|
nChrist
|
 |
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2018, 06:03:57 PM » |
|
________________________________
The Patriot Post Digest 7-19-2018
From The Federalist Patriot
Free Email Subscription
_______________________________
How unserious? As of now only five of the 29 alliance members are expected35 to reach their military spending goal of 2% of GDP30 by the end of 2018. In sharp contrast, the U.S. accounts for 74% of the military spending36 among those 29 members and 22%37 of NATO’s overall budget. Trump wants38 NATO nations to increase their budgets to 4% of GDP, but one suspects such lofty expectations are an “art of the deal” subterfuge aimed at getting them to the 2% threshold that many of them have pledged to reach — by 2024.
In the meantime, an “offended” Germany imports more than 80% of its natural gas supply — approximately 50% of which is supplied39 by Russia. Moreover, in 2017 Gazprom, Russia’s giant state-owned natural gas company, provided40 Europe with approximately 40% of its gas, a level that represents41 an all-time high in gas purchases — and dependency on Vladimir Putin.
Were that the sole example of EU schizophrenia, as in consorting with adversaries NATO was created to defend against, Trump’s assertion that Germany is “a captive of Russia” might have been considered over the top. Yet as columnist Daniel Horowitz reveals36, that is hardly the case. The EU has also countenanced massive amounts of immigration by middle Eastern immigrants, undermining its member nations’ sovereignty and safety, turned a blind eye to the Islamist ambitions of NATO “fifth columnist” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and expressed support for Hezbollah and Hamas, while regularly criticizing Israel.
It gets worse. On Monday, the EU provided42 European firms with legal cover to operate in Iran, courtesy of a “blocking statute” that prohibits EU companies from complying with U.S. sanction demands, allows them to recover damages from that lack of compliance, and nullifies any foreign court rulings against them. Three EU nations — France, Britain, and Germany — have also indicated43 they will be activating accounts for the Iranian central bank with their national central banks to counteract the Trump administration’s efforts to keep up economic pressure on the world’s foremost state sponsor of Islamist terror.
“At what point does an ally cease being an ally?” Horowitz asks. “At what point does the hypocrisy, self-destruction, and sabotage of U.S. interests at the hands of the Western European powers cross a red line in our relationship, especially when we are shouldering most of the burden for NATO?”
When there isn’t even one EU nation among the core members of NATO with a majority of citizens who would fight for their country under any circumstances, perhaps we have reached the ultimate inflection point.
With $21 trillion of national debt, America can no longer afford to indulge holidays from history, courtesy of a continent with a diminishing appetite for defending itself. In short, “that’s the way we always done it now” no longer suffices.
It’s about time.
https://patriotpost.us/articles/57215-natos-holiday-from-history-is-over
MORE ANALYSIS FROM THE PATRIOT POST
How Russia Got Kompromat on Germany33 — The Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline would allow Russia to send natural gas to Germany.
MSM Presents Comedians’ Anti-Trump Monologues as News44 — Leftmedia headlines late-night comedians’ reactions to Trump as legitimate commentary.
Video: The Future of NATO45 — The most successful alliance in human history, NATO’s very existence is under attack.
OPINION IN BRIEF
Kay Coles James: “Yesterday, I had the honor of welcoming Ambassador Nikki Haley to The Heritage Foundation. And as she spoke before a packed audience, I realized we were witnessing a true profile in courage. Ambassador Haley’s principles and tenacity have served her well all her life, first as a young businesswoman, then as South Carolina’s first Indian-American legislator, and later as the Palmetto State’s first female and minority governor. And today, they serve America well in her role as our ambassador to the United Nations. To do that tough job right — to stand firm for freedom-loving people in the face of despotic regimes — requires extraordinary courage. Consider the abuse she has endured for pulling the U.S. out of the UN Human Rights Council. … As a black American who spent my early years in a poor household, I know quite a bit more about poverty and human rights in America than ‘UN experts’ who spend 20 days in the U.S. before writing their reports. I know firsthand the overwhelming challenges faced by America’s rural and urban poor. I also know firsthand that America provides the greatest opportunity for its citizens to experience life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. … Ambassador Haley was right to call out the council for its hypocrisy and to deprive it of the legitimacy it gains by having the U.S. as a member. America doesn’t need the council. Because with courageous leaders like Nikki Haley, we are doing far more to promote human rights without it.”
SHORT CUTS
Upright: “The U.S. Constitution represents our ‘rules of the game.’ Supreme Court justices should be seen as umpires or referees, whose job is to enforce neutral rules. I’ll give a somewhat trivial example of neutral rules from my youth; let’s call it Mom’s Rule. On occasion, my sister and I would have lunch in my mother’s absence. She’d ask either me or my younger sister to divide a last piece of cake or pie. More often than not, an argument would ensue about the fairness of the cut. Those arguments ended when mom came up with a rule: Whoever cuts the cake lets the other take the first piece. As if by magic or divine intervention, fairness emerged, and arguments ended. No matter who did the cutting, there was an even division. That’s the kind of rule we need for our society — the kind whereby you’d be OK even if your worst enemy were in charge.” —Walter Williams
For the record: “The intelligence community’s assessment has not changed. My view has not changed, which is that Russia attempted to interfere with the last election and that it continues to engage in malign influence operations to this day. … To me, it’s a threat we need to take very seriously and respond to with fierce determination and focus.” —FBI Director Christopher Wray
Braying Jackass: “We’ve had presidents who were too willing to make deals with dictators (Nixon), seemed weak vis-a-vis dictators (Carter), or relegated America to leading from behind, which benefitted dictators (Obama). Have we ever before had a president who was, to put it simply, pro-dictator?” —Bill Kristol
Non Compos Mentis: “It is a serious & complex issue when ‘controversial’ rightwing speakers force universities to pay exorbitant amounts of money for security to protect them while they are on campus.” —author Joyce Carol Oates, who’s apparently unfazed by the fact that violent leftists are the reason for such security needs
And last… “The only question regarding Russia that should matter to U.S. policymakers is this: Using constitutional means, how do we advance the freedom, prosperity, and security of the American people in our dealings with Russia? But today, many liberals in Washington, DC, are asking: How can we use U.S. relations with Russia as a political weapon against President Trump?” —Terence Jeffrey
https://patriotpost.us/articles/57219-thursday-short-cuts
Join our editors and staff in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform — Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen — standing in harm’s way in defense of Liberty, and for their families. We also humbly ask prayer for your Patriot team, that our mission would seed and encourage the spirit of Liberty in the hearts and minds of our countrymen.
Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis
Nate Jackson, Managing Editor
Mark Alexander, Publisher |
