War with Russia

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Pinno718

Well-Known Member
I think, and hope, this is where Trump's plan falls on it's face. All this talk of increasing defence spending is assumed to be buying US arms. Hopefully the cash will be spent elsewhere creating a new circular economy sans US.

I'm not sure Trump had a plan. He probably regurgitated old mumblings about NATO contributions and saw an opportunity to make noises and gain votes. Else, it's this apparent Putin hold over him.

If it was simply the US contribution to NATO being proportionately higher than other NATO members, then you would have to prove that the US doesn't benefit from wider global influence and power through NATO. But this one dimensional view of matters seems to be a running thread through which Trump has simplified the rhetoric to get votes. And he was going to say anything to get votes, anything. He 'left cash on the table' after Trump 1.0, he was facing more charges and possibly imprisonment, he couldn't sit on the Epstein files if he were not POTUS.

It's hard to determine what his raison d'etre is: my gut feeling is that being president gives him some immunity coupled with protectionism whilst upholding the narcissist tendency and making money. Beyond that, i'm not sure there really is a plan. It's so mafioso.
 

Pblakeney

Senior Member
...being president gives him some immunity coupled with protectionism whilst upholding the narcissist tendency and making money. Beyond that, i'm not sure there really is a plan. It's so mafioso.
That is the plan. In it's entirety.
 

First Aspect

Über Member
In the short term it will benefit the US, because Ukraine is reliant and their armed forces trained up to use US equipment. Longer term, it probably will result in a boom for EU based defense suppliers (possibly also UK, depending on how closely we stay aligned on security matters) because, duhhh, national security and the US is untrustworthy and unstable so can't also be relied upon for arms supplies.

Trump is a magpie and doesn't consider anything currently beyond reach of his tiny little bruised hands.
 

Psamathe

Über Member
In the short term it will benefit the US, because Ukraine is reliant and their armed forces trained up to use US equipment. Longer term, it probably will result in a boom for EU based defense suppliers (possibly also UK, depending on how closely we stay aligned on security matters) because, duhhh, national security and the US is untrustworthy and unstable so can't also be relied upon for arms supplies.
It's an interesting aspect and in my experience does happen. A couple of years ago I was travelling independently round India (North west round to north east) and did end-up in some fairly militarised areas. India buys a fair amount of military gear from Russia but talking to locals it seems India has been "let down" by Russia failing to deliver orders because they were diverted to Russia's need in Ukraine (so fail to supply India). Thus the Indian Gov. had taken steps to use more home grown and other suppliers for new gear. That said they already have a lot of Russian stuff so need to maintain that and have to consider compatibility. So they can't make an immediate switch but can set in place policies to reduce some sources and grow other sources.

Ian
 

Ian H

Squire
I think, and hope, this is where Trump's plan falls on it's face. All this talk of increasing defence spending is assumed to be buying US arms. Hopefully the cash will be spent elsewhere creating a new circular economy sans US.

Israel has a substantial arms industry.
 
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Pblakeney

Senior Member
Maybe, just maybe, Trump is getting serious this time.
"Trump moves nuclear submarines after ex-Russian president's comments"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c93dgr2dd53o
 
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