Trump's RNC Chair Includes Ukraine in List of US Adversaries

[anonymoose]

Michael Whatley, Donald Trump's hand-picked Republican National Committee (RNC) chair, lumped in Ukraine with China and Iran when listing the United States' "aggressive" adversaries on Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures.

"Joe Biden's feckless leadership has shown China, has shown Ukraine, has shown Iran, that they can feel free to be much more aggressive on the world front to the point where even they will try and meddle with our elections here," Whatley told host Maria Bartiromo on Sunday.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...s-adversaries/ar-BB1ldKMh?ocid=emmx-mmx-feeds

Insanity. And I thought it was just Trump.

 

[anonymoose]

Hopefully Trump gets elected with a Republican house and senate so we can declare war on Ukraine.

 

[Walt]

I expect trump will just send aid to Russia to help them defeat Ukraine, and its danger of spreading freedom.

 

[T. A. Gardner]

Personally, I don't give a shit who wins in the Ukraine-Russia war. The more the two beat the shit out of each other, the better.

 

[Walt]

Personally, I don't give a shit who wins in the Ukraine-Russia war. The more the two beat the shit out of each other, the better.

You don't care if Russia invades Ukraine? How about if Russia invades Estonia? Poland? Germany? UK? Canada? The Northeast of the USA? Where ever you live?

At what point do you start caring?

 

[T. A. Gardner]

You don't care if Russia invades Ukraine? How about if Russia invades Estonia? Poland? Germany? UK? Canada? The Northeast of the USA? Where ever you live?

At what point do you start caring?

That's just a reductio ad absurdum fallacy. As it is, neither Russia or Ukraine has much to gain beating the other's brains out in an endless slugfest.

 

[Walt]

That's just a reductio ad absurdum fallacy.

So there is no line that you would defend against Putin?

I have no problem answering that question. I am willing to send supplies, but not forces to defend Ukraine from Russia's attack. I am willing to send forces to defend any NATO country (like Estonia) from a future Russian attack.

As it is, neither Russia or Ukraine has much to gain beating the other's brains out in an endless slugfest.

Russia would gain all of Ukraine if they win, and Ukraine can keep their country if Russia does not.

 

[martin]

Hopefully Trump gets elected with a Republican house and senate so we can declare war on Ukraine.

I think the bigger problem is what underlies this Republican messaging on Ukraine and Russia. Trump's fondness for Putin's dictatorial style has caught on with these pseudo Americans. It's an active threat.

 

[T. A. Gardner]

So there is no line that you would defend against Putin?

I have no problem answering that question. I am willing to send supplies, but not forces to defend Ukraine from Russia's attack. I am willing to send forces to defend any NATO country (like Estonia) from a future Russian attack.

Russia would gain all of Ukraine if they win, and Ukraine can keep their country if Russia does not.

And somehow, the US is responsible for Ukraine? Wars happen. Borders change. The world isn't static and trying to make it so won't work. If Estonia were invaded, then yes, the US would have to respond, but so would all of NATO. Of course, I don't really expect every NATO member to send more than some token force however, and that's wrong too. The US shouldn't shoulder the burden of defending Europe, Europe should, but they don't.

 

[Walt]

And somehow, the US is responsible for Ukraine?

By having the Ukrainians fight Russia, we are stopping Putin before Americans have to fight Russia.

If Estonia were invaded, then yes, the US would have to respond

So we want to do everything we can to have Ukraine stop Putin before we have to do it.

Of course, I don't really expect every NATO member to send more than some token force however, and that's wrong too.

Germany is actually stationing German forces in the Baltic. Poland is supplying huge numbers of tanks, considering how small they are. I could go on and on. Europe is preparing for war, because war is coming... Or more accurately, war has come.

 

[T. A. Gardner]

By having the Ukrainians fight Russia, we are stopping Putin before Americans have to fight Russia.

Russia isn't interested in fighting the US, or Western Europe for that matter. What's going on between Ukraine and Russia is something that goes back like 600 years.

So we want to do everything we can to have Ukraine stop Putin before we have to do it.

We have idiots for leaders, and the head idiot is Joke Bribem who, like he's done for over half-a-century, is making foreign policy blunder after foreign policy blunder. Joke's been on the wrong side of every US foreign policy decision since he was first elected. He's an idiot, and we're involved in a war we needn't be involved in.

Germany is actually stationing German forces in the Baltic. Poland is supplying huge numbers of tanks, considering how small they are. I could go on and on. Europe is preparing for war, because war is coming... Or more accurately, war has come.

That's Germany. Poland, same thing. At least Poland pays their NATO dues...

 

[Walt]

Russia isn't interested in fighting the US, or Western Europe for that matter. What's going on between Ukraine and Russia is something that goes back like 600 years.

Hey, before 1920, Russia also had Poland and Finland. Are you OK with Putin invading them too?

That's Germany. Poland, same thing. At least Poland pays their NATO dues...

All the countries pay their NATO dues. NATO dues are not that much. The question is spending enough on defense. Germany and France are now hitting 2% of GDP on defense, and are increasing. 3% is the new 2%. With the possibility of trump being elected, there is a desperate need to increase defense spending.

Interestingly enough, German spending on renting bases for American troops is not considered military spending.

 

[T. A. Gardner]

Hey, before 1920, Russia also had Poland and Finland. Are you OK with Putin invading them too?

And before Russia, Finland was part of Sweden. So? Poland has long been a doormat in Eastern Europe. Russia is hardly the only nation that's overrun that country. In any case, Russia has historically not seen either as part of their country and their occupation of both has been short-lived. Ukraine on the other hand has consistently been a part of Russia longer than the US has existed as a nation.

All the countries pay their NATO dues. NATO dues are not that much. The question is spending enough on defense. Germany and France are now hitting 2% of GDP on defense, and are increasing. 3% is the new 2%. With the possibility of trump being elected, there is a desperate need to increase defense spending.

Interestingly enough, German spending on renting bases for American troops is not considered military spending.

Only 35% of NATO Countries Meet the Group’s Defense Spending Target
https://www.usnews.com/news/best-co...tries-meet-the-groups-defense-spending-target

Majority of NATO Nations Fail to Spend 2 Percent GDP Guideline for Defense
https://www.newsweek.com/majority-nato-nations-fail-spend-2-percent-gdp-guideline-defense-1694014

These NATO countries are not spending their fair share on defense
https://money.cnn.com/2016/07/08/news/nato-summit-spending-countries/index.html

NATO and the Persistent Problem of German Defense Spending
https://www.cornellpress.cornell.ed...rcive-diplomacy-brian-blankenship-11-01-2023/

3. Germany
Number Of Bases: 119
Construction Cost: $5.8 Billion
Germany, hosting 119 U.S. military bases with a construction cost of $5.8 billion, plays a pivotal role in NATO and transatlantic security. These bases serve as key logistical and operational hubs, illustrating the enduring partnership between the United States and Germany in addressing global security challenges.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...nd-how-much-did-they-cost/ss-AA1mte8o#image=4

Whereas, in the last decade, Germany has spent about $1 billion on stuff related to US bases in that country...

The German government has paid more than $1 billion over the past decade to cover costs related to the stationing of U.S. troops in Germany, according to the finance ministry in Berlin.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/...t-over-1b-to-cover-costs-linked-to-us-troops/

So, Germany isn't paying their share of defense spending, their spending on US base related infrastructure is a mere drop in the bucket, and they aren't the only county in NATO doing that.