Posted on 07/11/2018 1:44:10 AM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
“Germany is totally controlled by Russia … They will be getting between 60 and 70 percent of their energy from Russia and a new pipeline, and you tell me if that is appropriate because I think its not,” Trump said.
The U.S. president was speaking at a press conference in front of NATO representatives ahead of a two-day summit.
The Trump administration’s policies indicate it views security and trade as intimately linked. And when it comes to the trade balance, no ally will be spared.
Speaking in Brussels, Belgium on the first leg of his European trip, the U.S. president said a flurry of oil and gas deals had given Moscow far too much influence over the continent’s largest economy.
In particular, he singled out the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project as being especially "inappropriate."
“I think it is a very bad thing for NATO and I don’t think it should have happened and I think we have to talk to Germany about it. On top of that, Germany is just paying a little bit over 1 percent (on defense) … And I think that is inappropriate also,” he added. 'An attack on Germany and Russia'
Trump has long criticized Berlin and other NATO allies for “freeriding” on Washington’s defense capabilities. Currently only five of NATO’s 29 member states actually allocate the 2 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) to military spending that they are formally committed to as part of the alliance. Those five are the U.S., the U.K., Greece, Estonia and Poland.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
Yes!
Russia, the second largest nuclear power, still exists. Russia invaded and annexed Crimea. The Soviet (read Russia) threat still obtains.
Civil wars create refugees who wish to flee the violence and destruction of the infrastructure. The Russians have invaded Ukraine despite their protestations otherwise.
The crux of 2014 was not the issue of historic brotherhood among Russians along the Black Sea or Kiev’s utter incompetence —> It was the Stalinist, Soviet nostalgia motivating the annexation and its embrace among the populace.
It’s not about the demographic rationale for Crimea, so much as the spirit in which Putin carried out the deed.
His speech echoed Hitler’s own rhetoric regarding tbe anschluss of Sudetanland (which was also cheered for at the time.)
The other points to take away include the accompanying consolidation of draconian measures and grip on power the Kremlin has established since then... Also their perpetual assaults on the rest of Ukraine and their desire to destablize thr Middle East via Syria and Iran. Among a host of other things.
Regarding improvement of Crimean infrastructure — Stalin also implemented grand infrastructure projects, yet average Russian towns which serve no immediate imperialist or geopolitical interest wallow in 3rd world conditions - despite their sizable populations. Same rule applies today.
Take roads for example. Nationally, Russia’s has roads worse than that of some African countries. (Or none where there can and should be.)
You can bet most of the pipeline money via its deals with Germany ends up in the pockets of Putin’s crony oligarchs personal bank accounts...not on genuine pursuits of infrastructure.
And while the World Cup has been “distracting” Russians these past few weeks, the Kremlin has instituted all sorts of new draconian measures to further consolidate their power.
However it is sweet that in the town of Samara, citizens took the order to take less showers or to shower in pairs so that foreign soccer fans will have enough running water to spare.
Allies once again. I wonder if it’ll be short live like it was back in 1941?
So your problem with improved infrastructure is?
No different than the cold war advocates right here in the US who still see Russia as the Soviet Union and cannot see this is a different time and era.
Even our military leaders say that the conflicts among their own leadership, that gets in the way, are between those who still choose to see the world from the Soviet Days and cold war view. It’s out dated but the oldsters just can’t get past it to see things from todays geo-political reality.
Just do note the age of those waving the flags.....they aren’t going to change at their age to see that Russia is not the Soviet Union today.
“they aren’t going to change at their age to see that Russia is not the Soviet Union today.”
—
I know,I’m old,why wouldn’t they know?
...
Because they choose not to see reality as it is today rather still cling to the cold war mindset of the Soviet Union Days.
Power abhors a vacuum.
NATO members agreed to pay certain percentages of their defense spending and they are welching of that and on their contributions to the NATO budget.
I think only five other countries are living up to their pledge. NATO is of use to us for example it has 14,000 troops in Afghanistan.
Us giving less to NATO means less of a financial burden on the taxpayer.
Washington’s Farewell Address was principally a warning about the danger of Secession. His remarks about no permanent friends and no permanent enemies of course holds true. He also was speaking at a time when the USA was very weak with new governmental institutions. Not even a decade had passed under the Constitution.
Any involvement at that time would have been as an ally/antagonist between the UK and France either of which would have gained more influence on our elections. His advice as we were balanced between three empires with fully developed economies and experienced military establishments.
He did not imply that isolationism was the goal.
I would not be surprised if he made a deal with Putin to reduce troop levels close to a total phase-out.
After doing that and killing the Nabucco pipeline project Schröder got a job in Gazprom board a week after losing his election. It is probably the most glaring case of political corruption - German Chancellor in Russia’s pocket.
Fascinating. Russia and Germany had been allies at several points in their history they are not natural enemies.
Can you imagine the S.S. that could have resulted from an alliance between Germany and the USSR?
NATO budget in itself is actually insignificant. NATO has an office building and I think 7 AWACS planes. In 2014 NATO summit all countries agreed to bring their defense spending to at least 2% of the GDP by 2024. In current year only 8 countries have reached it and there are slackers like Germany and Canada who are large countries spending too little. New Italian government is also doing weird things talking about cancelling their F-35 purchase, that they have already paid for, but maybe this is just a mishap of inexperienced Prime Minister as this makes absolutely no sense.
The Ukraine is a region not a nation. It isn’t like in “Risk.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.