Can America be trusted as a reliable ally?

1. ….“We should charge them rent,” Trump said of South Korea. “We should make them pay for our soldiers. We should make money off of everything.”

Trump proceeded to explain that NATO, too, was worthless. U.S. generals were letting the allied member countries get away with murder, he said, and they owed the United States a lot of money after not living up to their promise of paying their dues....

The president appears to view American military alliances as some kind of protection racket. He has openly mused recently about having Saudi Arabia straight-up pay for American troops. This is not the vision of service to the American republic and its Constitution most people have in mind with respect to our military service members. This is reportedly part of a general pattern in the book wherein Trump basically does not know anything about American history, the values and institutions of a democratic republic, or even geography....

Trump questioned why the United States couldn’t get some oil as payment for the troops stationed in the Persian Gulf. “We spent $7 trillion; they’re ripping us off,” Trump boomed. “Where is the f---ing oil?”...

Addressing the room, the commander in chief barked, “You’re a bunch of dopes and babies.”...

2. About 35 years ago, the US had been ridiculed by an Asian minister for being a cheapskate after its diplomat was found giving a burger treat to a local dissident. Now under the Trump administration, the US has "upgraded" itself from being a cheapskate to a money-grubber.

The Trump administration's money hunger knows no bounds, so much so that it has even squeezed America's so-called "closest" Asian allies, namely South Korea and Japan, for more payment for protection -- from about $1 billion up to $5 billion a year and from $2 billion to $8 billion per year respectively. In addition, the US has already stepped up pressure on its NATO allies, namely Germany and Canada, to increase defence spending.

 

Don't the PF rules say the OP should link to an article?

 

My great friend, please give your mouse more freedom to let it run all over my thread. It will reward you with something which you don't care to find out by yourself.

 

5th paragraph.

 

He can always take his troops out of South Korea etc. The World might be a safer place. As for whether the US is a dependable ally....well, the more I read here, the more I am convinced...not.

 

So America should be the world police at their own expense?

 

Well said, aging Uncle Sam.

 

~ It is well known that the USA a
was a very dependable "sucker" to throw taxpayer money all over the world will little say or regard of the citizens. Then crazy patriotic and selfish Donald J. Trump came along and said "Hold on with this !"
America has been a dependable source of help around the world since with WW2. This is mostly no longer a viable option and must end. The U.S. really has no dependable alliance with any country unless it directly benefits that country first. This has never been more obvious since Trump stepped into the Big House. Those who do not see this have not been paying attention .

 

Okay.....stop talking and get your Military out of the rest of the Planet, especially the ME. I believe you to be correct. Ever since 2016, I doubt the US does have a reliable ally (well, except Australia perhaps...even though he has tried to put schit upon us) given how many former allies Trump has dissed. I'd be happy to see us help 'you' out, but I would not pee on Trump if he were on fire.

 

I didn't think the U.S., UK, or Israel could be trusted before Trump took office.

Operation Gladio proves that.

That said, South Korea has the hottest women on the planet - so for that reason alone we should spare no expense in defending them

 

It’s definitely more than a racket. It’s the net, the ball, the court, it’s the whole damn tennis match. Globally in 2017, the United States spent over $46 billion in foreign aid.

 

My great friend, I wonder whether you are referring to the 5th or 6th paragraph about the burger treat.

I am sure that you have attended some, if not all, election rallies in your country. You should know that not every single word uttered by the candidates at the election rallies are/were recorded or reported by the media. It's the same with all election rallies in all other countries. My late uncle told me what he had heard at some election rallies in some countries during his travel there. You and I have to wait patiently for a meeting with my uncle to get more details about the burger treat.

 

If you think this is true you clearly haven't been travelling.

 

Burger treat? Way too profound for me.

 

` ~ This may very well be an important point to consider ...`

 

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Here are 4 Characteristics of a True Friendship according to the Bible.

It seems that there is no such thing as a true friend to you.

Maybe it is time for America to earn tons of money by setting up a global business that will fight for any country, including Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Syria, etc just for the sake of money.

 

I think Trump just wants them to put more skin in the game. If they refuse, then what is the point? If they don't care, then even if we care, it's still a lost cause.

A just a lose-lose policy, any way you look at it.

 

~ Well here we go again ... just when you think common sense is gone this comment pops up.
There is hope for mankind ...

 

Well said. It's a "love fest" for US troops in South Korea.

 

since when are national allies friends?

not sure what that has to do with alliance but okay

Or maybe just maybe, other countries can defend themselves without big mommy America to do it for them.

 

Well said. My great friend Hairball, you haven't missed the target by a hair's breadth.

 

Well, it seems that a bowl of life-saving "plain water" soup from a true friend in a desert is just right for you.

 

Well, you seem to agree with Trump's assessment that US military leaders are "a bunch of dopes and babies”, particularly in fighting a "loser war" in Afghanistan.

 

My wife is Filipina, but she has a healthy mix of Spanish, Japanese, and Thai... she has 5 sisters, and they're all beautiful women.

Would never marry an American or European woman... all that feminist BS, who needs that headache??

 

Well said. You are speaking from experience.