Trump to confront NATO, Brexit, Putin

NATO, TRADE, EUROPEAN COMMUNITY

DISAGREEMENTS DO NOT MEAN DIVORCE

Donald Trump's trip to Europe, Britain and Russia is being viewed by many as a crisis in the making. Trump believes that adjustments need to be made to this alliance that is now 60 years old.

After World War 2, Europe and Japan were in shambles, the continent was devastated militarily, economically and in risk of social collapse. The United States was the only major power that was intact and actually in a stronger position both militarily and economically. Our industrial capacity was able to produce armaments for the western world that was essential for the success of the allies. 

The Soviet Union while damaged severely by the war, losing 30 million citizens and many cities destroyed,  had been able to produce large numbers of tanks and aircraft to defeat the Germans on the eastern front. There was the fear that the brutal dictator Stalin would take advantage of the weakened and disorganized western Europe. Some U.S. generals, like Patton, proposed attacking and overthrowing Stalin while we had the military power and resources on the soviet border. Some actually had plans of a limited nuclear attack to accomplish this goal. This strategy was abandoned but the alternate was to help to stabilize Europe and also Japan with economic assistance and military protection until they would be able to become strong and viable democracies.

NATO , the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed in 1949 to be a counter to the Soviet Union, Originally it consisted of 12 Nations.

We also engaged in very favorable trade agreements to help these countries gain in economic viability in an accelerated time. By 1965, 20 years after WW2 both Europe and Japan had become a stable and economically thriving. The protection and help of the United States made this recovery possible.

In 1952 Greece and Turkey were added to NATO. West Germany in 1955. The Soviet Union and its satellite countries formed the "Warsaw Pact" the same year.

This arrangement continued until the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1989, In the negotiations at that time it was agreed that a unified Germany would be a member of NATO, but that there would not be any further expansion. This lasted until 1999 when NATO began adding former Warsaw pact countries to their membership, this was the beginning of the return to the cold war. Russia now viewed the west as an adversary who wanted to encircle the Russian federation. It perceived this expansion as both a military and economic threat. 

While Europe enjoyed the protection and favorable trade policies with the United States, they seemed to believe these policies should go on forever. Trump believes a reanalysis of this union should be re-negotiated. Starting with the NATO countries providing more military spending for their own defense. He is also proposing that there be a real free trade agreement that eliminates all tariffs and  protections. He believes they should be a real equal partner, they have had economic stability now for many decades.