In Defense of the Baltics

In Defense of the Baltics

Posted by: Alan Posener Thursday, August 4, 2016 |

So Donald Trump doesn’t want to protect the Baltic states against Russian President Vladimir Putin. Costs too much. This, basically, is what the Republican candidate for president of the United States said in an interview with the New York Times on July 21.
“Can the members of NATO, including the new members in the Baltics, count on the United States to come to their military aid if they were attacked by Russia? And count on us fulfilling our obligations?” asked the newspaper. Trump replied, “Have they fulfilled their obligations to us? If they fulfill their obligations to us, the answer is yes.”
And if not? Earlier in the interview, Trump said, “If we cannot be properly reimbursed for the tremendous cost of our military protecting other countries . . . I would be absolutely prepared to tell those countries, ‘Congratulations, you will be defending yourself.’”
Wow. http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/?fa=64244&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTWpRMU5UUXlZMkpsWlRobSIsInQiOiJ3aFlNOFZ0XC83TEpFT3VOTjBKS1ZSMldwXC9GM0hmazUxYWlwWnpMUEI3NlR3OFwvaFIyNkRobEpaNUJQTWpYeDM0TTBcLzdxeWVGcDd5RXN6V3U4N01Ba3FRUFM0ZWFXWmJock15Q0RPOEhzZ2M9In0%3D