Nicole Gaouette, CNN: Why Trump's tweets favor Russia over China
Washington (CNN)President-elect Donald Trump has been playing global favorites on Twitter.
He has showered praise on Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling him "very smart!," and dismissed charges that Moscow tried to hack the election process -- even as he's bashed China for currency manipulation, skewing trade and failing to rein in North Korea.
It's unusual enough for a president-elect to try to sway foreign policy before he's in office, let alone in 140-character bursts. While Trump aides have said some of his statements shouldn't be taken "literally," the tweets offer insight to his foreign policy views and raise a question: When both China and Russia are challenging US power globally, why does he favor Moscow and not Beijing?
Trump's positions on Russia and China mark a sharp turn from current policies -- and that might to the point. Trump and much of the Republican establishment have made clear they aim to dismantle parts of President Barack Obama's legacy. Trump is also looking to use international relations in pursuit of economic ends, even as some observers worry his approach is based on misperceptions of economic forces.
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WNU Editor: President-elect Trump's primary focus as President will be on economics .... in this arena Russia is a non-player on the U.S. while China runs up trade deficits in the hundreds of billions .... hence the critical view of China. In regards to Russia .... there are many (myself included) who feel that Washington's foreign policy of being aggressive towards Russia is only helping to stroke tensions that do not need to be stroked. Russia is not the Soviet Union .... nor does it really have the economic or military might to be a threat against U.S. vital interests in Europe. President Trump appears to believe this .... even though the Baltics/Poland/Ukraine/and the hawks in the U.S. Congress and Senate do not. As to the Middle East .... the U.S. has shown that after thousands of lives lost and trillions of dollars spent .... it is a region and quagmire best left to its own .... a sentiment that the American public has shown in literally every public opinion. But staying out of the Middle East is not an option ... hence looking for common ground and a unified approach with Russia against extremists in the region does make sense .... even if it would mean giving a pass to tyrants like Syrian President Assad and disappointing our allies like Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states.
1 comment:
he might think, he can win War with China easily but not with Russia
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