agent of Russia. You are spot on.
21
I am concerned that Congressional Republicans remain silent as President Trump rants and raves about the European Union, NATO, the U.K., Germany, France, Canada, our nation's friends and those with which we have had alliances since the end of World War II.
At the same time President Trump yuks it up with President Putin of Russia.
We must find out what the connection is between Trump and Putin. Perhaps the Mueller investigation will find out. I hope that it is not too late when we do find out.
77
Why is everyone waiting on the Mueller investigation? Not me! PPTUS' body language alone has convinced me a long time ago that if the 2020 election turned out to be, by God's provenience, a contest between Donald Trump and Benedict Arnold, I wouldn't think twice about voting for Bennie. I have a strong preference in this day and age of having my country betrayed to the Brits rather than that crowd of has-been Soviets Putin represents.
3
POTUS', of course. Perhaps, someday in the distant future the NYT will provide those who comment with at least a minute to edit as other advanced publications do.
1
Thank you for highlighting this topic in all the flash about the Supreme Court contest and the reality of the upcoming Summit. These are the border nations who live with the threat posed by proximity to Russia including frequent cyber attacks. It's 100 years for these nations since they first escaped Russia's grasp. They are returning to prosperity and normalcy after an interregnum, have their own languages and only recently have been populated by the invaders who ruined their society and economies.
It's difficult to sanction lost civilizations in a world being overshadowed by a pile of tweets and economic grabs. Let's try statesmanship and diplomacy along with impartial justice.
Let's avoid the anonymous green soldiers and not make this the next Crimea. Putin said he didn't do that either in 2014. The soldiers are already in adjacent occupied Kaliningrad with upgraded nuclear weapons. Cyber attacks are ongoing. Wake up America and help our allies! Permit diplomacy to prevail at the Summit. These people just want to live their lives. NATO exists for some very good reasons. The millions who live there should not be submitted to occupation or nuclear war. They were forced to clean up after Chernobyl. The 21st century does not need that.
8
Trump, the 4 time bankrupt, draft dodger- Cadet Bone Spur to his minions- has zero right to discuss NATO. He's not worthy to clean out their latrines....
296
I vehemently disagree with your characterization of our president as someone who went bankrupt 4 times. His companies actually went bankrupt 6 times.
6
Nah. Cleaning out their latrines is just about right.
Can Mueller hurry up with his reports so we can get on to the impeachment to remove this disastrous, treasonous president from his false role as leader of our country? He is completely under Putin's thumb.
21
Trump will go down in history and the traitor who sold out America and Europe to Russia for his and his family's personal gain. The congressional Republicans will go down in history as the enablers of the traitor.
384
Speaking of history. Roman Empire fell among other things because of its expansion beyond its economic means. Those who get carried away by the glory of the world conquest and expect US to continue to drive and pay for this NATO expansion are missing (or don't care) about the obvious historic parallels. If Trump does not read history, someone who does must have explained it to him.
Trumps desire to make friends with Russia has more likely to do with his attempt to drive a wedge between Russia and China and less with infatuation with Putin. It is the Russia, China, Iran alliance that he sees to be the real threat. So from geopolitical point of view a deal with Russia is more important to Trump than support of protectorates like Latvia which he sees as a dead end.
Please don't call NATO a "defensive" alliance. I may be wrong but I don't recall the last time it actually defended a NATO member? But I do remember NATO aggression in places like Afganistan, Libya, Yugoslavia to name a few
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NATO_operations
2
Of course NATO is obsolete:
Anything that does not center around Trump is- obsolete, useless, unfair, stupid...
Rather than nourishing (NYT's own) Trump-addiction by clogging up the front pages; how about just adding "Trump News" in the upper-left search grid?
48
I like it. Needs a "Trump's LIES today and total" boxed column to go with.
The Republican party is an American political party devoted to advancing the interests of Russia. They should start referring to each other as comrade.
119
GOP = Government of Putin
7
There are only 2 countries in the world that are benifiting from the wannabe strongman buffoon occupying the White House today, and the United States isn't one of them.
76
This headline should read, 'Putin thinks NATO is Obsolete, and Trump says it.'
93
So Trump might legitimize Russia's Crimea annexation? What the heck is going on here? Who does he think he is, Neville Chamberlain, who gave away a country that wasn't his? Would our President enslave free people who have done him no harm?
