After months of anticipation, President Trump finally held his first meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. Trump described the meeting as going well, saying they “had some very, very good talks.”
Details of the meeting are still emerging, though much of the time was spent discussing Syria, and Trump reportedly also started the meeting by accusing Putin of meddling in the 2016 US election, despite Trump continuing to publicly express doubts about that as recently as yesterday.
Putin was quick to deny that any such meddling took place, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that one senior White House official conceded that despite months of investigation into the allegations not a single fact has emerged.
White House officials didn’t confirm any such concession publicly, and insisted that President Trump didn’t believe Putin when he denied meddling in the election. Such allegations began roughly a year ago, and quickly became the centerpiece of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, which claimed Putin was plotting to get Trump elected.
Ultimately, however, the first meeting went off without any big scandals emerging, lastong over two hours despite Melania Trump’s efforts to break it up, and the two leaders were said to have “good chemistry” with one another, suggesting that to the extent it is politically possible for Trump to meet Putin, there is still a possibility to ease tensions between the two nations.
In the meantime America is doing freedom of navigation exercises with 2 Nuclear B1 Lancers in the South China Sea.I don’t understand why China built a fortress in South China Sea I guess it’s because they want to lay claim to all it’s resources particularly the oil,all this during peace time when all nations are free to sail in those waters and 5 trillion of the world’s trade sails through those waters as well.I guess China is a greedy,corporate nation that bullies it’s smaller neighbors and wants to take up all the resources in the South China Sea and charge the world to travel through the South China Sea all this during a period of peace.I hope we don’t have to go to war over what China is doing.USA
I have a daughter (Canadian) who is in a grad school in HK- which makes it Chinese. One of her classmates did his thesis defense – topic: math- and a professor asked him: “How can this work help the Chinese military?”
This surprised me but didn’t surprise my daughter. “They all talk that way around here,” she said.
China is not a greedy corporate nation. That would be nice because that would involve a cost-benefit analysis. If the costs looked too high they would pull back. But they’re not, and they won’t.
Quite the contrary, unfortunately; what they are instead is a former great power, with a collective chip on their shoulder after three hundred years of being kicked around. They’ve got a map that they think shows the South China Sea was once part of China: well, it’s going to be part of China again, and it’s a matter of national pride.
“China is going to take over the f***ing world,” said one of my daughter’s friends’ mother. From someone who doesn’t swear.
Nationalist sentiment is a Kool-aide, and waaaay too many people in China have drunk it.
‘s They know too well what happens to countries that do not have means to defend themselves. Even though none of them threatened or had the means to threaten US. Ask Serbia and Iraq how does it feel to be bombed by depleted uranium, ask about the cancer rates in adults and children. Ask Libyans, what they think of our returning them to stone age, after they lived in a system that gave them free health care, free education, subsidized housing, full employment, that helped African countries, and had full employment. And we propped up Islamic extremism, that destroyed the country. Who does that? We did not like their leader? He was bad to Islamists? I do not recall any of us demanding that these people’s human rights be protected. Ghadafi should have protected those head choppers, those same ones that brutalized our Ambassador in Libya before being killed. Let’s go on, and blame China for wanting to protect its navigation from our toll booths at every straight, channel or port. Also, as we are not signatories of the UN convention on the Laws of the Sea, and thus have NO RIGHTS to ask for arbitrage or bilateral demarcation between states as a result of the new Convention expansion of economic rights. Any conflict that arises from the expansion of economic zones, is a business between states, and the arbitrage as provided for under the Convention. Our pathetic attempt to meddling into Philippines issues with China demarcation broke ton of international law, and forever sullied the reputation of Hague Permanent Court of Arbitration. They should have excused themselves as having no jurisdiction. For as lo as we are incapable to see our own aggression, our threatening posture in the world, what are others to make of it? European descendants are aggressive, always have been. Let someone’s weakness shows, and is an immediate target. Let us look at poor Yemen. What have they done to deserve this fate? We do not like their religion, but we like Wahhabi head-choppers.
We have much to understand about our own behavior, and the impact it had on the world. If others that have any capacity to fight back are getting themselves ready for repelling being subjugated — why is it that we blame them? We blame China for wanting to dominate its neighbors, while our domination is supposed to be benevolent? Yet, China’s neighbors rejected the US procured arbitration, by ignoring it. If indeed they were threatened, they would behave differently. Quite the opposite, all of them are having a roaring trade with China, and even South Korea and Japan are dependent on the success of Chinese economy.
