numberwang said: Here is what it's really about - NATO requires a military spending of at least 2% of GDP from all members to stay afloat. Most member have fallen below that line and T reminds them to pay up. Strengthening NATO = Putin's plan

The real reason is because the US wants Europe to buy more military crap we likely wont use, from the US.

All those $$$ go into the pockets of the US.

Trump goes to europe, begs europe to buy more millitary hardware from them.

Then to force the issue, america will probably start a few wars in the middle east or something :p

Also Canada seems to be one of the worse offenders.

I bet the US is sooooo angry with them... right?

So much macho posturing...

Without the USA and US-funded Nato, Europe is completely unable to defend itself from the smallest attacks. Crimea-style takeovers could happen again, especially in Northern or eastern Europe.

So the USA should simply end Nato and stop protecting Europe. This would force them to protect themselves. Leftist governments want to reduce military spending instead. In a war situation, this could be the end of their country.

Canada gets away with this because of a lot of things like trade deals, partnerships, and how ironically, almost always, everything costs significantly more here than it does in the states. Even when a product is made in Canada, a lot of the time it gets shipped to the states, then shipped back to Canada, and we pay a lot more for that same product than the states does.

Aside from that, the states really can't do much about our military spending. If we decided to invest even less and be practically defenseless, the states would have no choice but to cover our weakness. If someone ever invaded and took over Canada, they would be on the states doorstep. Odds are that would lead to the states going to war with whoever that was, and taking over what was Canada though so.

Canada gets protection, states gets security and good deals. Both win in the end. Europe is a different situation.

No ones posturing, we're just giving Trump his due - he's an alpha. Posturing would be us trying that prove that we're alphas.

Competence or incompetence can be judged only at the end of his term(s): if USA power and wealth will be lower, we'll be able to say he'll have been incompetent, if they'll be higher we'll know he was competent, or at least not enough incompetent to damage his country.
If we consider practical results and how USA importance, influence and wealth grew or dropped under their rule, the most incompetent PotUS of the last 40 years must have been Jimmy Carter.

Trump is the president America deserves. He perfectly captures the American Id or Ego. Pompous, self important, wealthy, overweight.

Lol at people thinking Trump is in anyway "alpha." Probably one of the biggest cuckolds out there.

Trump is the one posturing...

JRPGfan said: numberwang said: Here is what it's really about - NATO requires a military spending of at least 2% of GDP from all members to stay afloat. Most member have fallen below that line and T reminds them to pay up. Strengthening NATO = Putin's plan The real reason is because the US wants Europe to buy more military crap we likely wont use, from the US. All those $$$ go into the pockets of the US. Trump goes to europe, begs europe to buy more millitary hardware from them. Then to force the issue, america will probably start a few wars in the middle east or something :p   Also Canada seems to be one of the worse offenders. I bet the US is sooooo angry with them... right?

No. They should be paying their agreed upon fair share for their own defenses instead of creating retarded policies that will ruin their respective countries.