For Erdogan, that is Jacksonian Realism - ie. doesn't hurt the USA, sorry, not our problem. But the flip side of the Jacksonian code is - make one move to harming US interests or personnel in Turkey and you will be referred to in the past tense.
Posted on 07/21/2016 5:02:26 AM PDT by Eurotwit
For example, asked about Russia’s threatening activities that have unnerved the small Baltic States that are among the more recent entrants into NATO, Mr. Trump said that if Russia attacked them, he would decide whether to come to their aid only after reviewing whether those nations “have fulfilled their obligations to us.”
Mr. Trump had nothing but praise for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the country’s increasingly authoritarian but democratically elected leader. “I give great credit to him for being able to turn that around,” Mr. Trump said of the coup attempt on Friday night. “Some people say that it was staged, you know that,” he said. “I don’t think so.”
Asked if Mr. Erdogan was exploiting the coup attempt to purge his political enemies, Mr. Trump did not call for the Turkish leader to observe the rule of law, or Western standards of justice. “When the world sees how bad the United States is and we start talking about civil liberties, I don’t think we are a very good messenger,” he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
As for NATO, I agree that everyone need to pay they fair share for being under the American defense umbrella, however, calling article 5 under question when particularly the Baltic states are under Russian pressure is NOT a good idea.
As for his praise for Erdogan?
I find it unfathomable.
I thought Trump knew who our enemies are?
Hint: Erdogan is one of them.
So while he throws Nato allies like Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia under the bus, he praises the wannabe Kalif and islamist Erdogan.
*sigh* Here I thought we had an almost perfect candidates.
These are BOTH major strikes against Trump imho.
Sadly,
Euro
Trump is far from perfect.
But he is who we have.
he does need to stop pandering to the Ron/Rand Paul and Pat Buchanan crowd with regard to foreign policy. If anything, one of the GOP strengths is supposed to be NOT being like Michael Moore, a pussy who is eschews American greatness. There’s no doubt that Trump will own Obamllary as POTUS, but he is only enabling her attacks this way.
You don’t understand. The United States is bad. Civil liberties aren’t the slightest bit important. Erdogan is a great guy, a real winner - Look how he’s eliminating his enemies by the myriad! What a stud! - and we love the accelerated growth of Islamic fundamentalism.
Now stay alert, because tomorrow’s memo may say the exact opposite, and the first one to stop clapping is toast.
When I first heard his comments about the attempted coup, I shrugged it off and thought maybe he was not up to speed about the dynamics in Turkey - now I don’t know, but maybe he thinks he shouldn’t make Erdogan a bigger enemy at a time when the airbase has been shut down.
Trump needs to do a little research about Erdogan.
He didn’t praise Erdogan. He merely acknowledged his effectiveness in stopping a coup. Its also not clear that a coup would’ve been preferable to Erdogan no matter how distasteful he is.
>For example, asked about Russia’s threatening activities that have unnerved the small Baltic States that are among the more recent entrants into NATO, Mr. Trump said that if Russia attacked them, he would decide whether to come to their aid only after reviewing whether those nations “have fulfilled their obligations to us.”
And unwilling to help those who refuse to meet their obligations is the very heart of reciprocal exchange. This is just common sense.
I happen to think the coup was staged for Erdogan to usher in a stricter Islamic regime. Even if it wasn’t so, what Erdogan is now doing is NOT the way to handle dissent.
I agree.
Everyone in NATO needs to fulfill their military obligations.
Right now, many NATO countries do no.
I even think the requirements should be made stricter.
If you don’t oblige for 10 years or somesuch your country is liable to be suspended from NATO.
I guess to try to view this in a positive light.
As a negotiation tactic it will put fire under the feet of all NATO countries to meet their obligations.
The Erdogan comments though...
This is the stuff that has always had me nervous about Trump. I don’t think he does enough homework before he speaks. He only knows what he believes on a high-level and isn’t aware of his mistakes enough to avoid saying something stupid.
If he doesn’t start getting this corrected now, the debates will be an unmitigated disaster.
He needs to polish up before he implodes. He can make no mistakes from here on out. Hillary’s camp and the media will twist even the best speech or interview. He can’t hand soundbites to them.
No one has apparently read Trump’s book from the 80s, “Art of the Deal?” Amazing???!!!
When a businessman like Trump starts a negotiation, he starts out by asking for way more than what he expects.
In this case he is renegotiating the NATO Treaty and he know s that if he doesn’t start out acting as though the US is going to go home, the cheap a$$ bastards in the rest of NATO will continue to let the US pay the lion’s share of the cost.
I’m hoping this is one of those cases where Trump offers over-the-top praise with the sort of glint in his eye that sends a chill down my spine. Then very bad things happen to whoever it is.
He’s just showing respect for strength, and dialing back US arrogance (at least until it’s warranted again.) A little courtesy is all, backed by toughness and smarts.
“We can no longer be the stupid people.”
IMHO.....I am with Mr. Trump!!! Just look at what a mess both the world and our country is in because of the policy of maintaining the faild past. We live in a new, ever fastly changing world. Many of our allies have not met their both their military or financial, obligations in pacts or business agreements and they need a comeuppance from the USA!!!!
Obama/Clinton has bankrupted our nation and just continues to throw money away...all with no positives in return. Trump is a man of action!!! Those like Obama & Clinton....that lead from behind are destroying our country.....I’ll take DJT any day of the week, over these losers and America haters!!! Go Donald J. Trump!!!
Remember, this is the Slimes, who will spin for Hildebeast
Back in 2011, Trump was out there saying America is not great. It has tremendous potential, but right now? Not so much.
I loved it. Needs to be said again and again. Americans right now are like New York Yankees fans — when the team sucks, they borrow greatness from the past — “Oh yeah? Babe Ruth. Oh yeah? 28 championships, etc etc.
WE need to be great ourselves. The left always spins “Make America Great Again” as pining for the past, but I don’t believe it.
When the Yankees want to be great again, they don’t go digging up Mickey Mantle or Joe Dimaggio. Life moves on.
In short, right now, we are NOT great. That’s why Bobby Knight loves Trump, because he sees a leader who is not satisfied with the status quo.
For Erdogan, that is Jacksonian Realism - ie. doesn't hurt the USA, sorry, not our problem. But the flip side of the Jacksonian code is - make one move to harming US interests or personnel in Turkey and you will be referred to in the past tense.
Who knows, maybe he's already received his first security briefing and actually paid attention, unlike some people.
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