Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Trump invokes new demand for extracting billions of dollars from U.S. allies
MSN 'News' via Washington Compost ^ | March 10, 2019 | John Hudson, et al

Posted on 03/10/2019 7:52:14 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin

In private discussions with his aides, President Trump has devised an eye-popping formula to address one of his long-standing complaints: that allies hosting U.S. forces don’t pay Washington enough money.

Under the formula, countries would pay the full cost of stationing American troops on their territory, plus 50 percent more, said U.S. and foreign officials familiar with the idea, which could have allies contributing five times what they provide.

Trump calls the formula “cost plus 50,” and it has struck fear in the hearts of U.S. allies who view it as extortionate.

Rumors that the formula could become a global standard have especially rattled Germany, Japan and South Korea, which host thousands of forces, and U.S. officials have mentioned the demand to at least one country in a formal negotiation setting, said people familiar with the matter.

National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis said the Trump administration “is committed to getting the best deal for the American people” but would not comment “on any ongoing deliberations regarding specific ideas.” Trump has long complained that U.S. and NATO allies freeload on U.S. military protection, but the cost-plus-50 formula has only gained traction in recent months, said current and former U.S. officials, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations.

*SNIP*

(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Germany; Government; Japan; Russia; US: District of Columbia; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: china; districtofcolumbia; france; germany; japan; jeffbezos; korea; maga; nato; pyongyang; republicofkorea; russia; unitedkingdom; washingtoncompost; washingtonpost
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-45 next last
To: shelterguy

“Then buy some planes and tanks and stuff and defend your own country.

+1

They will learn the true cost of national security - in money and lives.


21 posted on 03/10/2019 9:02:51 AM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: pepsionice

If France became a Muslim country - with nukes - would we really want to have our soldiers die for them? The whole NATO concept was based on Western democracies... Germans are making energy deals with the Russians... how does that fit?

It’s time to charge for out help... all these countries have ‘grown up’... and put their self interest ahead of ours. World War II ended a long time ago.


22 posted on 03/10/2019 9:03:15 AM PDT by GOPJ ("Newspeak": Republicans lie, Democrats misspeak. Democrats plan, Republicans scheme. Howie Carr)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: upchuck

Some sites I have gone to let you read a partial news article with the bottom third or so blocked by a statement asking you to turn off your ad blocker. Occasionally I have turned off my blocker to read the rest of the article and presto, the whole page is covered with an ad that can’t be removed. Those people are terminally stupid. I don’t turn my blocker off anymore for those.


23 posted on 03/10/2019 9:07:21 AM PDT by Cold Heart (Oregon, tyranny, taxes and tolls)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Sacajaweau

Yep, we are protecting up and coming muslim nations... France, Germany, GB and calling them allies. It’s a AOC world!


24 posted on 03/10/2019 9:11:45 AM PDT by himno hero (had'nff)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Sipp

“I am not sure that we need huge military bases in other lands. We have an air force that can rapidly move troops and supplies in huge amounts any where necessary, .So , why not keep our troops home,, to spend at home and be safer at home?”

Exactly. I’ve been saying this for years and years!


25 posted on 03/10/2019 9:12:38 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin ( "Why can't you be more like Lloyd Braun?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

This is a great move! Germany is disintegrating and some they will be fighting Muslims in their streets and we don’t want our troops being forced to bail them out. They elected satan so let them reap the consequences.


26 posted on 03/10/2019 9:13:56 AM PDT by jmaroneps37 (Conservatism is truth. Liberalism is lies.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

We have NO interest guarding these foreign places. I don’t need 40,000 US troops protecting Samsung. I can always buy an iPhone. Let the super wealthy South Koreans pay.


27 posted on 03/10/2019 9:33:18 AM PDT by montag813 ("This is Montag, Block 813...")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

I see the deep state RINO Liz Cheney is up in arms about this. Why? Who exactly does she represent? Her constituents? Or the M.I. Complex?


