Since he came to office, US President Donald Trump has obsessively picked at the ties that bind America to its allies.
This week in one apparently wanton yank, he ripped one of those cords by announcing a plan to withdraw nearly 12,000 troops from Germany.
This thin green thread of forces, woven through Germany's historic
towns, rolling fields and dense forests, has for three generations
helped ensure peace in Europe, embodying an unbreakable commitment
between the former foes.
The relationship now though, particularly if Trump is reelected later this year, is in freefall, destination unknown.
His decision, if his tweets have been correctly divined, seems to be to punish Germany.
"Germany
pays Russia billions of dollars a year for Energy, and we are supposed
to protect Germany from Russia. What's that all about?" Trump wrote in
one post.
"Also, Germany is very delinquent in their 2% fee to NATO. We are therefore moving some troops out of Germany!"
Let's look at this practically. Chas v'chalilah, Russia decides to start a war with NATO tomorrow. The US soldiers and bases were put in Germany because the effective border with the USSR was right there in the middle of the country. Now Poland is the actual border with Russia. If the US wants to prevent a Russian assault, that's where they need to be. But even that doesn't matter.
ReplyDeleteGone are the days where that meant a large, mechanized army needed to start rolling westward. Today it would be an attack with rockets, missiles, fighters and bombers. What are 12 000 American soldiers sitting in Germany going to do about that?
I agree with Garnel Ironheart’s analysis and not with CNN. CNN is horrible. I happy to announce yesterday I was the sandik for my grandson’s circumcision, named Ariel Shalom son of Chen born to my daughter Hadassah. Thank you God in heaven. Remember your promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Grant all the world full speedy recovery from all illnesses. Grant power to Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel and to Trump, POTUS to achieve wealth for Israel and for the USA.
ReplyDeleteTorah thought on עקב
“And if you do obey והיה עקב תשמעון these rules and observe them carefully ושמרתם ועשיתם, the Lord your God will maintain ושמר for you the covenant הברית and the mercy החסד that He swore נשבע with your fathers:” (Deuteronomy 7:12).
“Remember that it is the Lord your God who gives you the power כח to get wealth לעשות חיל, in fulfillment למען הקים of the covenant בריתו that He swore נשבע with your fathers, as is still the case כיום הזה” (Deuteronomy 8:18).
Hertz Chumash p. 784:
“18. But though shalt remember. God would fulfill the promise He made to the Patriarchs; but the continuance of the good fortune of the Israelites would depend upon their own merit. Hence the waring immediately follows, that forgetfulness of God would change national prosperity into adversity. as it is this day. As the occupation of the Transjordian lands, and the impending conquest of he promised land, are the result of that Covenant.”