Despite announcing Sunday that they intend to withdraw from the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, the US hasn’t actually done so yet. According to John Bolton, this will only happen after discussions with certain US allies take place.
Which is a strange order to do things in, particularly since US officials, and Bolton, have provided no indication that there is any series of events that doesn’t end with a US pullout from INF. Bolton similarly rejected Russian calls to stay.
It’s not clear who is going to be discussed with, but German officials are already on the record as opposing the pullout, saying the US should consider the consequences instead of just acting.Though again, there is no indication that the opposition of those allies will change anything from the US perspective.
President Trump is giving the indication this is all past-tense anyhow, promising major new buildups of nuclear weapons, saying that he’ll be targeting China, Russia, and whoever wants to play that game. You can’t play that game on me.”
At least we’re getting the pecking order clarified: Europe has to accept whatever policies we dictate on them, the US has to accept whatever policies the Saudis and Israel dictate on us. I sure hope to be surprised by Europe somehow finding their own course, perhaps by independently negotiating as a block with Russia and without NATO. If so, Europe can listen to us after their decisions have been made. Can you imagine the impotent screaming and yelling?
No, buddy, Europe doesn’t have to accept whatever policies we dictate to them; nor, does the US have to accept whatever policies Israel and the Saudis dictate. Our European allies already made their point clear; they’re finding their own course and negotiating as a block, with Russia and w/o NATO. This could bring about the dissolution of NATO (I surely hope so). If so, Europe can then listen to us after their decisions have been made. Yes, I can imagine the impotent screaming and yelling that would follow,
Please do direct me to whatever your source is on how “European allies already made their point clear” with their own course. I haven’t seen any of that yet.
All the allies are of course against the plot of Trump/Bolton, as it is Europe, now as in the 1980s, which would be the victim of any conflict, not the far-away USA. Already the USA has based its nukes in NATO nations and the populations are not consulted- many do NOT want them(they are targets) especially in Germany. Pretending it cares about its “allies” is a constant when the USA acts in its own perceived interest.