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highplainsdem

(48,975 posts)
Thu Jul 12, 2018, 08:53 PM Jul 2018

Trump won't rule out ceasing military exercises if Putin asks

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump capped off his dramatic appearance at the annual NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday by teasing another controversial possibility, saying he would not rule out ceasing NATO military exercises in the Baltic States if Russian leader Vladimir Putin requested it during their upcoming meeting in Helsinki, Finland.

Asked if he would cancel them, Trump said, "Perhaps we'll talk about that," referring to Putin, a response that has only fueled the the growing uncertainty over the state of the alliance.

Despite Trump's barrage of acidic rhetoric during the summit, diplomats said the President never explicitly threatened to leave NATO and it remains unclear whether he has the power to do so without Senate approval.

However, Trump's comments about possibly canceling NATO military exercises at Putin's request have amplified fears among European leaders that the President could undermine the alliance by making major unilateral concessions to the Russian President -- who he again referred to as a "competitor" rather than an adversary on Thursday.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/12/politics/trump-nato-military-exercises/index.html

29 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Trump won't rule out ceasing military exercises if Putin asks (Original Post) highplainsdem Jul 2018 OP
Putin's going into Estonia. No doubt now. underpants Jul 2018 #1
SHIT. I have been saying that for over a year. pangaia Jul 2018 #14
Remember the 2012 debates? Jedi Guy Jul 2018 #19
Now that you mention it, yes. I do remember. pangaia Jul 2018 #23
And where is the "new" NATO with that, we need to find out. ancianita Jul 2018 #20
Wish we had the Estonian PM in dem leadership, he's got Putin's act DOWN. Putin's a thug who blames uponit7771 Jul 2018 #25
I despised Reagan---but Reagan was better than this. McCamy Taylor Jul 2018 #2
Trump won't rule out eating Putin's shit if Putin asks dalton99a Jul 2018 #3
Indeed. iluvtennis Jul 2018 #16
+1, his sycophant base will declare Putin's shit is the best shit ever uponit7771 Jul 2018 #26
Just like he gave away SKorean mil exercises to Kim, for nothing in return. Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2018 #4
Forget the Pee-Pee Tape Drake Notthesinger Jul 2018 #5
I want...I want... Solly Mack Jul 2018 #6
I want what you want! BigmanPigman Jul 2018 #9
I'm not exactly a nice person all the time. Solly Mack Jul 2018 #17
Taking the high road and being civil is not a realistic BigmanPigman Jul 2018 #24
I want him to contract a case of the clap from hookers provide by Putin. alfredo Jul 2018 #11
You're too nice. Solly Mack Jul 2018 #18
*GRIN* alfredo Jul 2018 #29
We all do. Codeine Jul 2018 #21
Yeah :( Solly Mack Jul 2018 #22
He wants NATO members to spend more, but not to be ready. Defense suppliers only benefit. . . . nt Bernardo de La Paz Jul 2018 #7
Putin can help with the military exercises IronLionZion Jul 2018 #8
GD thread on Russian military exercise in Baltic just before NATO summit: highplainsdem Jul 2018 #10
Donald's treason with no record in a private meeting with his master, Vlad. keithbvadu2 Jul 2018 #12
It's not a meeting, it's a performance review. George II Jul 2018 #15
Reminds me of the ol' fraternity spanking routine - "thank you sir, may I have another?" George II Jul 2018 #13
Or appointing commissars down to platoon level... malthaussen Jul 2018 #27
Shouldn't that be "when Putin tells him to cancel"? marble falls Jul 2018 #28

underpants

(182,789 posts)
1. Putin's going into Estonia. No doubt now.
Thu Jul 12, 2018, 08:58 PM
Jul 2018

I wouldn't be surprised if something was initiated while sitting face to face with Trump.

pangaia

(24,324 posts)
14. SHIT. I have been saying that for over a year.
Thu Jul 12, 2018, 10:15 PM
Jul 2018

Even recently. Most here repudiate me.

Oh, can't happen.
right..

Jedi Guy

(3,186 posts)
19. Remember the 2012 debates?
Thu Jul 12, 2018, 11:55 PM
Jul 2018

Everyone laughed at Mitt Romney when he said Russia was our greatest strategic challenge in the coming years. Eerily prescient, at least on this one issue. On the rest, he was unsurprisingly wide of the mark.

Russia is most definitely a bad actor, and we've got a guy in the White House who's practically chomping at the bit to give away the keys to the shop. I wouldn't have believed it possible, but here we are...

uponit7771

(90,335 posts)
25. Wish we had the Estonian PM in dem leadership, he's got Putin's act DOWN. Putin's a thug who blames
Fri Jul 13, 2018, 05:17 AM
Jul 2018

... everything that went wrong with the USSR on the west in an INFOWAR like CT mindset.

Bernardo de La Paz

(49,001 posts)
4. Just like he gave away SKorean mil exercises to Kim, for nothing in return.
Thu Jul 12, 2018, 09:20 PM
Jul 2018

Trump gives gifts to his peers (dictators) and flaming bags of dogshit to allies.

BigmanPigman

(51,590 posts)
9. I want what you want!
Thu Jul 12, 2018, 09:59 PM
Jul 2018

If it is anything even close to what I have been visualizing I imagine we want the same thing.

malthaussen

(17,193 posts)
27. Or appointing commissars down to platoon level...
Fri Jul 13, 2018, 10:09 AM
Jul 2018

... our troops need to be indoctrinated in the New Order.

-- Mal

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