I am also surprised to find out that we think that China is irrational in its economic decisions. Hardly, we are. We are propping our economy by financial shenanigans, and are blissfully unaware that the time will come when it will be unsustainable. And such state of affairs is due to our own imperial ambitions across the globe. But it is increasingly ringing hollow. We cannot accomplish one single task, such as defat ISIS in the territory between Euphrates and Iraqi border. Years of sucking thumbs, and waiting for a collection of Al-Qaeda and ISIS to defeat the Syrian Army. And even after Trump was elected, the generals are still trying to implement Hillary plan — with the small number of Kurds they are planning to chase ISIS. This “plan” was designed to find excuse for invading Syria. Old weapons of mass distraction! And we like in a trans accept it, day in day out, year in and out. And then get shocked when some countries are actually fortifying their military! Shall we list all the countries that we are now engaged in militarily around the globe? And even greater number of countries where the regime changing Soros brigades are not plotting their revolutions. Or where our CIA is not sabotaging something, somewhere.
It just shocked me that we see ourselves as innocent and Chinese as militant. What is our interest in South China Sea? None, except to have a key to the region where we would have the power to block Chinese trade? Why do you think that Eurasian development is such a high priority for China, Russia and other Asian countries? It is to avoid sea based travel that US can block or exer
I must say that was a lot to digest I agree to disagree Bianca but,i respect your point of view.USA
I am not defending Empire nor imperial ambition. I wish I could return the
compliment, but I cannot agree with the premise that USA stands for neocon globalism. USA name has been sullied by all and sundry– to glorify the self-appointed elite’s base instincts. This is why I side with millions who voted in this election to restore American honor.
Sincerely, AMERICAN FIRST.
Yeah, America first, second and third, & 4 me Neocons last….
Our Honor can’t be restored without restoring our morality . Our morality can’t be restored without restoring Christianity .
Bravo, someone who actually thinks about our actions and the inevitable effects those actions have on both the USA and the nations/peoples we inflict those actions upon.
I think Bianca should be on the payroll at aw.com.. She gets it in my book… Too many gatekeepers of one ilk or another theez days…
Whereas the US is a great power in decline, that while having its boots firmly on the necks of most of the rest of the world, paints itself as a victim to justify is heavy-handedness. We have military bases in what, 160 nations around the globe? Doesn’t that seem a little extreme? Our blindered leaders don’t see that meddling in the affairs of other nations, not to mention indiscriminately bombing several and having invaded a few, is a waste of money, effort, time, and any goodwill the US may have accumulated over the years. We’re sinking fantastic amounts of money into the military, and if you oppose this, well, you must hate America. Meanwhile, we’re slashing education, social safety nets, and healthcare for the citizens of the US, because apparently spending money to do good things for your own country is bad, whereas spending money to kill and maim others and destroy infrastructure and tear families and communities apart overseas is a GOOD thing. “China is going to take over the f**king world?” Does this sound any different from anything a Kool-aid drinking American would say? “ISIS Hunting Team – Infidel Division,” “I’m the infidel Allah warned you about,” are two bumper stickers I just saw this morning, a stupid insularity. China should aspire to have more power, isn’t competition a good thing? Is America afraid of anyone even attempting to challenge its assumption of sole superpower status? Maybe it would lead to a shakeup in DC – an actual shakeup, not the “Hope and Change” and “America First” BS that leads to the exact same people in the same positions of power, etc etc
Save your rants and quit making excuses for China.You’re talking about how bad America is but,were not the one’s building a fucking fortress in the middle of the South China Sea trying to steal all the resources.Facts not crazy talk.
No we are the ones with 10 floating fortress floating around the south China sea trying to steal all the resources . If it is good for the gander it is good for the goose facts not crazy talk
Actually we’re defending the 5 trillion in the form of what the world trades that flows through the South China Sea.We’re not laying claim to any of its resources we just won’t allow 1 country to try to assert it’s military status and use it as a way to change what civilized countries have been doing for centuries which is trading with each other.Its common sense.
Yes, China is trying to enclose, exploit and monopolize the waters in its region at the expense of e.g. the Philippines, Japan and Vietnam. They’re not the good guys.
On the other hand, the US has precisely zero claim or legitimate interest in the situation or its outcome. It’s None. Of. The. US’s. Business.
I hate to say this, ealge.. but I agree with you here.
China has no business massing new platforms in the South Seas
and threatening those countries. They also have no business in Africa
and South America where they strut in like kings.
Are you saying China has no business making investments globally??
Ever heard of the “road and belt” project? US has 800 military basis round the world, constantly making provocations endangering world peace so they can manufture and sell ever more weaponry. China on the contrary develops trade relations with other countries and invest in building infrastructure in those countries. U.S. Empire is clearly declining, China and Russia steadily rising. The U.S. Is desperately trying to save its hegemonical policies. It won’t succeed and more war will only accelerate its downfall.