It is no wonder racism is very high in many of the smaller, poorer former USSR satellites: they are insecure, uncertain, scared and at risk. They lash out, they crave security and respect.
President Trump, if you abandon any country that seeks to attain freedom or seeks to maintain freedom, you will be reviled beyond any horrible president we have ever had.
At the Commissary where I worked here at Ramstein, we constantly hear the many european languages of our compatriots, our brothers in arms for freedom. We are all together, stronger together. We are ONE TEAM.
What are you DOING? Do you, in your high tower, have any clue what it means to be at war, to be a minority, to be betrayed by your allies? You don't know Jack, Mr. President
205
It's very simple to understand all of Trump's actions once you understand that Donald J Trump is a TRAITOR. He's a Russian operative that has laundered money them for years, has been groomed by them since 2013 and will do their bidding in exchange for helping to insert himself into power. Per the Steele dossier, which has proven to be accurate in many important areas, Trump had Cohen contract Russian hackers to help with his campaign and also paid them off to help hide them later. Either Donald J Trump is a Russian operative or he is the most monumentally and dangerously incompetent man alive that has surrounded himself, his government and campaign with people who keep getting caught lying about their ties to Russia.
Trump is really more of a moron than I ever imagined if he even entertains the thought that destroying NATO is a good idea. First, he's in this "game" as one of what he envisions as a global authoritarian alliance - a bunch of nuclear-armed authoritarian countries dictating governance to their suppressed populations. Putin, Xi and Kim are already there, and Trump wants to "play with the big boys" using Americans against themselves. ALL FREEDOMS WOULD BE LOST.
As soon as he fails to support NATO as a mutual aid/defense pact, as was invoked after 911, RUSSIA WILL AGAIN BECOME THE SOVIET UNION but with greater borders. All of the Balkins will fall if Putin says boo and German, France and England, Italy, Greece and the rest of Europe will have little choice but to do his bidding. Asia will be dominated by Xi.
Trump is, at heart, a coward. If he does not have others to enforce his whims (like Cohen and the rest of his cabal, the Trumplican Congress AND OUR MILITARY) he could never implement his insane schemes.
The leaders of the other NATO countries are over a barrel, to some degree. They hate Trump and rightly have no respect for him. The survival of their countries in the event of a Russian expansion would depend upon a firm, working alliance with the U.S.
It has been the folly of every ultra-nationalist to think that they are islands. Hitler, Mussolini, Amin, Hussein, Noriega, Stalin - all went the way of despots, as will Trump, but WE will be much the worse for it!
28
Latvia should send the Russians packing back to Moscow. Then Vlad will have no excuse to annex Latvia.
7
around the world the media plays a pot-stirring role!
imagine foreigners coming into the USA celebrating their own holidays and attending separate schools, Pres. Trump would be OK with that ?????!!!
2
Mystery: Why do conservative Republicans prefer Putin puppet President Pathological to Democrats and moderate Republicans? For 80-plus years before Trump, they accused Democrats of being tools or accomplices of the Soviet Union, whose KGB employed Putin as an agent.
84
Because Republicans are no longer conservative; They are just authoritarian now. Somewhere along the way they became too timid and scared to live as free-thinking citizens in a Republic, and now crave the leadership of a strongman. Compliance with propaganda is now valued above all else.
8
I'm a bit frustrated with this situation.
The United States has benefited for almost a century from NATO. The rest of us rose up and protected you when your country was attacked. Now, before our troops have all even left Afghanistan, apparently it's all forgotten. Apparently our soldiers lives are worth only dollars and cents to the Trump administration.
Why don't we spend more on our defence budget? We shouldn't have to. The Canadian flag is accepted in almost all parts of the world. It's not a target, it's not a rallying cry for combatants. We actually put effort into getting along with people, so most countries don't hate us. We can go where you can't. Americans can't bring peace when they're the reason for the war. Americans can't go into stop battles when they're already funding one side. NATO allies have capabilities Americans don't. We speak the language, we know the people, and we aren't their enemies.
War in the Balkans is like a canary in a coal mine. When the Balkans burn, the rest of the world is sure to follow, and right now the smoke is starting to pour out. We've been there for years, trying to stop the Russian advance. We've been very clear how we perceive Russia's incursions. The United States has waffled.
Dollars and cents don't keep the peace. Peacekeepers do. Do you want a dollar bill to have your back, or do you want us?
230
The fact that you think that your inherent goodness and not the blanket of American defense is the reason that you are free is exactly why the US should drastically cut our military spending.
