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Fears of a NATO Withdrawal Rise as Trump Seeks a Return to Power
NYT via Yahoo ^ | December 9th, 2023 | Jonathan Swan, Charlie Savage and Maggie Haberman

Posted on 12/09/2023 11:22:26 AM PST by Mariner

For 74 years, the NATO has been America’s most important military alliance. Presidents of both parties have seen NATO as a force multiplier enhancing the influence of the United States by uniting countries on both sides of the Atlantic in a vow to defend one another.

Donald Trump has made it clear that he sees NATO as a drain on U.S. resources by freeloaders. He has held that view for at least a quarter-century.

In his 2000 book, “The America We Deserve,” Trump wrote that “pulling back from Europe would save this country millions of dollars annually.” As president, he repeatedly threatened a U.S. withdrawal from the alliance.

Yet as he runs to regain the White House, Trump has said precious little about his intentions. His campaign website contains a single cryptic sentence: “We have to finish the process we began under my administration of fundamentally reevaluating NATO’s purpose and NATO’s mission.” He and his team refuse to elaborate.

That vague line has generated enormous uncertainty and anxiety among European allies and American supporters of the country’s traditional foreign policy role.

European ambassadors and think tank officials have been making pilgrimages to associates of Trump to inquire about his intentions. At least one ambassador, Finland’s Mikko Hautala, has reached out directly to Trump and sought to convince him of his country’s value to NATO as a new member, according to two people familiar with the conversations.

In interviews over the past several months, more than a half-dozen current and former European diplomats — speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution from Trump should he win — said alarm was rising on Embassy Row and among their home governments that Trump’s return could mean not just the abandonment of Ukraine but a broader U.S. retreat from the continent and a gutting of the Atlantic alliance.

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


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: charliesavage; euelectionmeddling; jonathanswan; maggiehaberman; thenato; theputin; thetrump; ukelectionmeddling
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To: Mariner

In lieu of a withdrawal, the US should assess the UN $1 billion per year in lease payments for use of that most valuable real estate.


41 posted on 12/09/2023 11:55:27 AM PST by Sgt_Schultze (When your business model depends on slave labor, you're always going to need more slaves)
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To: Mariner

Fear? Almost as scary as telling the u.n. we’re out, find a place in Zambia assclowns.


42 posted on 12/09/2023 11:55:44 AM PST by rktman (Destroy America from within? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this💩? 🚫💉! 🇮🇱👍!)
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To: BenLurkin

“Trump Seeks a Return to Power”

Nope. No bias there.

************

Right. He’s not seeking power, he’s trying to remove the yoke of power, and the abuse of it, from the corrupt hands of the political elites. That’s why they and their allies in the media fear him so much (i.e., they have a lot to lose if he returns).


43 posted on 12/09/2023 11:57:43 AM PST by Starboard
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To: Responsibility2nd

“The Slimes is worried about NATO when Trump returns to the White House.”

***********

If a Republican was president and dragging NATO into war then Slimes would be totally against it.


44 posted on 12/09/2023 11:59:15 AM PST by Starboard
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To: kiryandil
The Trump vs The NATO


45 posted on 12/09/2023 12:03:06 PM PST by JonPreston ( ✌ ☮️ )
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To: Nateman
Yeah, they can defend themselves but do they want to? Hell no! Not as long as they think the US can and will carry their water for them.

Trump warned them and told them to ante up. Now it is time to pull the plug and make the warning real.

How many think the EU will rush to the aid of the US if we were attacked? Few or none? That's what I thought.

46 posted on 12/09/2023 12:05:07 PM PST by Sequoyah101 (Procrastination is just a form of defiance)
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To: Mariner

“For 74 years, the NATO has been America’s most important military alliance”

As long as the US foots most of their bills.


47 posted on 12/09/2023 12:06:02 PM PST by antidemoncrat
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To: No name given

Exactly.
Let them sort themselves out, they keep telling us we’re unilateral and uncultured.


48 posted on 12/09/2023 12:08:15 PM PST by Darksheare (Those who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same. )
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To: Mariner

“US out of NATO.”

Agree - if the bitches running Europe want to go to war with Russia, that is THEIR PROBLEM, and they can fight Russia.

It’s now been shown that giving those bitches a US backstop is no different than handing a 3-year old a loaded 9mm.


49 posted on 12/09/2023 12:09:12 PM PST by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart, I just don't tell anyone)
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To: rktman

Or on Pluto.


50 posted on 12/09/2023 12:10:19 PM PST by No name given (Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: JonPreston
They didn't like that much did they?

Tough.

51 posted on 12/09/2023 12:10:26 PM PST by Sequoyah101 (Procrastination is just a form of defiance)
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To: Sgt_Schultze

Make that 10 billion!


52 posted on 12/09/2023 12:10:49 PM PST by No name given (Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: cotton1706

“Good! It’s a worthless tripwire organization.”

Yet, it’s pretty much kept peace in Europe for over seventy years.

Just think: There were TWO World Wars within twenty-one years; and none in almost eighty years.

I am generally leery about alliances, as there is usually a weak link that can screw the whole thing; but, this one worked pretty well, all things considered. Will it continue to do so? Well, that is the big question.

The alternative is isolationism. At one time — protected by the vastness of two huge oceans — that made sense, and worked. Those days are long gone, and will never return.

Some people say, “Well, instead of isolationism; how about neutrality?” Tell that to Belgium, circa 1914. Switzerland? A case can be made there. But, the reason it has escaped much of the global turmoil is because it controls the deposits of many of the world’s power brokers. Switzerland can bankrupt many countries and many power players with a few key strokes on a computer.

We live in interesting times.


53 posted on 12/09/2023 12:11:07 PM PST by ought-six (Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule. )
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To: qaz123
Interesting article. I could not help thinking their joint efforts at training is like putting whip cream on poop. Letting Islamic hordes in has already increased rapes and terrorism. This is what people in the know use to call 'a sign'. History also provides plenty of examples of what Islamic culture actually does. Lebanon for example.
54 posted on 12/09/2023 12:11:25 PM PST by Nateman (If the Pedo Profit Mad Moe (pig pee upon him!) was not the Antichrist then he comes in second.)
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To: Mariner

NATO has become a globalist and anti-democratic force in American politics

Even the NY Times/Yahoo are, in effect, saying as much.

The opinions of the Founding Fathers and ideals upon which they founded the country have been absolutely turned upside-down.


55 posted on 12/09/2023 12:12:40 PM PST by PGR88
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To: mac_truck

Exactly.


56 posted on 12/09/2023 12:15:46 PM PST by RushIsMyTeddyBear ("Equity" = "All animals are equal. Some animals are more equal than others.")
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To: Mariner

Oh grow up!

Trump has never advocated and obviously never withdrew from NATO.

We don’t need kooks validating the NYT lies.


57 posted on 12/09/2023 12:17:17 PM PST by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: Mariner

How will our armed forces survive without the vital assistance of Latvia and Montenegro?


58 posted on 12/09/2023 12:17:55 PM PST by eclecticEel ("The petty man forsakes what lies within his power and longs for what lies with Heaven." - Xunzi)
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To: RushIsMyTeddyBear

For decades NATO has been a key part of our military might

For centuries, the horse was the primary mode of transportation.

Libs want to ruin everything good about our country.


59 posted on 12/09/2023 12:18:14 PM PST by SteelPSUGOP
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To: ducttape45

What are you talking about?
I’ve NEVER met a military person who wanted to close our bases in Europe.

Good God some of you should write for the NYT.


60 posted on 12/09/2023 12:19:00 PM PST by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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