653

Update from the former and possible future President.

“You stop buying their oil, and that will do it,” said Trump. “We don’t need oil from these other countries. These countries are not our friends. We don’t need oil from them. The biggest advantage we have over China is the fact they don’t have oil. We do. It is liquid gold under our feet.”

Meanwhile, Trump said he feels “somewhat vindicated” with Germany’s decision to send weapons to Ukraine and to pay more into NATO.

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/trump-russia-ukraine-invasion/2022/03/02/id/1059254/

654

Why would Trump feel vindicated by Germany sending weapons to Ukraine and pay more to NATO? Obama and Biden have also pushed this. And the plan to hit the 2% goal came in 2014 under Obama. What did Trump do? Why would Germany sending weapons to Ukraine more than a year after Trump left office have anything to do with Trump?

655

Trump was going to not defend the deadbeats and they knew he meant it.

Not complicated and not debatable. The meetings have been posted ad nauseum.

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656

Not sure you understand what the word debatable means. Just because you think it’s true, doesn’t mean it’s not debatable. And why would they do it now that he’s gone? So Trump accomplished nothing?

657

You should read the link.

Meanwhile, Trump said he feels “somewhat vindicated” with Germany’s decision to send weapons to Ukraine and to pay more into NATO.

"I got them to pay $430 billion," said Trump. "When I first went, my first meeting at NATO … they weren’t paying, 20 out of 28 countries were not current. Many were totally delinquent, I said, If you don’t pay we are not going to defend you. I took a lot of heat for that, but guess what? Everybody paid."

They paid 430 billion in defense that they were NOT paying during Obama term. What is there to debate?

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658

They did additional arms sales to NATO countries. Like they did under Obama. NATO was definitely purchasing arms under Obama. You can’t go by what Trump is saying. You know he just makes stuff up. Were there arms sales after Obama left? Yes. There have been arms sales to NATO under Biden. Is that stuff they were NOT paying under Trump? It’s a ridiculous argument. All of the NATO nations have been increasing their defense spending since 2014 with a goal of everyone hitting 2% in 2024. That continued under Trump as it has under Biden. This isn’t very complicated.

659

Biden rhetoric.

Spins and spins and goes nowhere.

The spending is what counts and they were NOT meeting obligations in 2016 and now they are.

Thanks President Trump.

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660

They’re not meeting obligations yet either. They will. And it’s going to happen after Trump left and is entirely because Russia just invaded Ukraine. Trump had nothing to do with it. Talk about spin.

661

One positive aspect of Biden failing to prevent a war and following EU lead in response.

War does tend to increase military defense spending.

662

image

663

Lol Sevastopol and the Donbas were occupied by Russia through his whole term. What reality do you guys live in.

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664

it’s trolling. nothing more.

665

You can debate that the Earth, not the Sun, is the center of the solar system, but it doesn’t make it remotely true. Trump put Germany (and the rest of NATO) on notice. Germany responded. It’s a simple as that.

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666

Obama put them on notice in 2014. They have responded. It’s as simple as that.

667

■■■■■■■■■ They did not respond to Obama. Had they done so, it would not have been necessary for Trump to threaten them in 2018.

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668

They didn’t do it for Trump. For decades presidents have been trying to get all NATO nations to increase spending. They all agreed to on 2014 under Obama and to hit the goal by 2024. Most of them were increasing spending. Trump came in like a jackass. And nothing changed. Germany is doing it quick now because Russia just invaded Ukraine with 150,000 troops. Has nothing to do with Trump. If it’s because of Trump’s threats why didn’t they do it when Trump was president? That makes now sense. They were afraid of threats a year after the guy who made them got voted out? How does that make any sense?

669

You’re right. :wink:

image

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670

Ohhh sooo clever. Sounds more like you don’t have the knowledge to refute facts and your logic makes no sense. But post your funny pictures. Helps discussion.

671

You’re right. :stuck_out_tongue:

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672

[quote=“Adam, post:668, topic:241465, full:true”]

According to NATO, Germany’s defense spending as a portion of their GDP didn’t change between 2014 and 2015, at 1.19 percent. In 2016 it creeped up to 1.2 percent, and was 1.53 percent in 2021. French spending actually went down between 2014 and 2015, from 1.82 to 1.78 percent, but since then has moved up to 2.01 percent.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj1jru776j2AhUMkokEHZ9dDvMQFnoECBgQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nato.int%2Fnato_static_fl2014%2Fassets%2Fpdf%2F2021%2F6%2Fpdf%2F210611-pr-2021-094-en.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0KtXKllb6OqZmHP-u2LT02