In the wake of Donald Trump’s recent statement regarding NATO and payments, I dare say the question is a fair one.
The other day, Trump suggested that aggressors could do whatever they wanted to NATO nations that hadn’t paid their dues. This will naturally be taken as tremendously enabling to the likes of Putin, and if Russia didn’t run interference for Trump before, you can bet they will want to now. The message from Trump is loud and clear: ‘I will ignore international treaties and common decency, thus emboldening dictators, over money.’
I have no doubt his supporters will champion Trump’s appeasement of the likes of Putin, especially on the basis of financial interests, but all that tells me is that Trump, and by extension the Republican Party, can be bought. The moment the safety and security of NATO countries becomes dependent upon the rule of money, you open the door to attacks. Are we seriously going to permit such a system? ‘We won’t honour the treaty, and we’ll let you get invaded, because you couldn’t pay?’ That’s a terrible policy. It sums up who Trump is.
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