Posted on 04/02/2016 5:28:56 PM PDT by Kaslin
Whatever else can be said about Donald Trump, everyone can agree he is a provocateur who, intentionally or not, stirs controversy on subjects to which little political attention has been focused. He has injected a new issue in the presidential campaign by referring to NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as “obsolete” and arguing that the United States was spending too much money on it, while some or many of the other countries were “freeloaders.”
It is improbable that Trump has thought long or deeply on the subject of NATO, but he has opened a genuine debate on it. NATO, founded on April 4, 1949 by 12 countries, was a product of the Cold War mainly intended to provide collective security against the Soviet Union and its satellite countries in the Warsaw Pact. After the end of the Soviet Union this particular main objective was no longer germane but NATO increased to 28 countries.
NATO has always been dominated by the U.S., a reality leading to both foreign and domestic criticism for different reasons. The strongest expression of disapproval was by French president Charles de Gaulle. In a letter of March 7, 1966, he told President Lyndon B. Johnson that France expected to remain a party to the NATO treaty. However, because changes had occurred in international affairs since 1949, France could not agree to the existing military arrangements.
Therefore, France intended to recover in her territory the full exercise of her sovereignty, presently impaired by the presence of “Allied military elements,” and the use made of French airspace. France would terminate its participation in “integrated” commands and would not place forces at the disposal of NATO.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
Putin has done a wonderful job in retaking Palmyra!! The Russian air strikes have killed thousands of Isis maniacs and destroyed the heavy equipment we “gave” Isis.Isis had used Chlorine gas on the innocent people of Syria and Assad absolutely did not use gas on his people. No proof at all !! Isis has used it twice since it was wrongfully blamed on Assad by the New World Order NEO CONS. These latest gas attacks on the innocent Syrian people totally prove that ISIS gassed the people, the first time and not assad who had nothing to gain and no Chlorine gas. Syria delivered all of it Chemical to Russia, remember? ( It was all lies) We aren’t stupid!! We should be helping The Russians and Assad in stomping out the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. I can’t find A SINGLE reason that would support the proposition that we depose Assad. NOT ONE!!
If you have been listening to global interventionist like McCain , Graham or Peter King, Stop. Ask yourself “what is their real agenda”? We need to be kiiling ISIS Wahhabis. There is absolutely no “free Syrian Army. There was one but all 5 trainees were killed by Isis.
NATO only has value in terms of being a border-state to Russia and counting on US support if Russia ever chooses to threaten them....thus why Hungary and Poland are both happy with NATO.
I think what ought to occur is a renovation job, where we finally pack up and leave from Germany and Spain entirely...and downsize our footprint in Italy. Maybe some expansion into Poland.
There is absolutely nothing the USA and/or NATO can do about the EUs self-inflicted immigration problems. It can't be stressed enough, that the NATO alliance is not the same as the imaginary USA alliance with the EU. The EU does not exist in the NATO treaty, and no NATO signatory nation is bound to defend it.
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.