A large majority of Americans completely agree with you and are horrified by Putin's Puppet who eagerly sells out the world and the U.S. for his own gain. Remember that he is in the White House because of an outdated electoral system and because a large number of voters couldn't bother to vote, voted third party, or voted for him as a "protest" vote. The U.S. hasn't wobbled; it is the would-be dictator and his quisling GOP. Please do not forget that. Until he's gone, Canada and the rest of the Western nations will have to band together to await America's return to sanity and decency and prevent the onslaught as best they can.
6
"The blanket of American defense "toward Canada is highly doubtful, in the light of Trump's insults, threats and unjustified tariffs re: Canada.
Canadians have little reason to trust the Trump administration and its supporters. It is important for Canada to strengthen its military and its alliances with more trustworthy countries.
If the US reduced its military spending and its self-seeking "regime change " machinations in other countries (Venezuela, anyone?) and spent instead on its education, health care and infrastructure , America would be greater.
I wonder about the underlying-reason for the NATO bashing. I believe we will not really know until Mueller’s investigation releases it’s findings. It just doesn’t make any sense to destroy a working relationship that defends democratic countries, in favor of what is essentially a dictatorship.
101
Putin is ready to march in a claim the Baltic countries, once part of the Soviet Union, as part of the Russian sphere. Trump will only shrug.
9
What do we suppose Trump will get out of this at the end of the day? He's facilitating the expansion of Putin's power in Europe and weakening the influence of the US in the west at the same time. Trump is the supposedly consummate deal maker so this has to be worth something to him. I pray to God we're not going to witness the uprooting of the western order just so his sons can build some hotels.
18
It doesn't matter whether Trump thinks NATO is obsolete. If any member of NATO is attacked we are obligated to defend them until the USA pulls out of NATO. Which to my knowledge we have not done yet. If that happens then the Baltics should worry.
5
The voters spoke loudly in the election
No more aid for the poor
No more tolerance for immigrants
No more tolerance of other cultures of citizens who are not white Judeo-Christian
No more women’s right to privacy
No more support of legal precedents that are not conservative
No more protecting the environment
No more support of freedom
No more support for historic allies and institutions
It is a new America. And the world should get used to it
The lamps are going out across the world, we shall not see them lit again in our life time.
87
"The voters spoke loudly in the election"
Actually a clear majority of American voters spoke clearly against all that you list.
If men 20 of the party over country Republican Electors refused to override the expressed will of the voters, Trump would not have been imposed on us. All the horrors you list are at the feet of the Republicans, not the choice of Americans.
3
No, the voters did not speak loudly at all. 45% of eligible voters did not vote in 2016. They were silent. Trump got in the White House not only with 2.8 million fewer votes than Hilary Clinton, but with the vote of only about 24% of eligible voters. So rather than wring your hands and cry over the demise of democracy, please go out and help register voters, and help turnout the vote in November. You are truly a citizen only if you vote.
6
The voters indeed spoke loudly and by 3 million votes they chose Hillary Clinton. Trump won because of 80,000 votes spread over the states of Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania that gave him a win in the Electoral College.
Trumpism does not enjoy majority support in America. Remember that and remember that all this damage is being done by a President with an approval rating of 40% or lower.
This is exactly the time to reassure the Baltic States about NATOs commitment to them and the other members of the European Union.
Trump, as usual, has things very wrong. He's embarrassing and dangerous.
And much too close to Putin and Russia.
31
Trump is a little late. On December 25, 1991, the Soviet hammer and sickle flag lowered for the last time over the Kremlin, thereafter replaced by the Russian tricolor. Earlier in the day, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned his post as president of the Soviet Union. That is the exact moment that NATO became obsolete. Shortly thereafter I remember reading an article by Henry Kissinger in the LA Times advocating expanding NATO eastward. What for? Its purpose was over. Until that time, I thought Kissinger had something to say with his balance of power and all that. But it was then that I first realized he was a fraud living in a fantasy of scientific sounding ideas. Trump might be strange. He’s not the worst thing we can imagine.
2
JamesEric: I know what you mean and agree with you, however, in this country of yours it is about emotions, not reason.
2
NATO is obsolete according to Trump.
The UN has been obsolete for many decades now.
Our lawmakers (do nothings) will also achieve obsolete status? Who knows. It’s the season of not knowing.
