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So Trump has now not only signed an oil deal with Russia, but also wants to lift sanctions. This seems totally indefensible. Not only does it send a clear signal (if the Greenland debacle was not clear enough) that America no longer gives a shit about the rules-based world order or the stability of the west as a block, by removing sanctions from a country that is fighting an aggressive war and that Europe regards as a serious threat. It also lifts sanctions on an ally of Iran. A country that America is currently fighting and active war against. A country that Russia is providing with military aid. He is trying to lower the high oil prices caused by the war with Iran, but seemingly making Iran stronger in the process by aiding its ally, thus making the war more difficult.
Is there some 5head strategy move I am not seeing here? Or is the man actually that inept? Is this because he is mad that Zelensky called him weak?
It seems stupid and incredibly short sighted, and it is difficult to see how this will even help America.
I feel like the framing of your question needs some reconsideration. Countries always claim to care about rules based international order, and then never actually do if they need something. This is not new. Our ties to Europe are deep except the Europeans don't care for their treaty obligations, are lately nearly useless allies, and claim that our relationship with them is now over because Trump is bad. Why spend American effort on helping them?
The impact on the conflict with Iran is uncertain. You could easily make this deal with hidden concessions involving that.
In the moment right now the US needs to loosen restrictions to help our economy and everyone else's. We can put it back later.
People are going to scream and blame America and Trump no matter what we and he does. That further incentivizes doing this, especially as a temporary measure.
It's also a fantastic move if you want to punish Ukraine for not following Trump's requests. You might not like that strategy but it is a good implementation of it.
Yeah, Europe is hopeless. They spend all their energy worrying about Russia and the US while their countries crumble under the weight of mass migration and their industrial capacity is destroyed by Chinese imports.
In France, something like 25 percent of births are to Muslims.
It’s probably past the point of no return.
Given their waning cultural, economic, and military power it’s best to view European countries more transactionally going forward, instead of viewing them as core parts of the empire which we should make sacrifices to protect. It will probably improve relations too. Europe doesn’t seem to care about China, for instance. If American aid is seen as conditional, it will be appreciated. If it’s seen as a right, it will be taken with contempt.
Do you, as a question of fact, believe that Europe appreciates American... aid more now than it did five years ago?
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