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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIt's Official: Hillary Clinton Is Running Against Vladimir Putin
It's Official: Hillary Clinton Is Running Against Vladimir Putin
The Republican nominee for president, Donald J. Trump, has chosen this week to unmask himself as a de facto agent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a KGB-trained dictator who seeks to rebuild the Soviet empire by undermining the free nations of Europe, marginalizing NATO, and ending Americas reign as the worlds sole superpower.
I am not suggesting that Donald Trump is employed by Putinthough his campaign manager, Paul Manafort, was for many years on the payroll of the Putin-backed former president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych. I am arguing that Trumps understanding of Americas role in the world aligns with Russias geostrategic interests; that his critique of American democracy is in accord with the Kremlins critique of American democracy; and that he shares numerous ideological and dispositional proclivities with Putinfor one thing, an obsession with the sort of strength often associated with dictators. Trump is making it clear that, as president, he would allow Russia to advance its hegemonic interests across Europe and the Middle East. His election would immediately trigger a wave of global instabilitymuch worse than anything we are seeing todaybecause Americas allies understand that Trump would likely dismantle the post-World War II U.S.-created international order. Many of these countries, feeling abandoned, would likely pursue nuclear weapons programs on their own, leading to a nightmare of proliferation.
Trumps sympathy for Putin has not been a secret. Trump said he would get along very well with Putin, and he has pleased Putin by expressing a comprehensive lack of interest in the future of Ukraine, the domination of which is a core Putinist principle. The Trump movement also agrees with Putin that U.S. democracy is fatally flawed. A Trump adviser, Carter Page, recently denouncedto a Moscow audienceAmericas often-hypocritical focus on democratization, inequality, corruption and regime change. Earlier this week, Trumps operatives watered down the Republican Partys national-security platform position on Ukraine, removing a promise to help the Ukrainians receive lethal aid in their battle to remain free of Russian control.
Read more:
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/07/clinton-trump-putin-nato/492332/
gordianot
(15,233 posts)Then again?
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)gordianot
(15,233 posts)Donald has few vocal friends but some odd alliances