Trump Slams Allies in favor of Putin (again)...

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

(07-11-2018, 09:36 AM)GMDino Wrote: You can accuse Obama of being "weak" but he did do ****.  A lot of people (mostly on the right) thought he should have done more...but a lot of them wanted a nice new cold war to bump up defense spending too I assume.

https://www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2017/02/trump-obama-russia-crimea/516777/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/26/obama-no-cold-war-crimea
https://www.npr.org/2014/03/24/293754227/has-obama-done-enough-in-response-to-russias-takeover-of-crimea

In fact Obama did put sanctions on Russia without the reservations of the current POTUS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEYNAEuLgXM

Yes, he did put sanctions in place.  Do you think Putin didn't know that would be the extent of it and didn't care at all?  So, for some temporary sanctions, that won't affect him personally at all, he annexed a huge chunk of territory from another country.  A very valuable strategic piece of territory.  I'm sure those sanctions really put the squeeze on him.

Quote:All that revisionist history aside if Obama was "weak" what the heck is Trump with his "limited" (your word) style?  He's going to be easily outsmarted by anyone let alone Putin and Trump lives off flattery.  A couple nice words and he'll come back and say that Russia had nothing to do with election interference, we should remove all sanctions and let them back in the G8 and that "the annexed land is really doing wonderful, really great....many people say."  

Obama was weak on foreign policy, as I said (in a post that wasn't directed at you).  He was great with allies and dismissed by foes.

Quote:To defend Trump's follies by implying the smarter guy who did do something (although an argument about whether it was enough has happened) was "weak" is silly.  

This is part of your problem.  You see a logical argument about why or how something happens as a "defense".  It's an explanation.  This must be why you divide the world into Trump opponents and Trump supporters. 

Quote:Personally I call being "risk averse" being thoughtful and trying to find the best way to handle things without just jumping in (probably via twitter) without any consultation.

After he got the consultation what did he do?  Oh yes, sanctions.  They were very effective as Russia has returned the Crimea to Ukraine.

Quote:That is part of why some are concerned that Trump is meeting Putin with no note takers before their other meeting.  The story yesterday is that they fear he will make promises ("the best deals") like he did with Kim before he can consult with anyone.  He thinks he owns the company instead or knowing he's just running it for us.  

What if he does?  He doesn't have the power to unilaterally carry them out if they are of any real significance.  Face facts, Putin played Obama, got everything he wanted and lost nothing.  Russia can't be sanctioned in any meaningful way as Europe is severely dependent on Russia for energy.  Putin knows all of this.  Maybe Trump can do better, maybe not.  None of that changes that Obama's policy towards Russia was an abject failure in every way possible.  But "reset button'!