Posted on 02/20/2024 8:36:47 AM PST by John Semmens
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is complaining that "former President Donald Trump's statement that he wouldn't help defend members of NATO who refuse to pay their fair share for their own defense undermines our security. This is a complete reversal of what the US did when Franklin Roosevelt was president in the 1940s. He told the American people that he was lending us money and equipment to fight the Nazis, but the US never made us pay them back. On top of this the US did send troops after Hitler declared war on them."
"Currently, President Biden has already given $100 billion for the defense of Ukraine and is about to send $60 billion more without even pretending that it will have to be paid back," Stoltenberg said. "He is putting Europe's military security ahead of the bean counting approach that Trump selfishly says he will take if he returns to power. It is shocking that polls indicate that American voters may very well elect Trump over Biden in November. After all, collective security has been the bulwark of NATO's defense since the late 1940s. We depend on it and have a right to expect the US to do whatever it takes to achieve it regardless of what any individual NATO member countries do."
Trump called Stoltenberg's complaints "an example of the kind of parasitic relationship that has evolved over the years since we saved them from the Nazis. I'm willing to help, but they've got to put in a reasonable effort to defend themselves. In 2014 NATO member countries all agreed that each member should spend 2% of its gross domestic product on defense. Only 18 of the 31 member nations currently meet this requirement. I say that if self defense isn't worth 2% of your budget you can't expect another country to make up the difference. As president I would owe it to the American people to not waste their money defending countries that don't pay their fair share of the cost. Obviously, there is no chance that NATO could come to our aid if we were attacked. So, I wonder if NATO has any value for America."
CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour called Trump's position "literally insane. It's like announcing what cards you hold while playing poker." Thus far Trump's announced views on NATO have inspired some member states to consider meeting their agreed upon commitments. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said "we will ramp up our military spending to meet the 2%." Others may follow, but the one thing that is clear is that the only place the European countries can envision defending is Europe. The idea that they would willingly spend anything to defend the United States as is their reciprocal obligation under the treaty is farfetched.
In related news, the Ukraine funding package approved by the US Senate contains a clause calling for the impeachment of any president who attempts to terminate aid for Ukraine's war with Russia. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) justified the clause saying "as President Biden has said many times, the defense of Ukraine is our highest priority. It must not be undermined by those opposed to spending whatever it takes for as long as it takes to succeed."
If you missed any of the other Semi-News/Semi-Satire posts you can find them at...
https://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,524445.0.html
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