Trump thumps Europe

Like the dinner guest who candidly mentions the soup is cold, President Trump stunned the tender sensibilities of Europe’s elite ruling class on his no holds barred European excursion. Unvarnished truth and blunt honesty are just not done and typically unwelcome in the lofty circles of the oh so refined European dignitaries. Trump had them uncouthly spitting out their soup all over the fine linens.

The press is tied up in knots over Trump’s comments, but even if he said “the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain,” they would have howled in indignation that he was insensitive to the climate change threats to those Spaniards not living on the plain. The media meltdown over Trump’s forthright assessment of British Prime Minister Theresa May’s BREXIT plan was expected and disingenuous.

May already had a problem with British conservatives in open revolt over her tepid plan that detractors say would leave the United Kingdom a European Union (EU) colony. Conservative Britons want a clean break to regain their sovereignty, but her mushy plan acquiesces to too much EU influence. Having no ill words for May, Trump merely pointed out the USA also favored a clean break so that the USA could make an independent trade deal with a sovereign UK unencumbered by rigid EU restrictions. He may have added fuel to her fire, but better to know your largest trading partners misgivings before making a regrettable deal.

Even better, Trump had German Chancellor Angela Merkel squirming when he called her out for her very cozy Russian natural gas scheme. NATO member nations are required to spend 2% of their GDP on defense, but only a handful do with the US spending 4% of GDP on defense. The largest economy in Europe, Germany only spends a paltry 1.2% of GDP on defense.

Though trying to evolve, NATO was created in 1949 has a defensive military alliance to defend against the then very real threat of invasion by the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact, but both are gone now. The Russians are certainly cantankerous and sometimes belligerent, but the threat of invasion is almost negligible. Germany is building a pipeline with Russia where Germany will get about 70% of their natural gas from the big bad red bear. Trump simply pointed out that Germany would be grossly beholden to Russia. So Trump asked the Germans to explain why the USA should keep spending billions to defend them from an energy partner they find so delightful.

The reality is Europe has been pretty much sponging of the USA for defense for decades. They skimp on their defense and lecture us on quality of life because they spend their money on themselves leaving Americans to do the heavy lifting. The EU economy is larger than the US economy, so why aren’t they shouldering their share of their defense?!

Trump is only seeking fairness. We still maintain substantial military forces in Europe to keep them safe while Europe takes the entire month of August off. For over 70 years, the USA has carried Europe on its back and they have grumbled most of that time. It’s time to start paring down our military presence in Europe and start bringing US troops home. The rich snooty Europeans can handle it and call us if they need help.

The sad truth is Europeans are quite expedient in their purposes. Never mind being held hostage to Russian natural gas, the Americans will back us up. The most egregious violation of our benevolence and trust is the Iran Nuclear Deal. The Europeans have no altruistic motives for peace; they simply want to trade with Iran and make money. Europeans are unconcerned with Middle East stability because the Americans will clean up any mess.

Trump may be brash, but he calls them like he sees them. That’s global leadership we have been sorely lacking. It’s about time the Europeans naked ambition and thinly veiled deceptions are exposed. They don’t like it, but if Europeans heed Trump’s warnings, we will all be stronger and safe for it.

“Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” Ephesians 5:11

 
 
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