Sounds like exactly what the USA does all around the world. We actually get indignant when a country does what is best for itself rather than what’s best for the US global hegemony.
Not exactly we gave the Iraqis a free nation to vote in and they voted in Pro-Iran Shiite Muslim majority government’s that alienated the Sunnis and led to the formation of ISIS how way his in our best interest? facts not fiction.USA
The US never stepped away and gave the Iraqis a free hand to run their own country, we always had advisors and guys like Paul Bremner with a heavy hand on the tiller. Also, the CIA had a hand in creating and funding ISIS, like when they funded radicals back in the 70s to be a thorn in the side of the USSR. That worked out really well, didn’t it? Remember when we had groups supported by the Pentagon fighting groups funded by the CIA? We have no clue what we’re doing over there, for one thing. And honestly, who cares if the Iraqis vote in a gov’t that alienates some of the people there? Is it any of our business? NO. And yeah, terror groups may kill a few Western civilians, but not even one thousandth as many civilians as the US Gov’t has killed indiscriminately over there. We’ve been meddling in the area since WWII, and the Brits have been meddling there since their Empire days. Those chaps in the Middle East have good reason to be angry with us. You’re just looking at very recent history and ignoring the fact that we’ve been subverting genuine progress over there for generations. Before the West got involved, there was an enlightened culture over there – calculus was invented there, we still use their non-lunar calendar system today, they delineated 360 degrees in a circle, which we certainly still use today, off the top of my head.
You forgot how we attacked them and bombed them mercilessly, killed their leader and tried to set up puppet leader..,… Based on lies forgeries and manufactured evidence to steal their stuff..ISIS was created by HillaryCiA.INC to snuff Gadaffi so they could rob his gold and auction off the womenfolk… Turn off your TV and do your own research…
Why should China not have a big influence in the south China Sea? The USA is everywhere, uninvited.
Having influence and laying claim to the entire sea are two different things.
I hope Putin pulled out all his best Jedi mind tricks because manipulating that braying dipsh*t into doing something right for a change may be our only hope for peace.
What did the silly American public and the American press expect would happen when they met? Did they think that they would start throwing punches at each other and trade insults? Is that what the press was hoping for? It would sell a lot of papers and gain a lot of listeners for the media, but leaders of countries realize the value of smiling at each other in public and recognize embracing each makes people feel they are concerned for the good of the world.
The enormous hypocrisy of the USA mentioning anyone meddling in elections when it is their normal behavior and has been for decades (William Blum has listed about fifty US interferences/overthrows in “Rogue State”) must be obvious to any sentient being.
could not agree with you more . In Yugoslavia someone hired thugs that stole and burnt up the ballot box and declared Milosevic the loser . In Ukraine protesters and snipers were hired . And both policemen and protesters were shot with the same guns . The elected Ukrainian president ran because he thought they might kill him to . In Iraq Saddam was told to resign the presidency and leave the country or we will start bombing . We told Assad he or any of his friends can’t run for president and he must leave the country . He did not do this So the United States has supported the opposition of Jihadist coming to Syria to over throw his government . And the United States stands with a straight face upset because someone maybe was interfering in our election
We have had at least 4 new world order presidents in a row that have been issuing world orders and meddling in elections all over the world . And now we are against meddling
Yes Because you have sat at a G-20 summit and have been to a Lumanati meeting and are part of The Free Mason’s and Skull and Bones and they’re aliens who live on this earth and our government knows it and Elvis is still alive.Eric you are an idiot and probably believe North Korea’s dictator was born on a magical,mystical mountain because you believe anything our enemies put out because in America you’re free to.Try living in one of those countries you’re defending and criticize they’re government and see who shows up looking for you.USA
Eric is correct, and you are woefully ignorant of U.S. foreign policy since WWII. Try reading Stephen Kinzer’s book, “The Brothers” to get yourself educated.
One reason I support Trump is he brings up very important subjects that other people refuse to talk about . He has plenty of faults such as constant bragging and bullying . And failure to admit mistakes . But at least Trump can see the most important issues . I don’t think most of our other leaders can see them and look that far ahead .
“started … by accusing Putin of meddling in the 2016 US
election, despite Trump continuing to publicly express doubts about that”
Prior to the meeting I was hearing (on local Neocon radio) of progressives saying ~”wouldn’t just be odd and eerie if Trump didn’t even bring it up?” Basically meaning they’d get it into public discussion some more whether he did or not. I’d think he might as well have not bothered apart from the public getting that bs beaten into them. And roughly this perspective got me labeled a ‘Trump supporter’ … which left me recalling that just such language put one under rules of engagement under the progressive improvement program in Libya.