A defining feature of the Trump presidency is the way the United States is alienating allies and embracing enemies. This was the case just weeks ago when the United States summarily betrayed the Syrian Kurds, leaving them to the crusading devices of Turkish frenemies and the mercenary devices of Russian and Syrian enemies.
Therefore, one wonders why French President Emmanuel Macron is making so much news for observing the obvious.
President Emmanuel Macron of France has described Nato as ‘brain dead’, stressing what he sees as waning commitment to the transatlantic alliance by its main guarantor, the US.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a key ally, said she disagreed with Mr Macron’s ‘drastic words.’
Russia, which sees Nato as a threat to its security, welcomed the French president’s comments as ‘truthful words.’
(BBC, November 7, 2019)
To be fair, Macron, Merkel, and Putin can be forgiven their respective perspectives:
Macron
Because NATO really would be on life support if the United States turned its back on the transatlantic alliance – permanently. Except that, despite saying many alienating things (e.g., that NATO is obsolete), Trump is just doing in a thuggish way what his post-WWII predecessors have done in more diplomatic ways: He’s scaring other members into paying their fair share to ensure that NATO remains a truly viable and invincible military alliance.
Merkel
Because she duly recognizes the demoralizing impact Trump’s rhetoric is having on NATO members. But she actually preempted Macron with a more sobering assessment of the alliance in this era of Trump. Here is how I commented in “The Week Trump Kissed Up to Saudi Arabia, Kissed Off Europe, and French Kissed the Philippines,” May 30, 2017:
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He hurled patently misguided allegations about Europeans sponging off American taxpayers for their national defense, respectively. That was bad enough. But he added injury when he physically pushed aside the prime minister of Montenegro – who happened to be standing where Trump felt he needed to be to preen as top peacock for a routine photo op.
Accordingly, he not only stunk up the place, but behaved like a bull in a china shop to boot, which probably gives bulls a bad name. Alas, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel telegraphed, the fallout might prove seismic and historic:
Speaking at a beer hall rally in Munich on Sunday, Merkel suggested that the era when Europe could rely on the United States may be coming to an end. …
‘I experienced that in the last a few days, and therefore I can only say that we Europeans must really take our fate into our own hands … we have to fight for our own future and destiny as Europeans.’
The dramatic announcement came after contentious meetings with Trump, who had used his first official trip to Europe to criticize German trade, scold world leaders about their NATO spending and refuse to commit to the Paris agreement on combating climate change.
(Washington Post, May 29, 2017)
In other words, Trump did in two days what Russian President Vladimir Putin has been trying to do for nearly two decades: He sowed discord in NATO – the greatest military alliance in the history of mankind and the unassailable guarantor of peace on the Continent of Europe since WWII.
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All the same, one could see Merkel admonishing Macron that Putin and others might mistake his “drastic words” for a white flag of surrender. Never mind far more unnerving reports about Macron seeking the kind of security guarantees from Putin that European appeasers sought from Hitler.
But Merkel clearly believes the best way to deal with an erratic, reckless, and potentially unreliable United States is for Europe’s NATO members to hold their nerves. This, because it’s only a matter of time before Trump’s successor restores the United States to its traditional role.
Putin
Because Trump is proving a useful idiot in so many ways. After all, “truthful words” for Putin are any that show Western democracies in chaos.
Of course, chaos is the word that best describes Trump’s presidency. But it also describes Britain’s Brexit, France’s Yellow Vest protests, Europe’s migration crisis, Latin America’s metastasizing protests, US-Mexico’s border crisis, and (coming full circle) Ukraine’s feature role in the looming impeachment of President Trump.
But, lest you think Putin is sitting in the catbird seat, beware that his power lies more in creating mischief for the West than in making Russia great again. Nothing demonstrates this quite like the way poorly armed Ukrainian fighters are bedeviling his efforts to exercise Soviet-style dominion over sections of eastern Ukraine.
But even the purported success he’s having in Syria will prove a poisoned chalice. Ironically, this is tantamount to the folly of United States engaging in nation building in Afghanistan after the Soviet Union spent nearly a decade trying to do so to no avail.
Not to mention that Putin is sowing discord abroad to distract his long-suffering people from the Soviet-style economic malaise he’s presiding over at home.
So keep calm and carry on. The restoration (via impeachment or 2020 election) is at hand.
Related commentaries:
Kurds… the week trump kissed… useful idiot…
Brexit… Europe migration… US separating children…
Yellow Vests… Trumpian mess…
the restoration… Ukraine…