2
It's as if Trump's voters elected Benedict Arnold for president. But, famously, as non-readers, they probably would not understand the analogy.
149
Cmon Cmary.
We all elected Trump, by not politicking enough against him, by not caring enough to do all we could.
When we ridicule those who voted for him, we lower ourselves and we weaken the trust we say that HE is destroying.
Yes, he is a truly horrible, potentially catastrophic President.
3
Actually, I did work hard for Clinton, so will not take personal responsibility for her defeat. But, to your point, more Dems did need to show up at the polls to have prevented Trump from being elected by the vagaries of our political system. As for making fun of Trump voters, it's hard not to when you read about their views. Many are Ill-informed by not reading and only listening, instead, to Fox News, as a NYT piece showed about a week or so ago. Admittedly, I am taking some satiric aim at Trump followers, perhaps to alleviate some of the ongoing frustration I feel day after day, learning what Trump is doing to this country--something you may not be experiencing to the same degree if you are living in Germany. To this I would add that lampooning the opposition has been a grand old tradition in this country. And, while it's (still) permissible here, I will continue to use it to express my views.
5
Dissolving NATO will remove the wall between the US and Russia. Dissolving NATO will open Europe to actions seen in the Ukraine. The common bond between those two scenarios... Putin's Russia... the Trump supporters, the GOP and this administration.
9
If the ethnic Russians, who moved into Estonia and Latvia during the Soviet occupation, really prefer to remain 'Russian' rather than integrate into the existing original societies -- then perhaps they should just move back into Russia where they came from?
29
Don't forget that these lands belonged to Russian empire for three centuries starting with Peter The Great. Such nationalistic conflicts should be resolved on the basis of mutual respect (not win-lose alternative) as well as UN Declaration of Human Rights.
5
Those ethnic Russians don't really want to go back to Russia.
When Latvia (and the other Baltics) we illegally annexed into the Soviet Union huge swaths of ethic Balts were sent to Siberia while the Soviets moved in ethnic Russians to replace them. The Baltics, even in their wartorn state at that time were considered a more attractive place to live than the Russian homeland so many Russian accepted the move. Even now, with ethnic Russians having limited voting rights, they still prefer to stay in the more western Baltic states than the totalitian Russian state of their families.
5
Most Americans only found out about Latvia through a Seinfeld show some 25 years ago. Trump didn't care for Seinfeld.
5
Forget Russia, given their position on our northern border I find the Canadians' decision to expand their military forces very provocative. Given these and other present dangers, such as the rapists, drug dealers and murderers infesting our land, can we afford to let the Mueller's and others' investigations continue to distract our nation's commandeer in chief? And before you all say I'm some kind of Trump apologist, I want to point out that a concern for these very kind of witch hunts is the considered opinion of one of our finest legal minds, a man being considered to be the newest Supreme Court Justice. Freedom!!!
You are joking, right? A satirical comment, chuckle, funny. Chuckle ... is your name Jonathan Swift? Are you writing A Modest Proposal 2?
8
Even if these European countries spend exactly what Trump wants them to spend on their own defense, don't think for a second that American taxpayers will see any savings from cuts to our defense budget, which no Republican would even dare try anyway. The real plan is to bankrupt and thus soften up our former European allies, so that Russia can have its way with them while we refuse to lift a finger.
Yes, the President of the United States is an undeclared foreign agent, and Congress should make him register just like anyone else.
4
Because Republicans are no longer conservative; They are just authoritarian now. Somewhere along the way they became too timid and scared to live as free-thinking citizens in a Republic, and now crave the leadership of a strongman.
6
NATO, I don't think you are obsolete. We are in an abusive relationship with our federal government and currently enjoying minority rule. Please ignore the lies and insults coming from our mouthpiece. Some of us remember WWII and the cold war, well we remember learning about it and we value overlapping governance and a strong Europe. Our president is unlearned and greedy. We need strong informed leadership more now than ever. Please ignore Trump and don't let us fall into Putin's traps.
42
Why was Lithuania not included as a threatened country?
12
This sort of logic doesn't work particularly well for people like the Rohingya of Myanmar, most of the Jewish population of Israel, most of the Polish population of Pomerania, Silesia and Prussia or Northern Irish Protestants. For that matter, it doesn't work well for the European-American residents of the Great Plains or the Pacific Northwest.
