Trump is moving us closer to war

Citizen Donald Trump is moving us closer to war. He claims that during his time in office there were no wars and this statement may be true but when you look at his foreign policy approach he definetly built the bonfires and set the fuse for what was to follow. And whilst not in office he has continued to destabilize regions throughout the world with his claims of how he will deal with certain conflicts and allies should he be victorious in November 2024. Only recently he hosted the President of Hungary at his Mar-a-Lago estate who claimed later on a Hungarian broadcast that Citizen Trump had told him he would not give a penny to the Ukraine. Trump had already been saying he would solve the confict in 24 hours now we know how. This claim, if true, coupled with the current Aid package that is already being blocked in the house along with a strong border bill and aid to Israel and the People of Palestine is creating a weak Ukraine. This block has been at Citizen Trumps request. Why? because Bidens problems are Trumps political strong points and his road to the White House.

Aid to the Ukraine is still coming from Europe but its the Aritillery produced by the USA that is making a difference in Ukraines defence and counter assault on Russian Troops. Whilst Ukraine’s arsenal depletes its attacks are becoming less frequent and Russia has been able to rebuild its stock with factorys working 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Without resources, Ukrainian troops are dying as Russia replenishes from its exhaustable reserve of manpower. Trump may not have to wait till he is elected because as long as the weapons needed to repel the Russians are being withheld the closer to victory Russian forces get. And Trump isnt happy with just throwing Ukraine to the sword. No. He has also reiterated his stance regarding NATO. Trump says many things about NATO so lets start with some facts before addressing Trumps claims and the impact of his policy regarding Europes defences.

1 NATO was formed in 1949 so that a ravaged Europe could combine its forces to combat the Russian wave that was swallowing up Eastern Europe. 2. It consisted of 12 countrys 10 European 2 North American today it numbers 32 3: Countrys that were members funded the alliance on a 4: In 2014 NATO members agreed to put a minimum of 2% of GDP into the alliance. 5: The biggest contributor percentage wise is Poland allocating 3.9% followed by the USA with 3.5% 6: By the end of 2024 for the first time all NATO members will be contibuting at least 2% of GDP 7: The funding of NATO’s day to day expenses is independent of NATO’s defence and all members have always met their obligation. The USA and Germany are the largest contibuters at 16.9% 8: Article 5 states an attack on one member country is an attack on all members. Article 5 was invoked for the frst time when all members responded to the attacks on the USA on September 11 2001. 9 NATO is not only Europes last line of defence it is also in Americas best interest as it creates a highly sophisticated defensive buffer between the USA and Russia

In May 2017 Trump met with NATO’s heads and laid down an ultimatum. NATO members must contribute more or America would consider its position in the alliance. 2% of GDP was not enough and some allies owed the USA for arrears for lagging behind on their contributions. Trump also deliberatly failed to endorse Article 5. In the build up to the 2016 Presidetial election Trump often stated in his campaign rallies that he would not come to the Aid of a NATO country under attack unless that country had satisfactorily made good on their financial commitment. Trump fails to understand that many countries either following a war ie Bosnia or upon liberation after the collapse of the Soviet Union are impoverished and require time to rebuild and that, at the time of acceptance into NATO are only just learning to stand on their feet economically.

The amount of contribution up till the 2014 commitment was, at first voluntary and later set at approx 2% though until 2014 it was not binding. Trump also fails to acknowledge that whilst all countries agree to spend 2% on defence they are also required to spend 20% on equipment. It is true that some countries were derelict in their voluntary obligation and Trump was quite right to ask that those countries pull their socks up but there are many factors to consider. For Trump to state some countries have a debt for the balance that had been unpaid fails to look at not only the issues for individual member countries but also the fact that it was voluntary until 2014 and it was set at 2% that goes for the USA too. NATO is not a club where members are billed for previously unpaid memberships. Previous administrations had chosen to put more in because of NATO’s importance to US defence and foreign policy and its show of actual support in the wake of 9/11. Trump has pointed his finger at Germany stating that they contributed only 1% whilst America was puting in 4.2%. This is untrue as America puts in 3.3% Trump has stated that America is paying between 70 and 90% to fund Europe. The US defense budget accounts for two/thirds of all NATO member states combined but Americas defense budget is for more than just NATO as America has interests globally. A pentagon spokesperson said their is a common budget that all members pay into. That direct NATO expense costs America 22% of 2.8 billion USD. Trump claimed that after his stern lecturing of NATO heads the contribution had risen by 40 billion usd. In fact the increase of 35 billion USD was for a fiscal period between 2014 and 2015. Before Trump began his campaign and well before his dressing down of NATO in 2017. Trumps claims that NATO spending had declined over the previous 18 years until he took office in 2017 is false. Spending has never decreased though it did increase between 1.9% in 2015 and 3.6% in 2016. During his term there were increases of 5.9% in 2017 4.3 in 2018 3.6% in 2019 and 4.6% in 2020. Trump says no president before him has raised the question of contributions with NATO. Again this is false. Bush junior and Obama both raised the subject of NATO’s input and a need for it to increase. Both presidents opted for diplomacy both publicly and privately unlike Trumps headkicking headmaster lecture at a public official opening of NATOs new headquarters. Trump has also insinuated that American taxpayer dollars meant for NATO defence was used to fund the new building to the tune of $3 billion USD. The funding came out of the budget that all nations put funds into and cost $1.2 billion USD

So why is Trump constantly attacking NATO with half truths and lies? Political points with his MAGA base? Yes. But there is more. He is destabilizing NATO with his claims of withdrawl much to the delight of Putin. It was the uneasiness of the alliance members that led to Putin placing troops and equipment along the Ukraine border under a pretence of training manouvers. It is his current strategy to make Biden look incompetent that has weakened the Ukraine and allowed Russia to regroup rearm and push with continuing ease into Ukraine territory. If the fighting continues up to the election and should he be victorious he has stated he will abandon Ukraine. His comments re NATO members who he percieves are not “paid up” will not recieve support from the US and that he will invite Russia to do what it wants to them is an open invitation for Putin to invade other countries that Putin believes will put back the Soviet Union. This should scare everybody. Trump doesnt lead Americans into wars, he instigates them. What remains to be seen is what is in it for Trump.