Post by robeiae on Nov 15, 2016 10:31:41 GMT -5
Interesting piece over at FP: foreignpolicy.com/2016/11/14/the-dawn-of-pax-germanica-angela-merkel-donald-trump/
From it:
The first paragraph seems a fair analysis to an extent: German influence has been growing, as that of both the UK and France wanes.
But the second bit, well I'm not sure I agree with it at all. I think this Putin-Trump connection has been vastly overstated--mostly owing to election politics, when it was being used as a stick--and I fail to see how closer US-Russia relations would or could manifest themselves.
That said, I think there is a real increase of Russian influence in the Middle East in general and in Israel, proper. But that was happening under Obama because of his admin's disengagement with Israel, imo.
Thoughts?
From it:
What does seem likely is that Germany — and thus, Merkel, whether she likes it or not — will now be thrust to the forefront of international affairs on Europe’s behalf, as the main proponent of the norms, values, and institutions that comprise an alliance that has been the foundation of world order for the past seven decades. With her words on Wednesday, Merkel signaled that she understands that the United States now has other options but that Germany remains committed to the values that America taught it after World War II...
Though not mentioned explicitly in her words to Trump, the specter of Russia and the possibility of closer U.S.-Russia relations — to the exclusion of Western Europe and democratic principles — hung over them. Merkel was underscoring the choice that the new president will have and that breaking with the status quo of the North Atlantic alliance will have enormous implications. The Europeans are extremely nervous that an undemocratic Russia embraced by a U.S. administration that itself flaunts liberal values will put European democracy under severe pressure. Obama, who is due to visit Europe this week, is likely to find himself besieged with urgent questions about where his country is headed.
Though not mentioned explicitly in her words to Trump, the specter of Russia and the possibility of closer U.S.-Russia relations — to the exclusion of Western Europe and democratic principles — hung over them. Merkel was underscoring the choice that the new president will have and that breaking with the status quo of the North Atlantic alliance will have enormous implications. The Europeans are extremely nervous that an undemocratic Russia embraced by a U.S. administration that itself flaunts liberal values will put European democracy under severe pressure. Obama, who is due to visit Europe this week, is likely to find himself besieged with urgent questions about where his country is headed.
The first paragraph seems a fair analysis to an extent: German influence has been growing, as that of both the UK and France wanes.
But the second bit, well I'm not sure I agree with it at all. I think this Putin-Trump connection has been vastly overstated--mostly owing to election politics, when it was being used as a stick--and I fail to see how closer US-Russia relations would or could manifest themselves.
That said, I think there is a real increase of Russian influence in the Middle East in general and in Israel, proper. But that was happening under Obama because of his admin's disengagement with Israel, imo.
Thoughts?
