Posted on 02/11/2024 11:44:59 AM PST by Chad C. Mulligan
And so it begins. Nine months still to go before the next US presidential election and already the Republican party favourite and former President Donald Trump is sending eyebrows and blood pressure skywards in Nato capitals with his provocative statements.
And yet they will delight many of his supporters.
Suggesting at a rally in South Carolina that he would "encourage" aggressors (for example Russia) "to do whatever the hell they want" with Nato countries that fail to pay their dues has prompted an immediate condemnation from the White House. A spokesman called the comment "appalling and unhinged", saying it was "encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes".
Nato Secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg has also responded forcefully, saying: "Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US, and puts American and European soldiers at increased risk."
Did Trump mean what he said? Probably not. This is typical Trump fare. Say something provocative, grab some headlines, outrage your critics and thrill your fans.
Yet ironically, there is a grudging gratitude in some quarters of Nato for Mr Trump's threats when he was in the White House. Back in 2018, President Trump was so angered by the failure of several European nations to fulfil their agreed quota of spending 2% of GDP on defence that he threatened to pull the US out of the alliance altogether.
Military chiefs throughout Nato were aghast. If a US president ever went through with such a threat, abandoning Europe to fend for itself, it would so severely undermine the alliance that it would cease to exist in its present form.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
“Much as I support Trump - (voted for him twice)”.
Yea. Thats cute. Is that you Frank Luntz? LOL!
Trump 2024
Forget trying to give us your BS interpretation of post war European history. If you don’t understand how the total collapse of the balance of power unilaterally perpetrated by the US caused this Russian reaction, you are clueless. Spare us, the disinfo reruns.
Deadbeat countries want us to spend our treasure and lives protecting their sorry butts?
And if we don’t do that cheerfully, the likes of idiots at the BBC will condemn us?
Eff ‘em.
I give Trump a lot of slack. When he was trying to help Ukraine and had a phone call with Zelensky, he mentioned Biden and Burisma. The Democrats impeached him for that, to protect Biden.
Ukraine got weapons under his administration, weapons used successfully to hold of the Russian invasion. Now the GOP and half its base are willing to let Ukraine and Eastern Europe fall to get back over the Democrats stealing 2020.
The upper echelons of both the Democrat and Republican parties are against Trump do not want him. The Democrats were stabbing him in the back before he was inaugurated and the Republican leadership let him bleed.
When Trump talks like this, he is trying to provoke a reaction. Everyone keeps falling for it, including us.
This NATO stuff is many years old news"; NOT anything even vaguely recent! And yes, the NATO members DID pony up!
The stinking BBC is not only now LEFTY, but WOKE, anti-American, and the Brits are fleeing it in droves and NOT just because of the stupid fee to watch it!
Why many Freepers are falling for this crap, I don't understand at all. The FACTS about this are out there, on here, and this propaganda is patently ridiculous. Worse, is that not a single person on this thread knows these facts and believes this BS!
“...abandoning Europe to fend for itself, it would so severely undermine the alliance that it would cease to exist in its present form.”
__________________________________________________
Is the whole of Europe that incapable of defending itself against Russia? A Russia that, if we are to believe the Neo-Cons, is in a stalemate against lonely Ukraine?
The European countries together have an economy easily comparable to the US (and a population considerably larger). Their technology is on par with the US as well. What they can not produce in weapons, they could purchase from the US. There is absolutely no reason (other than imperialistic motives) for getting one’s thong in a wad about Russia “taking over Europe)...not even close. It’s hysterical saber-rattling. Let the Left and Democrats engage in such foolishness for a change. They need to be the “War Party” for a few election cycles. Let them reap the electoral consequences of having that albatross around their neck.
Deadbeat countries want us to spend our treasure and lives protecting their sorry butts?
And if we don’t do that cheerfully, the likes of idiots at the BBC will condemn us?
Don’t care. Cough up your share NATO or defend yourselves.
I’ll take Trump. For the last thirty years NATO has been a solution in search of and sometimes, creating problems to solve.
Ain’t that the truth...
Ever wonder what the world would be like today if we didn’t GTFO of Europe 300-400 years ago?
The NATO alliance’s only achievement has been render to its members into demilitarized, hateful basket cases. They would be better off fending for themselves. Going cold Turkey can be very motivating.
Especially in the Balkans, where none of the countries were even NATO members, that’s when the scope creep really began.
You do know you can disagree with him sometimes and still vote for him.
Its "Chad's" contribution to FR much in the same way DannyTN tells SpeedyinTexas he can't vote for Republicans if they don't finance Ukraine, or (banned) MercyFlush saying a nuclear exchange is ok as long as Russia is destroyed.
Nah, I have no use for Putlims, but no way do you get to post this and not return to this thread to defend your choice of posts from an Arab fantastist — Garnder of Arabia — whose object of obsession returned the favor by shooting him in Riyadh; whose wife left him just a couple of years ago after decades together; and who doesn’t have a firm grip on reality.
Sheesh... it.was.a.joke.
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/nato-member-defense-spending-summit/
https://www.statista.com/chart/14636/defense-expenditures-of-nato-countries/
EXCERPTS:
In 2014, NATO was collectively spending $910 billion annually on defense, but in 2023, that figure is $1.1 trillion.
While U.S. defense spending has grown from $660 billion to $743 billion during that period, the defense spending of the rest of NATO has increased at a higher pace, from $250 billion in 2014 to $356 billion in 2023.
Some of that growth, however, was due to adding three new NATO members since 2017: Macedonia, Montenegro, and Finland.
Shares of Real GDP in 2023:
- Poland 3.90
- U.S. 3.49
- Greece 3.01
- Estonia 2.73
- Lithuania 2.54
- Slovak Republic 2.54
- Finland 2.45
- Romania 2.44
- Hungary 2.43
- Latvia 2.27
- United Kingdom 2.07
- France 1.90
- Montenegro 1.87
- North Macedonia 1.87
- Bulgaria 1.84
- Croatia 1.79
- Albania 1.76
- Netherlands 1.70
- Norway 1.67
- Denmark 1.65
- Germany 1.57
- Czech Republic 1.50
- Portugal 1.48
- Italy 1.46
- Canada 1.38
- Slovenia 1.35
- Turkey 1.31
- Spain 1.26
- Belgium 1.13
- Luxembourg 0.72
Here we go again with the fake news.
All this thread needs is; “You are a silly man. Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time.”
“isolationist lunatic fringe”
Way to go “Chad”. Again, slandering and insulting people who happen to disagree with you. That’s good old Democrat smear tactics.
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