Germany hits Trump with torrent of criticism for making the West 'weaker'
Source: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
29 MAY 2017 AT 11:46 ET
Germany on Monday unleashed a volley of criticism against US President Donald Trump, slamming his short-sighted policies that have weakened the West and hurt European interests.
The sharp words from Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel came after Trump concluded his first official tour abroad which took him to Saudi Arabia, Israel, Brussels and then Italy for a G7 summit. They also followed Chancellor Angela Merkels warning on Sunday that the US and Britain may no longer be reliable partners. Germanys exasperation was laid bare after the G7 summit which wrapped up on Saturday with the US refusing to sign up to upholding the 2015 Paris climate accord.
Days earlier, in Saudi Arabia, Trump had presided over the signing of the single largest US arms deal in American history, worth $110 billion over the next decade and including ships, tanks and anti-missile systems.
Gabriel said Monday that anyone who accelerates climate change by weakening environmental protection, who sells more weapons in conflict zones and who does not want to politically resolve religious conflicts is putting peace in Europe at risk.
The short-sighted policies of the American government stand against the interests of the European Union, he said, adding that the West has become smaller, at least it has become weaker.
Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2017/05/germany-hits-trump-with-torrent-of-criticism-for-making-the-west-weaker/
FakeNoose
(32,645 posts)Way to go, Mr. President*
We can't stand another minute of all this winning.
CentralMass
(15,265 posts)EX500rider
(10,849 posts)Says the 4th biggest arms dealer on the planet...lol
The five biggest arms exporters in 20102014 were the United States, Russia, China, Germany and France.
EX500rider
(10,849 posts)A table published on the economy ministry's site reveals that Germany's top five weapons customers in 2016 were, in order: Algeria, the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UK - three of which have very poor human rights abuse records.
Wednesdays
(17,380 posts)EX500rider
(10,849 posts).....Germany is saying how bad we are for selling weapons to the same country they sell to....more like hypocritical.
Glass house and stones & all that...
paleotn
(17,931 posts)not necessarily hypocrisy. Seems compared to the US and Russia, Germany is just a bit player. And interestingly enough, around half of Germany's exports are to other EU / NATO countries and to the US. Depending on how you cut it, here's how they rank....
EX500rider
(10,849 posts)LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)I don't see a contrast between one-third of all arms exports versus less than six percent as "pretty weak". When the difference of degrees is that large, it becomes a valid point.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)Whether that person intended it or not their whataboutism benefits Trump.
The Wielding Truth
(11,415 posts)on Putin rose Putin's profile and weakened ours and our friends in NATO. What a way to reverse so many long fought advances!
If he is not in Putin's pocket then why is he elevating a dictator's actions over our view of human rights and our constitution?
It's very clear that Trump and the Republicans are not on the side of the American people and our open and fair principles.
DFW
(54,405 posts)Their TV commentary on news programs on non-commercial stations (i.e. government-sponsored, though not controlled) has been savage, where they were previously the very definition of diplomacy, even in the worst days of the cold war.
They have lost their inhibition, and with good reason. Someone too timid to speak their mind at the horror and embarrassment that is Trumppence is just not going to have an audience any more here. America has crossed the Red Line this time. Europe is unconvinced that we will re-cross it back any time soon. They cover our protests and our women's marches, but when Trump comes here and acts like he owns the place, he is going farther off the deep end than any American leader ever has (Europe does not consider Louie Gohmert or Tom Cotton to be a "leader" .
The Europeans also know that most of America didn't want Trumppence and that they don't really represent us as a people, but they also know that Trumppence are in power. Trump may not have won the election in their eyes any more than he won it in ours, but THAT is who is showing up at summit conferences, and THAT is who commands our armed forces. As long as there is still a free press here, that is what will be commented on. As long as the governments here in Europe have the ability and the right to say what they think, they will. They raged at our involvement in Vietnam. They seethed at Reagan and his missiles. They howled in disgust at Cheneybush invading Iraq, and proudly declared that their will was to not be part of the "coalition of the willing." But they kept their harsh language in check. When Rumsfeld came to persuade Germany to join us in invading Iraq, foreign minister Fischer said of the WMD, "if we are to do that, you must convince me. You haven't convinced me." Today, Gabriel's language was mush harsher. Today, it deserved to be. We are no longer trying to "convince" them. They are, in turn, no longer trying to act as if that's all we're trying to do.
kimbutgar
(21,162 posts)I was surprised at the number of English language stations they had there in our hotel. Then they talked kind of a let's wait and see approach towards chump so I can imagine after reading this article the gloves are off and they are going to go full frontal against chump.
I'm sure Merkel and Obama had an interesting talk last week about chump.
The next month is going to be interesting watching chump get unhinged.
DFW
(54,405 posts)It's possible you were watching something from England (most German hotels offer 5 or 6 British stations plus CNN International), or one of the English-language stations from other countries, but I am not aware of any major English-language stations broadcasting here locally.
kimbutgar
(21,162 posts)You're probably right maybe our hotel broadcasted international stations. Last year in Zurich it was all German and Italian. We caught up on our reading.
We were in Italy and the only station that had English was CNN international.
lark
(23,105 posts)Putin's investment in drumpf is paying off for him. Drumpf is single handedly making the west far more vulnerable to Russia, which he has been paid to do.
workinclasszero
(28,270 posts)are definitely earning their rubles that's for sure!
world wide wally
(21,744 posts)DallasNE
(7,403 posts)Trump proclaimed his trip abroad to be a "home run".
At the "Tomb of the Unknown" Trump looked like he was still jet lagged as his words were monotonousness nothings as he left out honoring Gold Star families, apparently still smarting from the Gold Star father that went after him in the election.
Juliusseizure
(562 posts)The biggest threat to world peace and national security the US has ever produced. All because he relies on the Russians to fulfil his narcissistic dreams of world glory.
No effort should be spared to get rid of this pig.