23 Comments
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Daniel Meegan's avatar

No Deals let them defend themselves

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Rod D. Martin's avatar

Or at least make these numbers fair. And as you've seen, that's Trump's point across the board. It's time to end the "emergency" measures we instituted after World War II and level the playing field.

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Daniel Meegan's avatar

Didn't every pilgrim come here to escape globalism ideas

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Rod D. Martin's avatar

They wouldn't have used that term, but yes.

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Daniel Meegan's avatar

No escape for us conspiracy Theorists 😩

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Rod D. Martin's avatar

You know the difference between a conspiracy theory and an established fact: about six months.

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Daniel Meegan's avatar

Since 2000 we been headed in the wrong direction

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Daniel Meegan's avatar

Dominion debuts 2000 Gore won

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Patrick Crebbin's avatar

The "hanging chads" hung Gore out.

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Daniel Meegan's avatar

Odd 🧐

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Brett Hyland's avatar

So, after writing this exposition, you conflictingly state up front that you unequivocally support our (U.S.) allies. I don’t get it. How can we ally with EU countries that simply use us (I do get that, to this point, we passively accepted their respective usuriousness)? I say, good luck to them, and we would be happy to match their defense contributions financially as well as their troop count on a pro rata basis, but not if they are going to operate as fascist or authoritarian or totalitarian or marxist states, where we will reduce our pledges accordingly.

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Rod D. Martin's avatar

Exactly the same as if my wife or my child was doing something I didn't like. I still like my family, I just want them to act better.

That's Trump's position in a nutshell, with Europe, Japan, Canada, Mexico, and everyone else: we'll help you, we'll trade with you, we'll be friends with you...but you have to be better friends back.

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Brett Hyland's avatar

Ahh, so you do in fact agree, then, with some contingent qualifiers to your allied support.

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Rod D. Martin's avatar

That was my very point. They have to start making this a relationship worth remaining in. Otherwise, they can go find a new girlfriend...somewhere.

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Betsy's avatar

We should help. Meaning once they take the lead in spending, we can talk about supporting their primary efforts. Ukraine is their neighbor, as is Russia; if they aren’t willing to step up then we should follow their lead.

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Wim de Vriend's avatar

This was John Quincy Adams' advice, given two centuries ago to the House of Representatives:

"[America] has abstained from interference in the concerns of others, even when conflict has been for principles to which she clings, as to the last vital drop that visits the heart.

She has seen that probably for centuries to come, all the contests of ... the European world, will be contests of inveterate power, and emerging right.

Wherever the standard of freedom and Independence has been or shall be unfurled, there will her heart, her benedictions and her prayers be.

But she goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy.

She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all."

Why do I get the feeling that Adams foresaw that once America went "abroad, in search of monsters to destroy", there would be no end to it? Once you make a mess overseas ...

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Steve's avatar

US strikes deal with Ukraine for ceasefire, says the ‘ball’ is now in Russia’s ‘court’

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/foreign-policy/3343700/us-deal-ukraine-ceasefire-russia/

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Guillermo Aragon's avatar

Brilliantly on point... Especially the point made about the EU subsidizing of Russia's economy through their unbalanced trade in oil and gas with the very 'enemy' they purport to oppose. #LeftisLogic

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Rod D. Martin's avatar

They want to make America be the "bad guy" (and foot the bill) so they can be the "reasonable ones", suck up to Putin for his gas, and still pretend to be relevant.

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V3's avatar

You also failed to mention that a huge part of the reason that Ukraine was able to survive is that Palantir provided them with an extraordinarily sophisticated command and control and targeting system that could totally integrate the battlefield. This was a massive force multiplier that is totally under appreciated.

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Rod D. Martin's avatar

You are correct. They’d be dead in the water without Starlink also.

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VictorDianne Watson's avatar

Good analysis! Europe needs to grow up and stop being dependent on the US.

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Rod D. Martin's avatar

Yes. We're happy to be allies. But shouldn't we get something out of that alliance too?

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