On Wednesday, President Trump told reporters that he is the toughest president against Russia in American history, saying he thinks Russian President Vladimir Putin understands that. He told the media that Russia no longer poses a threat to the US.
This comment, as with every other post-summit comment suggesting anything short of full hostility toward Russia, fueled condemnations from lawmakers, with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) demanding Trump walk back the comments.
Trump’s comments seemingly contradicted the position of his Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, who after the summit claimed Russia’s “hostile activities” are continuing and expressed concern Russia would try to meddle in America’s mid-term elections.
The White House offered its own statement denying that Trump ever made the statement in the first place, presenting his comment as a refusal to comment to the media at all, as opposed to a comment to the media.
So probably true in the sense that they won’t attack us or NATO. Begs the question about why our defense budget is what it is though. Given our suddenly discovered new “threat regime” we can cut our spending by half right?
With NATO, yes,
with China and Iran, not so fast.
China spends a lot less on national defense than the US does. About 1/4 as much. US ally Saudi Arabia spends 4 X what Iran spends.
The US taxpayers are being mugged by the MIC and the corrupt psychopaths in DC.
Leaving NATO would even things up a bit.
China is a threat and
a nuclear Iran will dominate the ME.
Until the Saudis do the same.
The government of Iran would rapidly change if not being propped up by a bellicose USA.
China is not seeking to project it’s power except regionally. Unlike the USA. Regional powers in E Asia would balance that area if the USA would step back.
There is no reason for the US to spend so much in resources in a vain attempt to dominate the World by force. In fact, the attempt to do that has caused massive distrust and blowback.
Iran is “propped up” by their Supreme Leaders and mullahs,
their people want a change.
China is challenging the US for global dominance.
A world dominated by China would make the current problems become catastrophes. Freedom would expire.
The best chance for a better world, is through a very strong USA.
Right. A strong USA. A strong non interventionist USA.
But that being said, US intervention has been a disaster. For more than a century. US intervention in WW 1 gave rise to Nazi Germany and Communist USSR.
In the last decades, US intervention led to Jihadist terrorists.
Freedom doesn’t expire. It is destroyed from within. By a corrupt political class. One of the tools used for this is through claims of external threats. And by those that accept such claims and give up their human rights for “security” . Those same people advocate the “temporary” restriction of the rights of others. Including the confiscation of assets to fund the bloated military and security state.
Don’t waste your time. Stokr thinks Haley and Bolton deal in reality like him. He also thinks Haley is “excellent” as UN Ambassador. He’s a neocon.
If so, he really wants to see a threat to our freedoms he has only to look in a mirror
Agreed, generally on “intervention” having been largely (not entirely) a disaster. WWII was a necessity.
I believe the Jihado terrorists would have eventually attacked regardless of US policy, it is what they preach and try to do.
Witness Qaddafi’s terror attacks in the ’80’s, airplane hijackings etc.
Freedom can “expire” from outside forces, but currently I agree the greatest threat is from within, “by a corrupt (to the core) political class.”
I would like to see us exit NATO,
work toward “detente” with Russia,
hold the line with China, and
focus on building the most vibrant economy
on the planet.
With the most advanced DEFENSIVE military in the world.
Then let everybody else go their own way.
But the psychopaths have all been elected and they say Trump is the one off kilter . So Trump has a bigger military budget . And they all approved it real fast . We can’t understand our government when maybe it is peace they are so much against .
How can anyone say Russia does not pose a threat to the USA . Russia poses the greatest threat to everyone on earth as they have the most nuclear bombs , the largest supply of Uranium , The surest and fastest foolproof deliver system . All on a shoe string military budget only 1/20 th the size of NATOs The question should not be the threat Russia poses for the United States but the question should be does NATO pose a threat to Russia .You can answer that question
Who advised Trump to put Dan Coates in at National Intelligence? Trump is his own worst enemy because he surrounds himself with Swamp Critters and then lets them run him. The U.S. and NATO have been menacing Russia. Trump needs to put out a map of how we have encircled Russia with our bases and bombs so the American people can see exactly what has been going on. Instead of going out for Rah Rah Rah Rallies, he needs to go on national television and lay out exactly what American foreign policy has been about—destroying other nations. And while he is at putting up the NATO map, he should also put up the map of Israel/Palestine and the changes since 1948.
Considering that T.rump was an outsider, there weren’t that many Mary Anne Rogers and Billy Bob Smiths running around him to take those positions he wanted to fill up.