Marc Champion, Patrick Donahue and Hayley Warren, Bloomberg: Trump Is Itching for a Fight at NATO
When Donald Trump barrels into Brussels this week demanding that NATO allies boost their defense spending, the response will be: We already are. But for the U.S. president, military budgets are only one line of attack. From “easy to win’’ trade wars to the system of setting oil prices, Trump is on a mission to rip up the world order and remake it in what he sees as America’s interests. That includes targeting multilateral institutions such as the World Trade Organization and the Group of Seven. As Trump prepares to meet with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders studying the president’s tweets would be forgiven for wondering if NATO is next in his sights.
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WNU Editor: When you read reports that Germany's submarine fleet is not working, only a few of its fighter jets are operationsal, and that it tanks and other armored forces are ineffective .... President Trump does have reasons to bring up his concerns to German Chancellor Merkel and to other NATO leaders on their defense commitments.
More News And Analysis On President Trump Flying To Europe For This Week's NATO Summit
Europeans brace for worst from Trump at stormy Nato summit -- The Guardian
Trump ramps up NATO criticism ahead of summit -- The Hill
Trump blasts NATO again as he departs for Europe: 'US is spending many times more than any other country' -- CNBC
Trump prepares to tackle dicey spending issue at NATO summit -- Washington Examiner
NATO desperate to avoid rerun of disastrous G7 summit -- DW
Trump-Nato summit: EU's Tusk warns president to appreciate allies -- BBC
EU official criticizes Trump over attitude toward allies -- ABC News/AP
Analysis | President Trump goes to Europe this week. Its leaders are bracing for the impact. -- Washington Post
Trump will go into NATO summit in a position of strength -- S.A. Miller, Washington Times
Even the Best-Case Scenario for What Trump Does at the NATO Summit Is Pretty Grim -- Heather Hurlburt, NYMag
How NATO can survive Trump and Putin -- Peter Apps, Reuters
Friend or foe at NATO? Who knows when Trump comes to dinner -- FOX News/AP
NATO in the Age of Trump: What It Can and Can’t Accomplish Absent U.S. Leadership -- Julianne Smith and Jim Townsend, Foreign Affairs
6 comments:
This fight has been long in the making as Obama and Bush both hectored the Euro's to do more for their defense. Trump is the first US president to be urgent about the problem. The problem is Germany and Britain don't want to spend the money to have adequate NATO defenses, in fact nearly all the western members of NATO don't want to spend the money but the eastern members do. Unfortunately they are the smallest contributors to the NATO common defense.
For extra fun the idiot Tusk just said something stupid directly to Trump's twitter handle. Tusk said the US doesn't have many allies. Last time I counted there are 26 members in NATO, excluding the USA, so are they few or not allies? Japan, Australia, South Korea, Israel the few? Which among those 30 "allies" aren't really allies?
NATO leaders "brace themselves for Trump." Trump is "itching for a fight." I think the opposite is true. Trump is bracing himself for NATO and other NATO allies are "itching for a fight." I would describe POTUS as a "counter puncher." He does not initiate the fight but he does respond. In fact, part of what he does well is thwart an attacker masterfully well with effective counterpunches and not only this but turning it around and using the attackers' energy against them.
When POTUS went to trade negotiations prior to the meeting with North Korean leaders, I think he expected pointed and difficult negotiations. I do not think he expected to be ambushed the way he was. I think he definitely did not expect the Canadian Prime Minister to deliberately try and use the trade negotiations in what appears to be a blatant attempt to undermine those negotiations with North Korea. I suspect NATO leaders will try and use the same ambush tactics this time around. I suspect DJT has learned from the last experience.
Anon,
I recognized Tusk for the man he is back in 2007 when he gave a speech alongside then president Bush. The condescending manner in which he addressed GW Bush said it all. Essentially he revealed the respect or more specifically the lack thereof that he had for POTUS and by extension America and the American people. You called him an "idiot." While this may be correct, I think you are being a bit kind. I have another description that comes to mind but am not going to post here.
Then earlier this year he essentially referred to Trump as an enemy. When one does this, they are essentially making the country he represents an enemy as well as making the voters of said country an enemy as well.
As to the notion that the US doesn't have many allies, this may well be true. I think of an ally as one who adds value in a relationship that is mutually beneficial to both parties. The current nature of the alliance with much of the NATO countries has been one of use and abuse whereby America is the used and abused party. If such "alliances" are lessened the person and, in this case, the country are actually better off. Based upon the available evidenced I conclude that Mr. Tusk and his counterparts like their Americans and their American leaders submissive to them. In DJT, the message has been sent that we aren't going to take the abuse anymore. This obviously seems to have them riled up.
As for Japan, Australia, Israel, and South Korea these alliances seem to be doing as well as they have ever been if not better than they have ever been. EU nations do not currently alliances of this magnitude that are based upon mutual support and respect. The Euros alliance with America has been based upon use and abuse for decades. It's time for this to end. I'm pleased to see some people are finally catching on.
"...but the eastern members do. Unfortunately they are the smallest contributors to the NATO common defense." While I am not un empathetic to their position with regards to Russia, these nations do have a long history of animosity towards Russia. We need to think long and hard before getting involved in their centuries old conflicts that may not serve our interests. I'm not saying not to jus that we need to be very circumspect about such things. Founders fathers George Washington and John Adams had quite a bit to say about such entanglements.
I am concerned that eastern European nations may be trying to manipulate us. Unfortunately our ideological makeup makes us vulnerable to such manipulation. As stated, I am NOT saying we should not be allied with these nations or assisting them. Perhaps we should. We need to be very circumspect about it and I think an open and frank debate is definitely needed.
Aizino,
Oh the impudence of Americans to ask for and now to start demanding fair treatment?!!? How dare we do that?!!?
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