1

So the White House is now telling departments not to discuss this treaty with congress.

The Wall Street Journal has reported trump signed a document signaling his intent to withdraw from the treaty at the urging of former national security adviser [John Bolton] before he left the administration.

So this is good. Wonder what Bolton’s answer is for this?

2

“We are specifically disturbed by reports indicating that both the State Department and the Department of Defense have been ordered by the White House not to discuss the Open Skies Treaty with Congress,” they wrote. “

“Reports”…it sounds like more leakers spreading misinformation?

At his confirmation hearing to become U.S. ambassador to Russia, Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan said he’s been assured the United States has not withdrawn from the treaty.

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3

Do you not think that this is something Trump is quite capable of doing?

From his actions alone, it’s clear he believes he knows best on foreign policy regardless of what his advisors tell him.

4

It sounds as though Rs are saying the Russians have not been abiding by the agreement and the Ds are saying…let’s talk to them about it but don’t pull out.

Personally…I believe the President should take the path of working with Congress if that’s his intent to pull out but I also believe this 'report" is a bit premature and only meant to further the divide.

5

If the reports are true, do you think it might have something to do with this?:

“Republicans for years have accused Russia of violating the treaty by blocking flights over some of its territory, including Kaliningrad and areas near its border with the Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.”

Like maybe Russia gets to see our country in total but we can’t see the parts they don’t want us to see?

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6

And what’s the rest of it doug…

7

How does any ofnthat explain that Trump is not only pulling out of the treaty but is destroying the surveillance planes themselves?

8

What airplanes is Trump destroying, and how do you know this?

9

The Trump administration formally shut the door on the Open Skies treaty Sunday, exiting the agreement while moving to get rid of the U.S. Air Force planes that have been used to carry out the nearly three-decade-old accord

10

Maybe I missed it but what is the Pentagon’s position on this?

11

Wouldn’t satellites make this an obsolete practice.

12

What does…“get rid of the planes” mean? Park them at Davis-Monthan?

14

No worries, the next President will get us back in bed with them. 10% for the Big Guy of course.

15

“We’ve started liquidating the equipment,” a U.S. official told WSJ. “Other countries can come purchase or just take the airframes. They are really old and cost-prohibitive for us to maintain. We don’t have a use for them anymore.”
https://www.airforcemag.com/the-us-is-out-of-the-open-skies-treaty-whats-next/