So, Klaus.
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What do you think of the decision to withdraw nearly 12,000 American troops from Germany?
And:
Of the troops leaving Germany some 5,400 will be "staying in Europe" but the official would not identify the exact locations that they will be moving to.
Trump, who directed the move, said he did so because of Berlin's failure to meet the NATO target of spending 2% of GDP on defense, spending only about 1.38%.
Trump: "One of the only countries that hasn't agreed to pay what they're supposed to pay (on NATO) is Germany. So, I said until they pay, we're removing our soldiers, a number of our soldiers, by about half. Then when we get down to about 25,000, we'll see where we're going," Trump said last month.
A defense official confirmed that the repositioning will take "months to plan and years to execute," will potentially cost billions of dollars, and could be reversed should Trump lose the election in November.
(The above was cobbled from the CNN article at https://lite.cnn.com/en/article/h_a2393f032654c6934d99a16c6910ded6)
Power in the hands of an infant.
I wonder if this move will even successfully get off the ground.
Every day brings something new to worry about with this fool.
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Well, I think the complaint that Germany doesn't spend enough on its military is justified. Our military is pathetic.
Whether it's a strategically clever move to move US soldiers is another question. If that move came from a US president who thinks before he talks, it might change a few minds, but as it is now it is too easy to dismiss it as yet another crazy move from the lunatic in the White House.
That said, I assume his main motivation isn't to change Germany's NATO spending but to win votes at home. Whether that move works towards that end I cannot say.
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For a guy who’s not a Russian agent he sure does Putin’s bidding a lot.
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@Klaus said in So, Klaus.:
I assume his main motivation isn't to change Germany's NATO spending but to win votes at home.
Yes, he's getting ever more frantic -- and more unhinged -- to win re-election. Witness his unconscionable tweet on his administrative rule change on housing: "All of the people living their Suburban Lifestyle Dream that you will no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built in your neighborhood . . . Your housing prices will go up based on the market, and crime will go down."
Way to stoke the flames, Donald. More unrest, toward which you get to send in more illegal troops! We'll have to procure you a lyre so you can fiddle like the Emperor Nero while the cities burn.
I think we can safely assume that everything he does from now on will be in support of his re-election. He is obsessed with that.
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@Klaus said in So, Klaus.:
I saw that tweet about "suburban housing" somewhere but I'm missing the context to judge it. What is it about?
The story is here: https://lite.cnn.com/en/article/h_12ea1ab7a2ec5ef1f461ec38310438e8
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@Larry said in So, Klaus.:
I wonder if it has ever occurred to the Trump bashers that decisions like this involve complex discussions and planning with our top military officials...
Well, yes, it should. But we both know that Trump doesn't do that. He watches something on Fox and based on his impulses of the day he tweets his next policy decision.
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@Larry said in So, Klaus.:
I wonder if it has ever occurred to Trump
bashersthat decisions like this should involve complex discussions and planning with our top military officials...Nah.
FIFY
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@Horace said in So, Klaus.:
It is my impression that Trump cedes decisions like this largely to his military commanders. Especially when it's not clear that the electorate would care one way or another.
Read Bolton’s book. Trump doesn’t cede decisions. Certainly not to military people. He only likes generals until they start working for him. Then he mistrusts them completely. And yes, he likes making Putin happy because he deeply is jealous of successful autocrats.
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Always remember, Operation Valkyrie was an act of sedition.
Warning: I post things that interest me. Read and comment at your own discretion. -
@bachophile said in So, Klaus.:
@Horace said in So, Klaus.:
It is my impression that Trump cedes decisions like this largely to his military commanders. Especially when it's not clear that the electorate would care one way or another.
Read Bolton’s book. Trump doesn’t cede decisions. Certainly not to military people. He only likes generals until they start working for him. Then he mistrusts them completely. And yes, he likes making Putin happy because he deeply is jealous of successful autocrats.
Why are you taking Bolton's word for it? It's already been proven that it's just a bunch of opinionated crap out of a guy who's pissed off that he got canned. What you described is precisely what Obama did.
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@Jolly said in So, Klaus.:
Somebody explain to me why we are keeping troops in Germany in 2020? Are we so afraid of the Germans, that we think there will be an immediate return to militarism as soon as we leave? Do we think the Germans cannot defend the Fulda Gap from the Bear?
No, but it really seems to irritate the US that the Germans will invest into and buy Russian gas over US LNG.
“Little by little I am learning the art of being quite content by doing very little slowly” ~ Lionel Hardcastle
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@Renauda said in So, Klaus.:
@Jolly said in So, Klaus.:
Somebody explain to me why we are keeping troops in Germany in 2020? Are we so afraid of the Germans, that we think there will be an immediate return to militarism as soon as we leave? Do we think the Germans cannot defend the Fulda Gap from the Bear?
No, but it really seems to irritate the US that the Germans will invest into and buy Russian gas over US LNG.
Certainly. It's an economic competition, waged in a political theater.
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At least you admit it. Still, the Monroe Doctrine really has no play in Europe and US policy towards Russia has been dismal for last twenty odd years. Trump and company haven't improved it in the least.
I tend to agree though, American troops should go home.