1
Probably because it doesn't have a sizable Russian minority, unlike Estonia and Latvia. But it is obviously threatened with aggression given its proximity to Russian Kaliningrad.
6
It's time to start thinking about Benedict Donald skipping out on our country and seeking asylum in Moscow. After all, Trump knows he's a traitor, and now he has to fear that Mueller will have the proof as well--if he doesn't already--once Michael Cohen flips. Trump's fear is now palpable.
Ordinarily, we would all say "good riddance," but over the past 20 months Trump has had access to our nation's most closely guarded secrets. He won't care about spilling his guts to the Russians--that may be the point of his upcoming one-on-one meeting with Putin. But every democracy loving American cares deeply about keeping our country safe. And that means forcing Trump to keep his trap shut.
It is critical that patriotic State and Defense Department officials keep close tabs on Trump when he's in Helsinki. It is absurd that our traitor-in-chief might be permitted to meet alone with our nation's top adversary.
And once Trump is back on U.S. soil, steps must be taken to ensure that he can't abscond to a tower suite in the Moscow Ritz Carlton when the law closes in on him. What Trump knows must be buried with him--or at least locked away in a jail cell for the rest of his miserable life.
17
Can we revoke his passport while he is abroad? Just deserts! Just let him try to cross the border anywhere - we’ll sic ICE on him and put him in prison. Tit for tat! I’m pretty sure his children would not miss him, and Don Jr. can keep him company, if he can find him.
4
Trump has been laying the ground work to withdraw the US from NATO since he came into office. In exchange for what? A hotel in Moscow? Has anyone heard a peep about this from the republicans? Silence in exchange for what tax cuts and deregulation? God help this country.
417
Dear Mark in MI: no it’s not for a hotel in Moscow nor for tax breaks. Trump has had shady biz and shady money coming from Russian oligarchs and perhaps from papa Putin himself or his government, in form of election interference. They have dirt on him and I can’t wait for Muller to expose all that. They can also make him or break him. He intends to be like papa Putin in the future, at 80 billion, one of the richest man in the world. Would he think twice before selling America for that? No he would not. It’s all about money for him. No human rights, no decency, not the little guys who voted for him.
5
if we leave it is easier for russia to enter..
Forget "god", Mark.
WE THE PEOPLE are the only ones who can/will stop The Con Don and his Robber Baron brethren and NOW is the time.
Every American citizen who wants true democracy in OUR United States of America must fight like hell to preserve/restore the one thing they value most.
You better believe these countries are worried. IF any action happens to these countries from the Russians, I can possibly see Trump doing nothing. You can't predict anything that he might not do!
159
Doing nothing? He'd probably invite Putin in. Here in my part of Brooklyn we have lots of Russian expats. I'm guessing that Putin sees Brighton Beach as part of greater Russia and would send in the troops to defend their interests at the slightest provocation. And with Trump's blessing.
109
If the Baltic countries are worried about a confrontation with Russia, perhaps they may want to consider demanding that the US move its military forces set up within a few yards of the Russian border in those countries -- how would the American people feel if a hostile power had military bases strung along the border in Mexico within artillery-striking distance of American cities as American artillery does to threaten St. Petersburg?
1
Well he may try building golf courses or "fabulously" tasteless condos--highly suitable and sought after for money laundering purposes (special discounts for Russian pals).
By declaring the obsolescence of NATO, Trump is on his way to making the United States obsolete on the world stage. Our position as world leader is in jeopardy.
We were once regarded by the free world as the grown up in the room. Now, we have a temperamental, ignorant child in the White House, who is willing to abandon our allies. He claims that the reason is financial, that our allies are not paying enough for their own defense.
The truth may be more sinister and may have everything to with the upcoming summit meeting between Putin and Trump. Trump gives every indication that he wants a stronger alliance with Russia than he does with our European Allies.
Every American should be alarmed that a sitting president, a president who came to power under questionable circumstances involving Russian meddling, should be meeting in private with the Russian autocrat.
Something is very wrong here. Until our questionably patriotic Republican congressmen and senators decide to stop pandering to this treasonous president, the future of our democracy, of all democracies, is in grave danger.
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But, as we all know, GOP elected officials have not done anything even in light of Trump's most flagrant transgressions against the Constitution and America's best interests. So, we must assume the GOP will not deviate from this pattern, no matter what. That is why Dems must wrest control of both houses of Congress to protect the nation from Trump's sedition.
