Day 1,287: Trump continues to act in the best interest of Vladimir Putin
For years, Vladimir Putin’s number one goal has to weaken the West by fracturing alliances, both formal and informal.
Thanks to Donald Trump, the Russian president’s plan is being executed daily.
Alliances with leaders in Europe have been icy, openly hostile, and in many cases the world laughs at Trump to his face. Trump is now weakening the U.S.’s standing in Europe, something Putin has sought for years, with his latest decision to pull 12,000 troops out of Germany.
President Donald Trump’s decision to pull nearly 12,000 US troops from Germany triggered an onslaught of disapproval from Republicans, Democrats and former senior military officials, who said the move will benefit Russia, degrade US national security and military readiness, cost US taxpayers billions and undermine US relations with Germany, NATO and Europe.
Trump’s explanation to reporters about the withdrawal, announced Wednesday morning by Defense Secretary Mark Esper, misrepresented how NATO works and contradicted his own military officials, raising questions about what strategy — if any — drove the decision.
Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah described Trump’s move as “a gift to Russia” and a “slap in the face at a friend and ally.” Romney added that the “consequences will be lasting and harmful to American interests.”
Top retired military officials similarly blasted the decision by Trump, which came after the U.S. spent billions of dollars on facilities upgrades in recent years.
The former commanding general of US Army Europe, retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, said in a tweet that he was “sickened by this decision and explanation. It is not tied to any strategic advantage and in fact is counterproductive to showing strength in Europe.”
And retired US Navy Adm. Jim Stravidis, the former top military commander in Europe and NATO, said in a tweet that “abruptly pulling 12,500 troops out of Germany (to put half of them in countries who spend LESS on defense) doesn’t make sense financially, hurts NATO solidarity overall, and is a gift to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin.”
Removing US troops from Germany pulls them from a central location with a sophisticated transport and logistical network that speeds the movement of troops and equipment in Europe and beyond — allowing for a powerful counterweight to Russia, analysts say.
Trump and Putin spoke last week, for at least the eighth time since late February. Trump has refused to even ask Putin about Russians allegedly putting bounties on the heads of American soldiers, claiming the reports are “fake news.”
Today Trump executed a plan that is no benefit to the U.S., no benefit to Europe, but is a huge benefit to Moscow.
Trump couldn’t even give the same excuse as Esper, instead nonsensically pointing to NATO fees and energy spending.
Trump tried to explain a massive decision on troop movement that will have a substantial effect on the U.S.’s national security decisions in a five-line tweet. His total capitulation to Putin and Russia has been clear for years. With less than 100 days until the 2020 election, and COVID-19 claiming 150,000 American deaths, Trump still seems to be doing everything possible to Make Russia Great Again.
1,287 days in, 175 to go
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