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

[highplainsdem]

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

[underpants]

1. Putin's going into Estonia. No doubt now.

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

[pangaia]

14. SHIT. I have been saying that for over a year.

Even recently. Most here repudiate me.

Oh, can't happen.
right..

[Jedi Guy]

19. Remember the 2012 debates?

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...

[pangaia]

23. Now that you mention it, yes. I do remember.

[ancianita]

20. And where is the "new" NATO with that, we need to find out.

[uponit7771]

25. Wish we had the Estonian PM in dem leadership, he's got Putin's act DOWN. Putin's a thug who blames

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

[McCamy Taylor]

2. I despised Reagan---but Reagan was better than this.

[dalton99a]

3. Trump won't rule out eating Putin's shit if Putin asks

Heck, he'll do it without being asked

[iluvtennis]

16. Indeed.

[uponit7771]

26. +1, his sycophant base will declare Putin's shit is the best shit ever

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. Just like he gave away SKorean mil exercises to Kim, for nothing in return.

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

[Drake Notthesinger]

5. Forget the Pee-Pee Tape

I fully expect BDSM to surface after Helsinki, with Putin as the "upper," of course!

[Solly Mack]

6. I want...I want...

I won't type out what I want.

[BigmanPigman]

9. I want what you want!

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

[Solly Mack]

17. I'm not exactly a nice person all the time.

I still want what I want though.

[BigmanPigman]

24. Taking the high road and being civil is not a realistic

option at this point. The gloves are off!

[alfredo]

11. I want him to contract a case of the clap from hookers provide by Putin.

[Solly Mack]

18. You're too nice.

That's why I like you.

[alfredo]

29. *GRIN*

[Codeine]

21. We all do.

Just. . . fuck.

[Solly Mack]

22. Yeah :(

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. He wants NATO members to spend more, but not to be ready. Defense suppliers only benefit. . . . nt

[IronLionZion]

8. Putin can help with the military exercises

he'll send tanks and heavy bombers

[highplainsdem]

10. GD thread on Russian military exercise in Baltic just before NATO summit:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210862605

[keithbvadu2]

12. Donald's treason with no record in a private meeting with his master, Vlad.

[George II]

15. It's not a meeting, it's a performance review.

[George II]

13. Reminds me of the ol' fraternity spanking routine - "thank you sir, may I have another?"

[malthaussen]

27. Or appointing commissars down to platoon level...

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

-- Mal

[marble falls]

28. Shouldn't that be "when Putin tells him to cancel"?