Get ready for more “fake news” type “outrage” from Trump and conservatives. During an interview with Sky News (yep, Fox’s parent company) Sir Richard Dearlove said Trump’s return to the White House could prove “problematic” if he “acts hastily” making changes to NATO. That was the lede in this article and frankly the piece was a mixed bag. An attempt to soften things a bit but still frank enough to tell a couple of uncomfortable (for Trump supporters) truths. Not unlike Fox News has been trying to do with hedging their bets over here in the U.S.
So who you ask is Sir Richard Dearlove? Well, he was head of British MI6 between 1999-2004. “Mandarins” like him, especially those elevated to peerage (knighted) are never truly out of the game. Over in the UK that famed “magic circle” is simply the way of things. Actually, unless someone really high up in any country is forced out in disgrace they are always partially up to speed. Unless someone like a petulant Donald Trump yanks their security clearance and in so doing deprives successors of being able to consult with them. That my friends is yet another way in which Trump has done grievous damage to our National Security but let’s get back on-point.
Trump and his people, as well as MAGA beat their chests about how “respected” and even “feared” Trump was around the world. In a perverted way they are kind of right. Trump did get a bit of respect over being a useful idiot with our enemies, and became feared by our allies including our closest ones over his instability. Not to mention spilling classified information to authoritarian countries/leaders! Remember that meeting he had right off the bat in the freaking Oval Office where he blew the cover of a code-word asset developed by the Israelis? Had one of the participants not shot off his mouth weeks later back in Moscow we’d have never known!
My point is that our closest allies including and especially NATO have huge concerns about another Trump stint in the WH. Huge concerns in fact. Sir Richard would never have sat down for that interview and said some of what he did without the authorization of, and probably encouragement of Britain’s Prime Minister on the advice of the current intelligence chiefs. It was a message I think to leading Republicans here in the U.S., especially those on Capitol Hill that as far as the United Kingdom is concerned their Party should find someone better. Someone who’s NOT a threat to not just Unites States National Security but to that of the free world. Especially NATO.
For example when asked what concerns the UK should be paying attention to Dearlove cited Ukraine and the “long-term behavior” of China. Then he continued:
But, he added: “You have to add a political threat, which I am worried about, which is Trump’s re-election… which I think for the UK’s national security is problematic.
“Because if Trump, as it were, acts hastily and damages the Atlantic alliance, that is a big deal for the UK.
“We’ve put all our eggs in defence terms in the NATO basket. If Trump really is serious about, as it were, changing the balance, I mean the American nuclear umbrella for Europe is, in my view, essential to Europe’s security and defence.”
As you know Trump has long been critical of NATO, even accused it of “not paying it’s dues” like member countries were part of some club like his precious Mar A Lago. It’s never worked like that. Each country pledges to commit resources amounting to a percentage of their GDP and yes, some countries have lagged. On the other hand they often incur costs of hosting NATO bases and troops so the whole thing is complicated as hell. The thing that stunned everyone was Trump’s threats to pull the U.S. out of the alliance, and his saying we might not honor Article V. THAT got their attention.
That clause underpins the entire thing because it simply states that an attack on one is considered an attack on all. Or more bluntly if someone attacks and tries to take over one member ALL members will, if Article V is invoked respond. It’s been invoked once. By the United States. When the 9/11 attacks happened. And NATO pitched in in a variety of ways. None of that matters to Trump and we know why. Putin wants NATO broken up and he ordered Trump to do just that. Trump didn’t know how and back when it really mattered enough GOP Senators weren’t about to roll over for him on that issue. Still, Trump still wants to break up NATO and do his master Putin a solid. In fact as the linked article notes Trump has just reiterated his sentiments on this:
Speaking to Fox News earlier this week, Mr Trump refused to commit to remaining a member, saying it “depends on if they treat us properly”.
He accused NATO of having “taken advantage of our country”, adding: “The European countries… took advantage of us on trade and then they took advantage of us on military protection.”
Keep an eye on this. As I said I’m convinced Sir Richard didn’t just wake up one day recently and say “I think I’m going to sit down with Sky and criticize the American Republican Party of backing a candidate who’s dangerous for NATO and the free world.” Not only no, but HELL NO. He was asked to send a message not only to those in the UK and Europe, but back here “across the pond” in the U.S. And he did it via the Murdoch empire! I say keep an eye out and for two things. First, will Democrats on Capitol Hill pick this up and run with it? Second, while the British have been and remain our biggest and closest ally, will we see similar stories coming from other NATO countries? Too many for Senate Republicans at least to ignore? Stay tuned.
dumbo making vlad glad, not sad since before 2016.
Recently the chef of the ECB (the European Central Bank) likewise said that a Trump win in November would constitute a threat to Europe.
It would not surprise me that the ECB, and other multi-national investment/banking groups, might be preparing to remove investments, etc. out of the U.S. should dingle-berry be elected. They certainly would not consider the U.S. to be a safe place to invest, park their money, or anything else. That right there would have some pretty severe economic consequences. Enough countries doing that and those consequences might be a world-wide recession or even depression. The consequences for our country would be disastrous.
Just having him on the ballot is a threat to security. That the US electorate voted in such a flake once is a concern. The fact that he might be considered again despite all the damage he did last time is unbelievable. Him being president just once has already done damage to US security that will take years to undo. If he gets in again he will cripple the main US defense contractors and stop their sales to former allies- you’d think that their Republican supporting owners might realize this.
There were agents outed and killed according to the intelligence agencies during his tenure. He and his party are the new Conferderate army trying to destroy the Union from within.
Dingle-berry was most certainly NOT respected by any other country/leader/etc. on the planet. Feared? Well, in as much as stupidity is feared because of the damage that can be done by stupid people, multiplied exponentially when they are highly placed individuals, then yes, he was feared. A measure of just how benightedly stupid he is, he thinks the fear nations/leaders/etc. have of him is because he is so badass. No donny dingle-berry, it is because stupid people do stupid things that, even though they are stupid, can have lasting detrimental effects. A stupid president can do truly asinine things that will have lasting planet-wide detrimental effects.
I wish this former head of MI6 could have put it that bluntly. I realize he couldn’t, probably shouldn’t, and wouldn’t but I still do wish. More to the point-I wish the Democrats WOULD pay heed to what he said and broadcast his message as well as who it was from along with the rest of their campaigning ads/speeches/etc. Would the magats listen and care? No, of course not. Would independents, “moderate” republicans, and people who might consider sitting out the election care? I think many, perhaps most, would. Look, the bright lines between Democrats and the trump party are VERY bright. It is the more nuanced things like this warning (it was that) from Sir Dearlove that might get the attention of the ones who need their attention aroused.
I agree fully, Spike, that the Democrats are not using Trump’s own character (or appalling lack thereof) against him enough. Lord knows there’s plenty of ammo there. They should be hammering him all day every day with examples of who and what he is, based on what he’s done and, now, what he plans to do if elected. And no, the MAGAts will never accept anything said against him but there aren’t enough of them to elect him. Seems to me that only the Lincoln Project attacks him with any real force.