[bots]

Originally Posted by GiRTh

This is true. From my point of view, the whole pattern is completely predictable at this stage. Trump keeps attacking the very people who could help him, calling them cowards one minute and then insisting he doesn’t need anyone the next. It’s the same contradictory swing he’s shown before, but it feels even more exaggerated now.

And honestly, even if NATO did contribute more, there’s no reason to think he’d appreciate it. In a few months he probably wouldn’t acknowledge it, or he’d downplay it the way he’s dismissed other allies’ contributions in the past — including the way he talked about UK involvement in the Second Gulf War. That’s why, from my perspective, NATO are absolutely right not to get dragged into this. He can complain all he wants; I’m proud we’re not getting involved.

NATO with an american partner is finished. We couldn't rely on them, so we may as well call it the european defence force and be done with it. I hope that we are just trying to keep trump happy for now while we gear up ourselves, but that would demand some joined up thinking