Comments on: Writing about (or not writing about) Trump’s NATO and British meetings

By: neo-neocon

neo-neocon — Sat, 14 Jul 2018 17:45:25 +0000

Geoffrey Britain: I think you are correct. They only turned to Churchill when it became crystal clear they needed him, him and no one else. Until then, he was somewhat of a pariah. He was also seen as a very old-fashioned figure from the past, even during the 1930s. And then they did throw him out after the war. However, it is often forgotten that he came back during the 50s, when the Conservatives were in power for a while.

By: Geoffrey Britain

Geoffrey Britain — Sat, 14 Jul 2018 16:15:49 +0000

Sergey,

One of the hardest lessons in life to learn, especially as it applies to family and friends… is that people cannot be saved from themselves.

Which is why not even a new Churchill can save them. The Brits only turned to Churchill after Hitler invaded Poland and did so out of desperation. As soon as the war ended, they threw Churchill out of office and continued their pursuit of socialism.

The difference between then and now is that Hitler was an external threat, whereas now it is an internal threat. Family and friends are cooperating in W. Europe’s cultural suicide.

Today, the UK is morphing into a Police State, Given socialism’s unsustainability, a Police State is the natural result of socialism’s need for ever greater coercion.

UK ‘progressives’ cannot admit to being wrong and in their prideful denial of reality are dooming their children’s children to enslavement. History will curse their memory.

By: Stephen S.

Stephen S. — Sat, 14 Jul 2018 11:48:11 +0000

“A real estate guy who filed for bankruptcy”? If you own 515 corporations and 4 of them file for bankruptcy, you’re a genius.

By: Sergey

Sergey — Sat, 14 Jul 2018 07:47:55 +0000

Nobody can save anybody from themselves. This is impossible to help those who lack the will to live. Unless Europe would awake from its suicidal delusion of peaceful coexisting with barbarians, it is doomed. But it requires a Churchill-like figure to awaken it. So far, no such figure can be seen. May be, Victor Orban of Hungary?

By: The Other Chuck

The Other Chuck — Sat, 14 Jul 2018 04:53:02 +0000

Igude:

…why Bill Kristol prefers the deep state to the Trump state. In a word, fear.

Yes. Given the flux do you blame them? When order is breached to this extent anything is possible. If Trump had the intellectual tools of a Churchill it would be one thing. But a talk show host? A real estate guy who filed bankruptcy? They see him as way out of his depth and winging it – for now with the luck of the seven gods.

By: expat

expat — Sat, 14 Jul 2018 04:28:59 +0000

I am starting to wonder whetherTrump’s tough talk to NATO and to Germany about Russian fuel purchases funding Russia might not be part of setting things up for the Putin meeting. The Rosenstein indictments also give Trump some ammo going into the meeting.

Even though others may have criticized Europe about NATO spending and Nordstream, they did it rather quietly. Trump seems to be doing it in a way to show that the US is still the leader of the West.

By: lgude

lgude — Sat, 14 Jul 2018 03:59:42 +0000

It reminds me of the conventional take on Chamberlin appeasing Hitler – like in the recent film Churchill. Everyone knows now that Churchill was right, but at the time he really upset people and was kept out of power – because they were so risk adverse. As far as I can see, the Europeans – particularly Germany – are very much in that frame of mind. The Germans should study George Keenan’s memo to Harriman and Truman about trying to do ‘quid pro quo’ with the Russians. Also paralyzed by their aversion to risk are the Never Trumpers and the Democrats and the rest of the elites. I beginning to see why Bill Kristol prefers the deep state to the Trump state. In a word, fear. As Arnold Toynbee might observe they are so afraid of the External Proletariat, that they don’t see that the Internal Proletariat is increasingly losing confidence in them.

By: steve walsh

steve walsh — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 23:15:56 +0000

I spend way too much time explaining to my, nearly exclusively leftist friends and family, that nations have interests, not friends. Friendship does not matter. What matters is what it is that Trump explains and demands for America, not his style of expressing it. It does not matter whether Angela Merkel likes him, or not. It matters only that Germany pay their way for their defense, as an example.

By: Geoffrey Britain

Geoffrey Britain — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 22:32:20 +0000

Trump knows that NATO is obsolete. He knows that the recalcitrant leaders in NATO will never pay their fair share. Trump also knows that he has to give them enough rope with which to hang themselves.

When in 2021 they still haven’t reached their 2%.. much less matching our near 4% outlay… Trump will either cut back our funding to match the average NATO contribution or… he’ll pull us completely out of NATO.

All of Trump’s current moves are preparation for that future day, he’s neutralizing the predictable cries of outrage and calls for impeachment that will then occur. No one will be able to credibly say that he didn’t give them plenty of chances.

By: Ken Mitchell

Ken Mitchell — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 22:20:58 +0000

The problem with NATO has been that even though the NATO nations are required – always have been! – to spend 2% of GDP on defense. Most have not. In Germany, for example, they’re spending so little on defense that only 4 of their fighter aircraft are “mission capable”, and none of their submarines are seaworthy. They’ve spent their “peace dividends” on social programs.

And with the Russians – especially since Crimea – acting more like Russians, the USA cannot afford to defend Europe from themselves for a THIRD time.