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45 has more than amply demonstrated through his tweets and outbursts that he’s a loose cannon. The President of the United States should be and act as the steadying hand at the ship of state, not a loose cannon.
The people who support and allow him to continue in his despicable behavior should be ashamed of themselves.
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What will Trump do when Putin swarms in to take the Baltic countries? Probably applaud and move on to anything that benefits himself. The biggest disappointment of all this are the selfish, mindless Americans staring into the cellphones, waiting for the next Trump rally, oblivious to what's going on in the world except for what state TV FOX tells them.
Trump thinks of NATO as a protection racket. Either European nations buy hundreds of billions in US equipment, strike down food safety standards that make it hard for big agro to export to the EU, or - even more fantastically - pay hundreds of billions in cash, Trump will quit NATO before the mid-terms.
In Helsinki, Trump will recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea, make a "deal" that acknowledges the Baltic Republics as Russia's "near abroad", and recognize Assad as the only legitimate Syrian leader. All in exchange for nebulous promises of containing Iran and North Korea (which the Russians won't honor) - and possibly Trump-branded Black Sea casinos.
And no, that's not far-fetched. It is almost certainly what will happen. The US is now the declared enemy of the EU. The holiday from history is definitely over.
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Our holiday from our democracy appears to be over as well.
None dare call it treason....
I shudder to think that you might be right.... but I am afraid that you are. If we quit NATO and / or recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea, it should be recognized as treason.... and the Republicans who aid Trump are as guilty as he is.
Trump must be stopped right now. Mr. Mueller, the nation is holding its breath while we await your report. Don't let us down....
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This is too sinister and I very much hope you are wrong! For the sake of all of us.
The Allied powers went to war in 1939 to save Poland - which they could not.
In the aftermath of WWII, the Baltic nations were subsumed into the Soviet bloc - against their wills.
Churchill entitled the final volume of his war memoirs "Triumph and Tragedy".
NATO continues to exists to guarantee that this tragedy does not repeat itself - and anyone who thinks that Putin is not attempting to recreate the Soviet Union is living in fantasy land.
The lessons of WWII remains relevant; appeasement only leads to greater problems down the road.
I never thought that I'd see the Republican Party become the party of appeasers - but Trump and FOX have these chicken hawks quaking in their boots.
But hey, they got their tax cut...
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"anyone who thinks that Putin is not attempting to recreate the Soviet Union is living in fantasy land". Putin is not trying to recreate the USSR. He's trying to recreate the Russian Empire of the czars.
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And the Republicans got the consulate in Jerusalem renamed "Embassy." That must be at least worth sacrificing Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
The Allied powers did not go to war in 1939 to save Poland. Britain and its then Commonwealth together with France went to war to try and save Poland and the rest of Europe from Hitler. The US did nothing until it was directly impacted by Pearl Harbour in 1942. And your help was greatly appreciated. Probably even determinative. Will you be late to the “party” again? Or even show up at all? Or is your great military, which according to the Dotard, is so fully involved in saving NATO countries find itself, as usual, caught up in American adventurism in every other part of the globe?
Who stood by our side in Afghanistan after we were attacked on 9/11, Mr. President? Not Russia--NATO.
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Not certain why Trump doesn't reduce US NATO expenditures to match other NATO members' contribution levels? Two reasons: it eliminates a Trump promise to "increase" other NATO members contribution, and, the truth is more complicated than Trump prefers to acknowledge.
The US is the self-acclaimed global military leader with land, sea, air and space assets that over-take any other possible threats - North Korea, Russia and China, in particular.
The US military budget is north of $600 Billion (54% of Federal Expenditures) a mere ~3% of (2015) U.S. GDP. Most of the budget goes to U.S. military personnel and the U.S. Industrial-Military Complex that over-charges the U.S. government BAS - business as usual. Retired Generals, Admirals and Air Force, senior officers regularly show-up in the employment records, coveted board directorships, of America's large military suppliers - even the senior politicians on 'sabatical' - like VP "I am in Control" Dick Cheney - partake in the lucre that is the biggest non-secret among educated Americans and their global cohorts.
The fact is that the U.S. military is the most expensive insurance program foisted on the American people and the NATO members. It reminds me of the old life insurance sales pitch to a young family man: 'if you should die, would you want your kids and their mom required to live on the street?'
Trump's Bogeyman doesn't exist.
If NATO is not offside agreements, what's the problem?
Trump's FAKE MAGA pitch.
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