Trump is calling upon all American allies, both within NATO and without; including Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India- to step up to the plate and increase their own defense expenditures
President Trump’s Inauguration Speech- The UN and NATO- Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid
By Mitch Wolfe —— Bio and Archives January 21, 201711 Comments | Print Friendly | Subscribe | Email Us
Except now that Trump is officially the president of the United States, his speech is now new American policy. Hard, tough, nationalistic. Blatantly American interests above all.
Free-riding on the backs of American taxpayers
On the campaign trail, Trump blasted the UN and NATO member states (American allies) for free-riding on the backs of American taxpayers.In his speech Trump returned to these themes. Trump claimed that the corrupt political elites in Washington have been taking money from the American working and middle classes and sending it around the world.
Though Trump did not mention the UN in particular, he was referring, among other parties, to the overpaid bloated UN bureaucracy and the UN itself , which takes American taxpayers’ money ( annually, $ 8 billion per year, representing about 22% of the UN’s entire budget).
And what does America receive in return for this annual investment?
The majority of UN member nations take American money and then annually dump upon one of America’s key allies in the Mideast, Israel, by passing thoroughly anti-Israel and anti-Zionist resolutions ( about 20 on annual basis) while only barely criticizing much worse human rights offenders as North Korea, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan which actually kill and torture their opponents and their own people.
America’s financial contribution to the UN
I predict Trump with both Senate and Congressional support will significantly reduce America’s financial contribution to the UN, thus forcing all the member states to start paying more of their own way and expenses.As to NATO, America’s contribution to the annual costs of NATO represents three times the military and financial contribution of all the other NATO members combined.
According to Trump’s speech, American funds have gone to improve NATO’s military capabilities, while America’s own military has suffered.
In the last several years, because of American largesse, many European nations of NATO have been able to reduce their military expenditures by 10%, thus devoting these additional freed up funds for the internal benefit of their citizens.
Trump warned that this NATO free loading must and will change.
Trump wants to spend more money building up all of America’s military forces, while at the same time reducing its financial and military contribution to NATO, thus forcing its NATO members to increase their own defense budgets.
Continued below...
Typically, the liberal mainstream press does not get Trump. It misinterprets Trump’s American First rhetoric and policies as warmed over Charles Lindbergh pro fascism, isolationist talk of the 1930s.
Trump’s American First rhetoric is fundamentally different- more material and mercenary in nature.
Trump’s America is not withdrawing from the world. Trump in his inaugural speech did talk about working with American allies in defeating and eradicating ISIS and fighting radical Islamic terrorism.
America just does not want to be the sole and major funder of this effort.
Essentially, Trump is calling upon all American allies, both within NATO and without; including Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India- to step up to the plate and increase their own defense expenditures.
Left unsaid, is what happens if an American ally or a European nation, say struggling Italy or Greece, does not increase its defense budget, but in defiance of Trump and America- decrease it.
Does Trump withdraw NATO support from that free loading country?
With President Trump, anything is possible.
Welcome to the new world order. Because it’s 2017.
From around the web
America First and foremost
Yes, Trump is talking about America First and foremost.Typically, the liberal mainstream press does not get Trump. It misinterprets Trump’s American First rhetoric and policies as warmed over Charles Lindbergh pro fascism, isolationist talk of the 1930s.
Trump’s American First rhetoric is fundamentally different- more material and mercenary in nature.
Trump’s America is not withdrawing from the world. Trump in his inaugural speech did talk about working with American allies in defeating and eradicating ISIS and fighting radical Islamic terrorism.
America just does not want to be the sole and major funder of this effort.
Essentially, Trump is calling upon all American allies, both within NATO and without; including Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India- to step up to the plate and increase their own defense expenditures.
Left unsaid, is what happens if an American ally or a European nation, say struggling Italy or Greece, does not increase its defense budget, but in defiance of Trump and America- decrease it.
Does Trump withdraw NATO support from that free loading country?
With President Trump, anything is possible.
Welcome to the new world order. Because it’s 2017.
Mitch Wolfe -- Bio and Archives | Click to view 11 CommentsMitch Wolfe, a graduate of Harvard University, is a writer, political analyst and radio commentator. He writes for the Huffington Post US and Canada and iPolitics. He has been a political organizer on and consultant for many local and national political campaigns in both the US and in Canada.
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