What is clear, however, is that Trump — who ostensibly spent four years as president of the United States — has little clue about what NATO is or what NATO does. And when he spoke on the subject at a rally in South Carolina over the weekend, what he said was less a cogent discussion of foreign policy than it was gibberish — the kind of outrageous nonsense that flows without interruption from an empty and unreflective mind.
“One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, ‘Well, sir, if we don’t pay, and we’re attacked by Russia, will you protect us?’” Trump said, recalling an implausible conversation with an unnamed, presumably European head of state. “‘You didn’t pay? You’re delinquent?’” Trump recounted responding. “‘No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills.’”
The former president’s message was clear: If NATO members do not pay up, then he will leave them to the mercy of a continental aggressor who has already plunged one European country into death, destruction and devastation.
Except NATO isn’t a mafia protection racket. NATO, in case anyone needs to be reminded, is a mutual defense organization, formed by treaty in 1949 as tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union hardened into conflict. “The parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all,” states Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.
Remember in 2016 when Republican types were adamant that Hillary wouldn’t be tough enough on Putin, and that Liberals were Communists? And that the Liberals would let Russia do whatever it wanted?
And now those same Republicans are outspoken against helping Ukraine, and want to let Russia just have it. Their preferred candidate wants to dismantle the organization of countries that stands as the United front against Russian expansion. Working deliberately and blatantly toward Putin’s interests isn’t a problem to them at all.
Back then, I thought that if there was a single (decent) principle they actually stand for, that would have been it. Apparently I was wrong.
Kompromat in the form of the RNC’s emails that have not been leaked.
Emails that WikiLeaks apparently has but said “nah we’re not going to release them because there’s totes nothing in there trust us”.
They could’ve been neutral and trustworthy. Instead they had an axe to grind against Hillary, and prioritized that over being known for objective truth.
At this point I suspect the main damage is done. But the dirt was found out a different way.
The big secret to hide was campaign funding and coordination. But Trump won anyway. Then didn’t even get in trouble for it.
And later the Russia>>NRA dark money link was found and reported on. Without the media then going ape shit that the funnel was really Russia>>NRA>>GOP. And without any of the Biden administration cracking down on what happened.
So I suspect it’s why they’re all even more brazen now. Some of the dirt was found. It didn’t amount to any punishment. So why bother trying to hide now?