A Canadian who wants to keep the conversation on NATO? Are you serious? Canada is most definitely one of the NATO basement dwellers! I think they are 22nd out of 30 in terms of meeting their obligation. Canada stinks in terms of NATO!
It doesn't help that we have countries like Turkey in it either.
Yes, we came into the war later, because it was not our war. We were supporting before we ever joined militarily though, via billions in supplies and equipment. Adn you're correct, it wasn't fought on our mainland, which is why we were literally the only show in town that could stand up to the USSR. Our supplies shouldn't be interrupted from issues between Ukraine and Russia. In fact, it might show Europe that they were foolish to become reliant on Russian natural gas and that might open them up to import from us.
Our financial obligation in terms of our internal military spending to be certain and we need to rectify that. However, it can never be said we have ever shirked on our actual contribution to NATO.
Which others would you take out? Turkey is in a very strategic location. “An attack on one is an attack on all.” Pretty good motto. I mean, for a militarily strategic location.
A country Trump admired. One of his strong men idols.
Turkey was a NATO member before Trump was Pres and after. There is more to things in the world than how you can figure out a way draw a link to Trump.
The US. The rest can stay.
Yes, but we haven’t been in that position for decades. Not really. The reason we spend so much on military is not so we can stand up to the Russians. Short of an all out nuclear war, we could roll over Russia ten times in the next two months. We are trying to maintain stability, not against threats like Russia or China or Iran, but against “disruption” because that is what is bad for OUR system. Our system only runs smooth on stability. World stability. The other components are emerging markets, and managing growth. China was once an emerging growth opportunity and still is in some ways. India, Africa, South America, all emerging markets, which is why we “manage” them.
Yes, but then we couldn’t manage the world and growth would collapse, and so would our financial system. How long do you think, without new consumers the US system could remain stable?
I don't believe in any way that I suggested that Trump had anything to do with Turkey being admitted to NATO.....only his admiration and praise for Erdogan.
*sigh*....you need help.
How would all of that happen if we pulled out of NATO?
OK....
We “manage” the world because our “system” requires it. It requires stability and sustained growth to function. We aren’t the hero’s of the world spreading democracy because it’s the morally right thing to do. We do it because we have to.
You've only repeated the claim, but not demonstrated how all that catastrophe would happen if we pulled out of NATO.
Think he’s giving you permission to have a drink or smoke a bowl.
Not sure that suggesting " I need help" is appropriate but it is an understandable response when you paint yourself into a corner.
Ah, ok. Let me spell it out more clearly. The US is the most important country in NATO in terms of military and financial power. If it weren’t for us many other countries could not defend themselves against Russian or other aggression. But smaller countries in NATO are strategically placed in line with our interests, economically, militarily, financially, or otherwise. So it’s a symbiotic relationship. We need them, and they need us. If we pull out, they become unstable and start to do things not aligned with our interests, which would cause our system to become unstable, and when we become unstable we become more divisive at home and eat ourselves. We’re doing it now because of a pandemic to some degree, but a European or middle-eastern war would disrupt supply chains and our ability to conduct business even more, which would be worse for us. That’s why we stayed in NATO after the USSR collapsed, and why we are still there today, and should be.
Permission not required......
Focusing on your last sentence.
Yeah, but more than exploiting 3rd world countries we “manage” them. If they are strategically important we raise them up. If not, we allow them to stay poor and broken (in some cases we break them, if they become a threat to stability or growth).
