The Guardian view on Trump and the G7 summit: a watershed moment

[malaise]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/10/the-guardian-view-on-trump-and-the-g7-summit-a-watershed-moment
<snip>
The failure of the G7 meeting in Charlevoix, Quebec, marks a watershed for the 21st-century democracies. It is the moment when Donald Trump’s disruption of the international order moved from annoying threat to damaging reality. Mr Trump went to Quebec only under protest. He made no effort to compromise on his tariff war. He arrived late for meetings, chided the other leaders and left early. He snubbed the final communique. He tweeted insults to his Canadian hosts from his plane as he headed off. By the time his North Korean summit ends later this week, Mr Trump may be on chummier terms with another authoritarian dictator than with America’s democratic allies.

The immediate upshot is bad enough. The US refused to sign a G7 communique that was too weak, especially on climate change, but that should have been supported. Mr Trump’s steel and aluminium tariffs were the flashpoint; but the G7 countries actually have much in common on trade, not least on forced technology transfers to China. The communique also challenged Russia’s destabilisation tactics, said Iran’s nuclear programme must remain wholly peaceful and contained declarations on gender equality and fair tax regimes. Mr Trump has not signed off on these either. But the longer-term damage of this division could be even worse.

Some will argue that this was merely another bout of Trumpian theatrics, inseparable from his boundless narcissism and essential for fuelling his supporters’ anger in election year, and that the underlying substance of the US’s relationship with its fellow liberal democracies remains resilient enough to survive. This has been the default position of most of America’s allies ever since Mr Trump became president. They are doing their self-sacrificing best to keep him in check in the hope that he will be a passing phenomenon. This view should not be dismissed. But it has become too naive.

The truth may now be more serious. The US is the cornerstone of the post-1945 international order. If Mr Trump wishes to remove that cornerstone everything else is threatened. That has not yet happened. The thankless task of doing what can be done to mitigate Trumpian disruption must continue. But a fissure is growing. And it got wider in Quebec.

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more at link

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Great article, my dear malaise! There is much horrifying truth, esp. here:

This view should not be dismissed. But it has become too naive.

He is an enormous force for radical destabilization.

[malaise]

2. He is a raving lunatic who must be stopped

This cannot continue

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Damn right!

Hurry up, Mueller!

[suffragette]

4. We are at a dangerous crossroad domestically and internationally.

Thanks for the astute OP, malaise.

[Fritz Walter]

5. Credit where it's due

What we’re seeing here is execution of Putin’s plan to destabilize the world economy in general — and our national economy in particular.

He’s lashing out — through his stooge, cadet bone spurs — after Russia was rightly removed from the G8 after annexing Crimea.

Everyone else has to deal with the consequences of this vindictive behavior. Regardless of the costs.

[mountain grammy]

11. Where my shock comes in is seeing how easy it was

to get millions of Americans to see Putin as some kind of hero.

[duforsure]

6. Are these aluminum tarriffs designed to help Russia ,

especially the russian billionaire close to putin? Will trump bar Canadian tar sands oil from being pipelined through this country next to hurt Canada , and help russia and putin?

[pangaia]

7. Without the US the other G7 nations lack as much clout to make the system work

Without the US the other G7 nations lack as much clout to make the system work. The EU remains feeble. But the rest of the G7 must try. If not, Europe, Canada and Japan risk becoming standing invitations to humiliation by Russian disruption, Chinese strategic authoritarianism and Trumpian nativism. This puts the liberal value system of democracy, peace, trade, liberty and the rule of law at risk. It threatens the ability of the liberal democracies to stand up to threats. Not for the first time.

Putin's end game..


WHEN will media stop beating around thew bush,, EVEN as close as THE GUARDIAN GETS.... much better than most.


Thanks Malaise.

[Uncle Joe]

8. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread malaise

[Honeycombe8]

9. This brings it into focus. Real damage is being done. He is, in fact, a Russian agent.

There is no other explanation. It's as if Putin is walking in his shoes.

[Eyeball_Kid]

14. Trumpy hasn't registered as a foreign agent.

He should be charged under the FARA.

[MyOwnPeace]

17. Another unsettling thing.................

the Republican morons in DC are NOT doing a damned thing about it - they are treasonous - allowing our country to be sold out to an enemy country and betraying our dearest and most valuable allies.

AWAY WITH THEM ALL!!!!! : grr:

[Honeycombe8]

18. I know. I can't wait for Judgment Day on all the traitors. J-Day being history & documentaries

and movies. This is unbelievable. I saw an inkling of this, just an inkling, during the Bush administration, when they so willingly went along with the Patriot Act...the Republicans who are so "Freedom!" and government conspiracy oriented. But they so willingly jumped off the bridge for being surveilled by the govt without court approval, before or after.

So we are here, now. Willingly going along with pushing what Putin wants, and damaging decades old relationships with our closest allies, including the two we share borders with! The damage, the damage.

[spanone]

10. K&R...

'moved from annoying threat to damaging reality'

people don't like to be bullied.

trump is a bully.

[mountain grammy]

12. K & R

[smirkymonkey]

13. K&R

[orangecrush]

15. Trump is a threat to our national security

and that of our allies.

[malaise]

16. Actually he's a threat to the entire planet