Crazy foreign policy cuckoo
by digby
Our isolationist president who is totally not a warmonger:
President Donald Trump said the U.S. is looking “very seriously” at establishing a permanent military base in Poland.
Trump said at an Oval Office meeting Tuesday with Polish President Andrzej Duda that the two would discuss the possibility and “we’re looking at it very seriously.”
“Poland is willing to make a very major contribution to the United States to come in and have a presence in Poland,” Trump added. “If they’re willing to do that, it’s something we will certainly talk about.”
The Polish leader has sought additional military support from the U.S., citing the risk posed by an emboldened and expansionist Russia. Duda has asked for a permanent U.S. military base in Poland to serve as a deterrent, and his government has said it would contribute financially to the establishment of such a facility.
After Russia seized Crimea during President Barack Obama’s administration, the U.S. and NATO allies established a constant, but fluctuating, rotation of troops in Poland under the European Reassurance Initiative. Poland has argued for a permanent, costlier plan, including a headquarters.
The construction of a base would risk upsetting Russian President Vladimir Putin even as Trump has gone to lengths to warm relations with the Kremlin.
The plan may meet opposition among European allies chagrined by Poland’s turn toward autocracy, including a revamping of the judiciary that critics say will remove judges who won’t take orders from politicians.
Trump’s fine with it as long as they “pay” the US to do it. In fact, he went on and on and on and on about how much money he wants people to “pay the US.”
The Polish president says he wants to call the new permanent base “Fort Trump”.
His bff Vlad may not be so happy….
Also:
The first question Trump fields during his joint presser with the president of Poland is from an OAN reporter and about "the possibility of a war in Syria."
Trump responds by bragging about "eradicating ISIS." pic.twitter.com/SVwrkfvzE0— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 18, 2018
God help us…
.