Trump proposed NATO reassessment, i.e. Americas involvement in NATO in terms of costs and returns. Just like many issues (healthcare, trades...), this is another typical Trump-style view: always looking for better "deal", doing things "smarter" without considering their strategic or ideological aspects. In Trump's mind, if every NATO member thinks NATO is important, they should pay the cost of its being important, i.e. pay their shares of nato cost which requires 2% of GDP of each members on their military spending. For 28 NATO countries, 80% of them fail to fulfill this requirement. A few countries meet this requirement because of different reasons. France is one of largest arms exporter in the world, they profit from some of their military spending. Turkey does so because of fighting Kurd separation and its border issue with Greece.
So, now American tax payers take 75% of NATO spending. For this reason and also considering NATO's less importance than during cold war, I generally agree with Trump. We should definitely stop expending NATO at first. Then, we need downsizing NATO by kicking out those countries that are not willing to spend their shares. If no European countries are willing to pay their share, we dissolve NATO. It is unlikely though.
Replies to: ""
- - Eli - 2:19pm 4/17/16
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- I disagree. They seem quite useful..... [LINK] - BaronVonZemo - 11:58pm 4/17/16
- I agree somewhat but that isn't the biggest problem with NATO. The NATO mission should be........... - NDinTN - 9:38pm 4/17/16
- Huh, CC2, Chris, TN ad me. What an interesting group made by Trump, let me say it for Frank L [NT] - Eli - 1:51am 4/18/16
- I generally agree, but for different reasons - Chris94 - 8:21pm 4/17/16
- H W Bush had it correct in his chicken Kiev speech. - Frank L - 1:05pm 4/18/16
- I think President Cruz would expand to cover Ukraine - Chris94 - 6:28pm 4/18/16
- Another example of why I'd much rather have President Trump than President Cruz. - ND_in_ATL - 8:25pm 4/18/16
- Trump is too much of a wild card - Chris94 - 8:32pm 4/18/16
- Obama accepted teaching? [NT] - BaronVonZemo - 1:39am 4/21/16
- Trump is too much of a wild card - Chris94 - 8:32pm 4/18/16
- Another example of why I'd much rather have President Trump than President Cruz. - ND_in_ATL - 8:25pm 4/18/16
- I think President Cruz would expand to cover Ukraine - Chris94 - 6:28pm 4/18/16
- US directed NATO strikes in Libya proved for good it needs to be disbanded - CC72 - 9:23pm 4/17/16
- H W Bush had it correct in his chicken Kiev speech. - Frank L - 1:05pm 4/18/16
- Compared to the cost of out of control entitlements for which he proposes no reform, the costs - Frank L - 7:31pm 4/17/16
- A former English foreign minister once said that NATO had three roles.... - Chris94 - 5:25pm 4/18/16
- I have to confess, NATO expansion always made me uncomfortable. [NT] - NedoftheHill - 6:08pm 4/18/16
- All three still have relevance and are included in my four. - Frank L - 5:35pm 4/18/16
- And yet, without the Baltic expansion, one or two of those nations might not be there now. [NT]
- NedoftheHill - 6:10pm 4/18/16
- Gimme a break. NATO expanded there in 2004. - Chris94 - 6:27pm 4/18/16
- On the flip side, NATO involvement with a member state may ensure a peaceful resolution. - Frank L - 10:08am 4/19/16
- 2004 is a long time ago on this issue. - NedoftheHill - 8:59pm 4/18/16
- Have you ever met anyone from the Balkan region? - iairishcheeks - 7:06pm 4/18/16
- I've been to Eastern Europe recently. Many there really do live in fear of Russia. - NedoftheHill - 8:55pm 4/18/16
- You mean the Baltics? - Chris94 - 8:31pm 4/18/16
- Albania, that's Balkan, no? - iairishcheeks - 8:43pm 4/18/16
- It sure is - Chris94 - 9:05pm 4/18/16
- Albania, that's Balkan, no? - iairishcheeks - 8:43pm 4/18/16
- Gimme a break. NATO expanded there in 2004. - Chris94 - 6:27pm 4/18/16
- In fact his three are my first three. [NT] - Frank L - 5:36pm 4/18/16
- And yet, without the Baltic expansion, one or two of those nations might not be there now. [NT]
- NedoftheHill - 6:10pm 4/18/16
- We know NATO is a DEFENSE pact made against the rising communism. Where did you get your 4 reasons? [LINK]
- Eli - 2:39am 4/18/16
- Irrelevant where I got them, you can't refute that they are true. - Frank L - 12:59pm 4/18/16
- I assume his plan for entitlement spending is to make poor people pay for it. - ND_in_ATL - 7:53pm 4/17/16
- A former English foreign minister once said that NATO had three roles.... - Chris94 - 5:25pm 4/18/16
- Genius... you're almost scholarly - jimbasil - 7:31pm 4/17/16
- Just "almost". But you're already a scholar, specialized in legacy of Bush presidency [NT]
- Eli - 2:20am 4/18/16
- Yours and Trump's grasp on the compexities of world issues astounds. - jimbasil - 2:49am 4/18/16
- Obviously my post is not for low-info readers like you. - Eli - 7:49pm 4/19/16
- Yours and Trump's grasp on the compexities of world issues astounds. - jimbasil - 2:49am 4/18/16
- Just "almost". But you're already a scholar, specialized in legacy of Bush presidency [NT]
- Eli - 2:20am 4/18/16
- Trump's, and your, view is incredibly shortsighted. - LanceHarbor - 6:06pm 4/17/16
- NATO helps achieve that? You are delusional - CC72 - 9:24pm 4/17/16
- how can I argue with such a well written post [NT] - LanceHarbor - 9:29pm 4/17/16
- Your last sentence is 100% correct. - ND_in_ATL - 7:00pm 4/17/16
- NATO helps achieve that? You are delusional - CC72 - 9:24pm 4/17/16
- I agree with Trump in general on this issue - CC72 - 2:56pm 4/17/16