Remember when Petey Boy Hegseth summoned all of our top Officers and NCOs, some eight hundred plus professionals with decades of experience to Quantico? And worse tried to cosplay Gen. George Patton complete with a huge American flag as the backdrop. To put it kindly his audience didn’t appreciate being lectured by some punk their Commander-in-Chief boasted was ‘Straight from Central Casting.’ Now Hegseth appears to be working himself up to trying to cosplay “Ike”, General (and eventually President) Dwight D. Eisenhower to NATO and Europe.
When the time comes for Petey Boy’s big speech to NATO about how to ‘warrior’ I’m pretty sure it will be received much like his attempts to lecture our own top military folks. Like a loud, stinky fart in church. They viewed him for what he was, an unqualified punk who’d served a run-of-the-mill tour on active duty but never heard a shot fired in anger. Never led even a platoon in combat or even served in one. Since the bulk of his audience had in fact been in combat, often multiple times, led troops/units in combat and now commanded large units preparing them for war I can understand the pissed off “why the f**k are we here listening to this asshat” looks on their faces. Even Hegseth realized he’d stepped in it, so when he tries for a do-over only with NATO he wants to be prepared.
That seems to be why news outlets including The Associated Press are reporting Hegseth gave a preview in Brussels this past Thursday. Yep, Hegseth lashed out at our allies and the alliance WE once led which defeated the USSR in the Cold War and prevented a major war in Europe. Well, until Trump started undercutting it (although to his master Putin’s chagrin not yanking us out of NATO) during his first term. Biden repaired much of the damage but the wounds hadn’t healed and Putin feared Biden or another Democrat would win in 2024 so he launched his attempted takeover of Ukraine. Don’t kid yourself. Putin’s war against Ukraine became a priority because Biden had shored up NATO.
For the first couple of years of Putin’s “Special Military Operation” Republicans mostly and pretty strongly supported Biden’s efforts to help them. There were of course holdouts including a new asshat Senator from Ohio who now happens to be Vice-President. For its part NATO saw how Trump would be getting the GOP nomination and started serious discussions in Europe about reducing reliance on the U.S. In 2024 when they saw Democrats pulls out the knives to stab Biden those discussions kicked into high gear. Since Trump was sworn in for a second term they’ve made serious progress on energy and economic independence from the U.S. and even militarily.
The progress is tangible and significant but as with anything else nothing is enough for Trump. He wanted them to be able to handle their own affairs and they’ve become ever increasingly able to do so. Suddenly Iran forced Trump into a ‘be careful what you wish for’ situation and he found Europe/NATO unwilling to provide unfettered support for his dumbass war. They are angry just like most Americans over the costs, both economic/trade and the empowering of Iran which now knows it can treat the Strait of Hormuz as a bargaining chip.
They will help get things back to a new ‘normal’ once Trump ends his stupid war but they’ll do so on THEIR terms and that seems to be registering with Team Trump. That friends is why Petey Boy lashed out last Thursday:
In a fiery speech at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Hegseth lambasted European allies for failing to provide U.S. forces access to bases in Europe to launch attacks on Iran, calling it “shameful.”
“These allies, they put America’s sons and daughters, our sons and daughters, at risk by denying them the predictable access, basing and overflight that never should have been in question at all,” he said. The review would also assess whether the U.S. has full access and overflight “when we need it.”
While defense ministers and military officers sat in silence, Hegseth railed against migration and gender equality policies in Europe, in remarks reminiscent to those of Vice President JD Vance in February last year that angered many Europeans
Take note of that last part. When Hegesth presents the result of the ‘audit’ I’m about to discuss we can be sure he’s going to demand our allies follow his (ahem) order to “STAMP OUT WOKE!” Count on it. Bet on it even. While you’re at it bet on Europe and NATO looking at him with the same look those actually in the U.S. Chain-of-Command did. With disdain. Only when the bigly audit is done and Peter Boy takes the stage to lecture them like he’s Eisenhower laying down law to allies before and after D-Day he’s in for a rude awakening.
U.S. Military leaders can’t go calling out the SecDef as a punk, poser wannabe idiot much as most of them wanted to after the Quantico fiasco. Doing so would have been a Court Martial offense. While I’m sure they will try to be a tad diplomatic European leaders including military commanders won’t be shy about telling Petey Boy he doesn’t know sh!t and to STFU and go home. And stay here.
The upcoming six month ‘audit’ will I predict make for some interesting headlines and not the kind the administration or Congressional Republicans want or need. They’ve got enough headwinds already heading into the midterms. But some people are incapable of realizing they’ve dug themselves into a hole, much less have the common sense to stop shoveling. So our own military and I guess overall National Security and diplomatic corps will be ‘auditing’ Europe’s and NATO’s performance and readiness:
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lashed out at NATO allies on Thursday as he announced a six-month Pentagon review of American forces in Europe whose outcome will depend on how fast the Europeans take responsibility for their own security.
The review was yet another surprise for European allies and Canada as they learn to deal with an increasingly unpredictable ally. U.S. officials and senior military officers had promised to coordinate closely with the Europeans as America draws down.
“This will be a real review. It will be designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leading, stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defense of Europe,” Hegseth told his NATO counterparts. “It’s a review that some countries will fail and others will pass with flying colors.”
At first glance simply reading that might generate some concern but not actual alarm. At least until you factor in Hegesth’s Hissy-Fit during his brief visit to NATO. He ripped on our allies for not providing full, no questions asked to anything Trump has wanted them to do with respect to Iran. Hegesth bluntly accused them of endangering Americans and even tore into them over their immigration policy:
These allies, they put America’s sons and daughters, our sons and daughters, at risk by denying them the predictable access, basing and overflight that never should have been in question at all,” he said. The review would also assess whether the U.S. has full access and overflight “when we need it.”
While defense ministers and military officers sat in silence, Hegseth railed against migration and gender equality policies in Europe, in remarks reminiscent to those of Vice President JD Vance in February last year that angered many Europeans.
“Instead of tanks and fighters and air defenses, the focus has been on gender equity and climate change and defense austerity. Europe’s borders flew wide open, welfare states expanded, defense budgets cratered, along with Europe’s belief in itself and its civilization,” Hegseth said.
As you might expect our NATO allies didn’t like what Hegseth had to say. No doubt the fact he was slinging bullshit didn’t help his lecturing go down like a spoonful of sugar. As you’d expect there was some (polite) pushback:
Hegseth’s comments largely mischaracterized European policies today. On defense, European allies and Canada have launched an unprecedented effort to boost defense spending and expand their armed forces. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte noted on Thursday that they spent $90 billion more on defense last year, a 20% increase over 2024. And while Europe accepted large numbers of migrants and asylum seekers more than a decade ago, most countries have tightened their borders since.
For those who don’t understand NATO’s crucial Article V says an attack on one is an attack on all. It’s been invoked only once, when Bush 43 did so after 9/11. NATO jumped right in with us. What people however don’t realize is it doesn’t obligate committing military troops and resources from every member nation. Trump has always questioned Article V even though we are the only ones to have taken advantage of it. Given how Bush 43’s ‘use’ of it turned out this ole jarhead can understand European nation’s being more judicious in what type and how much support to provide the U.S. Especially since in this case We attacked Iran first! That means we have no standing to invoke Article V as any attacks they’ve made on our bases and ships after we attacked them have been in response to US first attacking THEM.
However NATO countries didn’t turn over things to Trump and Hegseth so now they are going to be ‘audited.’ Everyone there says they’ll fully cooperate and I’m sure they will. They will also work that much harder to minimize their reliance on the U.S. and as quickly as possible. The Iran war has given Trump and our own country a taste of ‘America First’ actually being more like ‘America Alone.’ Six months of Petey Boy’s idiots running around NATO demanding stuff NOW, berating them over their own ever increasing readiness (to defend themselves with little or someday no help from us) and ‘being WOKE.’ And THEN before this year is done having their top leaders have to sit through Hegseth trying to be Eisenhower leading us to victory against Nazi Germany!
They’ll be diplomatic enough not to walk out. Containing chuckles and outright laughs might be asking too much. For damned sure since unlike out top military leaders they won’t face charges in a U.S. Court Martial they will speak out. Petey Boy and Trumpty-Dumpty ain’t gonna like it when they do!
Friends, I know everyone begs you for money. I promise, among all those asking for spare change, we are the smallest and the hardest working. We’re a group of old, disabled people, except for one writer in his mid-50s. The rest of us are in our sixties and seventies, and this is a labor of love. All we’re asking for is the chance to keep telling the truth about Trump and help ensure democracy survives. If you can help, please do. Thank you. Ursula
…can’t happen soon enough….