Is this the turning point?

[Got Stripers]

Originally Posted by detbuch

Trump had respect?

Thank you for confirming
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by spence

Trust in our democracy. Confidence in our political process. Emboldening our adversaries. We gave up a lot with nothing in return.

Yes - been many years of that now

Originally Posted by spence

Wow, Ralph Peters ranting on MSNBC...case closed.

Wait, I though Ralph was a crackpot last Admin.

(BTW, Ralph Peters is cool Old School Cold Warrior so by default most lefties would hate him)

[spence]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Wait, I though Ralph was a crackpot last Admin.

(BTW, Ralph Peters is cool Old School Cold Warrior so by default most lefties would hate him)

At least he's seen the light with his disdain for FOX News and the Trump administration.

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by Got Stripers

Thank you for confirming
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Thank you for admitting that he did not give up something at the summit that he didn't have from you in the first place. Can't give away what you don't have. Oh, BTW, you won.

[Got Stripers]

Originally Posted by detbuch

Thank you for admitting that he did not give up something at the summit that he didn't have from you in the first place. Can't give away what you don't have. Oh, BTW, you won.

I guess I needed to spell it out with larger letters, respect from the free world, from our allies, from his peers; I'm pretty sure it's a long list of people who might have been on the fence about Trump who just lost all respect for the leader of the free world.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by Got Stripers

I guess I needed to spell it out with larger letters, respect from the free world, from our allies, from his peers; I'm pretty sure it's a long list of people who might have been on the fence about Trump who just lost all respect for the leader of the free world.

they don’t need to respect Trump, they need to respect the US, and i believe they still do. i am confident our adversaries thought obama was a pushover, and we survived just fine. in fact we did pretty darn well in his two terms.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Got Stripers]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

they don’t need to respect Trump, they need to respect the US, and i believe they still do. i am confident our adversaries thought obama was a pushover, and we survived just fine. in fact we did pretty darn well in his two terms.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Putin I'm sure feels emboldened after his stroking by his bud Donald and since O did little to stop Russia from expanding their influence; I'm not sure I'd want to be living in a country next door to Russia at this point in time. Trump gave Putin exactly what he wanted at this summit and that in light of the evidence of Russian interference and if you believe (and I do) Russians continued efforts to influence our democracy, is IMHO just the opposite of what should have been happening.

[scottw]

Originally Posted by Got Stripers

Putin I'm sure feels emboldened .

when has he not?

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by Got Stripers

; I'm not sure I'd want to be living in a country next door to Russia at this point in time. .

Agreed.

Anyone who thought it was hilarious when Obama mocked Romney for saying Russia was a threat, has exactly zero right to be bitching about Putin's rise. Zero right. We chose to elect a guy who thought it was funny to believe Russia was a concern. SO this is the result. Guess what? When you plant potatoes, you get potatoes?

I also remember when Obama was caught on mike telling a Putin lackey, something to the effect of "this is my last election, after it's behind me, I'll have more flexibility in dealing with Russia." Which I took to mean as , "once I'm no longer accountable to the American people, I'll be able to play ball". How else can that be interpreted? But Spence said not to worry...

[JohnR]

I just with the Dems had been more concerned about Russia before the past couple years. I wish the same of Western Europe - that they would be more concerned. RUS broke its economy the past 6-7 years rebuilding its mil and capabilities.

Originally Posted by Got Stripers

I'm not sure I'd want to be living in a country next door to Russia at this point in time.

Ahhh, but Russia is a peaceful country surrounded by ceasefires.

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

Agreed.

Anyone who thought it was hilarious when Obama mocked Romney for saying Russia was a threat, has exactly zero right to be bitching about Putin's rise. Zero right. We chose to elect a guy who thought it was funny to believe Russia was a concern. SO this is the result. Guess what? When you plant potatoes, you get potatoes?

I also remember when Obama was caught on mike telling a Putin lackey, something to the effect of "this is my last election, after it's behind me, I'll have more flexibility in dealing with Russia." Which I took to mean as , "once I'm no longer accountable to the American people, I'll be able to play ball". How else can that be interpreted? But Spence said not to worry...

They Lackey was Medvedev, the at the time RUS President and Vlad's placeholder until he re-rigged their constitution.

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by Got Stripers

I guess I needed to spell it out with larger letters, respect from the free world, from our allies, from his peers; I'm pretty sure it's a long list of people who might have been on the fence about Trump who just lost all respect for the leader of the free world.

No, you didn't need to use large letters. I disagree with you. I don't think that "the free world" (as I envision what you mean by that phrase) respects America as a country, as a people, as a philosophy of how to live or how to govern. They have some respect for our power, especially insofar as that power is wielded to protect them. Otherwise, the Progressive elites (the ones that our Progressive Press hold as the true representatives of that outer "free world") hold us in various degrees of contempt. And they, as well as our own American elites, have no respect for Trump to lose.

Toadying up to those elites does not garner us respect from them, it just makes them more comfortable with, and more tolerant of, us. And oh, BTW, less nervous that our protection of them might waver.

In some ways, certainly economically, Trump is right that West Europeans are foes to us. We Americans are foes to each other, politically, economically, morally, philosophically. And I don't want our President to be "the leader of the free world." I don't even want our President to be the leader of the American People. I want us to be the leaders of our own lives.

So, I don't care about the notion that other countries or societies lose "respect" for us. Especially if we have to kiss their azz to get it.

[Got Stripers]

I agree with you on that respect, that other nations in NATO and for their own benifit, must contribute their fair share. To kiss the arse golden ring, or lick the boots of a known brutal man and leader; well beam me up Scotty there must be sanity in the universe.

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by Got Stripers

I agree with you on that respect, that other nations in NATO and for their own benifit, must contribute their fair share. To kiss the arse golden ring, or lick the boots of a known brutal man and leader; well beam me up Scotty there must be sanity in the universe.

I don't think Trump would lick Putin's boots, nor that he has. He has said some nice things about Putin, as he has about leaders of the so called free world. He is trying to negotiate various agreements with them all. Sometimes different buttons have to be pushed with the same or different people in order to get the desired results.

If, going in, the only way to get results is to threaten, disparage, insult, or actually go to war, then Trump got off on the wrong foot with Putin. But that can change, if necessary. And if war is necessary, what will those who claimed and complained that Trump would get us into a war say about that?