28 posted on 03/10/2019 9:35:06 AM PDT by montag813 ("This is Montag, Block 813...")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 9YearLurker
"The “plus 50” sounds like a classic opening negotiation position, meant to be negotiated away to get to a stronger-than-otherwise negotiated position."

Bingo. In the second and third world, it's called "haggling". Standard negotiating technique pretty much everywhere.

29 posted on 03/10/2019 9:39:50 AM PDT by Wonder Warthog (The Hog of Steel and NRA Life Member)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: PIF

I sometimes doubt that “RUSSIA” is such a threat.

The Soviets are long gone.


30 posted on 03/10/2019 10:02:30 AM PDT by Hugh the Scot (I won`t be wronged. I won`t be insulted. I won`t be laid a hand on. - John Bernard Books)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Hugh the Scot

Russia has about the same GDP as Mexico, but with more people.


31 posted on 03/10/2019 10:07:05 AM PDT by jjotto (Next week, BOOM!, for sure!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Cold Heart
Two browser add-ons I use to get around this foolishness:

Readerview

and

Outline

These can also help you get around paywalls. I regularly use Outline to defeat the paywall at the Wall Street Journal.

32 posted on 03/10/2019 10:20:02 AM PDT by upchuck (Home schooled kids are educated, not indoctrinated.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

President Trump - mastering the process of wringing money out of stone-faced Socialists....


33 posted on 03/10/2019 10:39:23 AM PDT by trebb (Don't howl about illegal leeches while not donating to FR - it's hypocritical.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 9YearLurker

Yup. And those who take this at face value are fools.


34 posted on 03/10/2019 11:25:34 AM PDT by Cobra64 (Common sense isnÂ’t common anymore.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Hugh the Scot

You misunderstand. The Soviet union does not have to militarily invade Europe to take it over since it already has most of Europe at its mercy with Europe’s dependency on Russian natural gas.

Not a threat, a certainty.


35 posted on 03/10/2019 11:52:04 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now it is your turn ...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin
Trump invokes new demand for extracting billions of dollars from U.S. allies

Might as well stop calling them allies. They're clients and the U.S. military are mercenaries.

36 posted on 03/10/2019 11:57:56 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Diana in Wisconsin

The gross domestic product of NATO nations in Europe is just about the same as the USA. They have the ability to pay for armed forces just the same as we. Their military expertise is an equal in conventional weapons and nuclear but they refuse to fund it. If American troops and arms are needed to defend them they must pay every damn cent of the cost plus a surcharge for the inconvenience of our boys being over there defending those that refuse to defend themselves.


37 posted on 03/10/2019 1:17:02 PM PDT by cpdiii ( canecutter, deckhand, roughneck, geologist, pilot, pharmacist THE CONSTITUTION IS WORTH DYING FOR)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: DoodleDawg

Yes. And any American life should be paid by the client at 1M$ a pop. Injured soldiers paid similarly. Otherwise, eff the whole bunch of allies.


38 posted on 03/10/2019 1:28:19 PM PDT by SgtHooper (If you remember the 60's, YOU WEREN'T THERE!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: SgtHooper
Yes. And any American life should be paid by the client at 1M$ a pop. Injured soldiers paid similarly. Otherwise, eff the whole bunch of allies.

Tell the Europe and Korea and Japan to go pound sand and bring the troops home. Discharge 75% of them and use the rest to protect the Southern border. Imagine the financial savings.

39 posted on 03/10/2019 1:53:48 PM PDT by DoodleDawg
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: jimtorr

My cousin serves near the DMZ, originally from Red Cloud. He was at Yokota a few times thru the years when he was there. That place will NOT be overrun by the enemy. He wont go into details but he emphatically said it. I think I know what he was saying..


40 posted on 03/10/2019 7:22:39 PM PDT by max americana (Fired libtards at our company for the past 12 yrs at every election. I hope all liberals die.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-45 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson