I don't know how this link will work since I'm on mobile. But I'd like for you to comment, DS, on two things:
1. Trump's account of events in the Crimea peninsula seem to support Putin's right to claim territory from sovereign states by force, or else an ignorance of the current history in that area. (And a willingness to talk tough until it turns out that actual stakes are in play--the situation is already "hot."😉
2. The involvement of Trump supporters in the watering down of the policy regarding aid to Ukraine including "appropriate assistance" but not the phrase "lethal assistance."
Specifically, from the transcript here:
STEPHANOPOULOS: Vice President Biden told me this week that Vladimir Putin wants to beat Hillary and Madeleine Albright said that your victory would be a gift to Putin.And what they're pointing to is things like your statements about conditioning our commitments to NATO allies, softening the GOP platform on Ukraine, even considering softening sanctions and recognizing Russian annexation of Crimea. They fear that that's going to hurt America and advance Russia's interests.
TRUMP: They only fear one thing, losing the election. If our country got along with Russia, that would be a great thing. When Putin goes out and tells everybody -- and you talk about a relationship, but he says Donald Trump is going to win and Donald Trump is a genius, and then I have people saying you should disavow. I said, I'm going to disavow that?
But when Putin says good things and when we have a possibility of having a good relationship with Russia...
STEPHANOPOULOS: But if we have a good relationship...
TRUMP: -- I think...
(CROSSTALK)
STEPHANOPOULOS: -- his annexation of Crimea.
TRUMP: I'm not going to be mean to anybody. George, you know me pretty well. I don't bow, OK. I don't bow.
But if we can have a good relationship with Russia and if Russia would help us get rid of ISIS, frankly, as far as I'm concerned, you're talking about tremendous amounts of money and lives and everything else, that would be a positive thing, not a negative thing.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Even if that means conditioning our commitments to NATO, as you said?
TRUMP: No, because you're not going to do that. NATO is going to be just fine. But NATO countries -- we have 28 countries -- many of them are taking advantage of us because they're not paying. So we're protecting these countries and they're not paying.
And when people leave that last part in, everybody agrees with me.
I'm all in favor of NATO. I said NATO is obsolete. I was asked a question by one of your competitors and I said NATO is obsolete, because it's not taking care of terror. You understand that. And it turned out I was right. A lot of people gave me credit for that.
Then, three months ago, on the front page of "The Wall Street Journal," they said NATO to develop a terror division. And somebody who's supposed to be very extraordinary was put in charge of it.
That was all because of me. So I was right about that.
I was also right about the fact that NATO, we're being taken advantage of by NATO countries, totally advantage of (INAUDIBLE)...
STEPHANOPOULOS: Then why did you soften the GOP platform on Ukraine?
TRUMP: I wasn't involved in that. Honestly, I was not involved.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Your people were.
TRUMP: Yes. I was not involved in that. I'd like to -- I'd have to take a look at it. But I was not involved in that.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you know what they did?
TRUMP: They softened it, I heard, but I was not involved.
STEPHANOPOULOS: They took away the part of the platform calling for the provision of lethal weapons to Ukraine to defend themselves.
Why is that a good idea?
TRUMP: Well, look, you know, I have my own ideas. He's not going into Ukraine, OK?
Just so you understand. He's not going to go into Ukraine, all right?
You can mark it down and you can put it down, you can take it anywhere you want.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, he's already there, isn't he?
TRUMP: OK, well, he's there in a certain way, but I'm not there yet. You have Obama there. And frankly, that whole part of the world is a mess under Obama, with all the strength that you're talking about and all of the power of NATO and all of this, in the meantime, he's going where -- he takes -- takes Crimea, he's sort of -- I mean...
STEPHANOPOULOS: But you said you might recognize that.
TRUMP: I'm going to take a look at it. But, you know, the people of Crimea, from what I've heard, would rather be with Russia than where they were. And you have to look at that, also.
Now, that was under -- just so you understand, that was done under Obama's administration. And as far as the Ukraine is concerned, it's a mess. And that's under the Obama's administration, with his strong ties to NATO.
So with all of these strong ties to NATO, Ukraine is a mess. Crimea has been taken. Don't blame Donald Trump for that.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You said that...TRUMP: And we'll do better and yet we'll have a better relationship with Russia.
And having a good relationship -- maybe. and having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing.
Emphasis mine, obviously.
Basically, the bolded parts are about the Crimea situation. For the most part, Trump does not seem to be aware of the situation in Crimea even though it's tied to Russia, which is an issue that has drawn fire during the recent media cycle. Last week you told me that you expect him to be a fast study (?) when push comes to shove. But, well, his ties to Russia have been getting shoved. Is this his best shot at quickly getting familiar with a topic?
Last week you weren't very concerned about his (relative) ignorance about foreign policy. Is that still your position?
For anyone who hasn't read Stone Ocean, this must be a total mindf*ck.
But its so damn smoooooooooth~
Again, the quote crap isn't working. RH I respect your position and can't really argue against it. But I think you're asking yourself the wrong question. Am I concerned about Trump's foreign policy position and knowledge as of today? You shouldn't be either. My ONLY concern is whether or not he's well versed by the first debate, and I don't think you can really argue that point either. Everything until that point is fluff or misdirection. I HAVE to believe he has a giant ace up his sleeve he'll unveil during the debate that would win him the election. As a businessman, I HAVE to believe he's going to spend the next however many days until the first debate, becoming well versed in all manners of policy, while publicly feigning ignorance and stupidity (it's what I would have done as well). Every single manner of his BS will either be exposed during that first debate, or it will have been deemed a well timed and perfectly executed act. I certainly hope it's the latter but I fear it's the former.
http://nypost.com/2016/05/04/donald-trumps-policy-plans-are-real-detailed-and-great/
Decent article on some of his current domestic economic plans. Obviously nothing about foreign policy.
RH, here's another:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/22/us/politics/donald-trump-foreign-policy-interview.html
Like I said, I hope he's holding something back and isn't saying stuff because he doesn't have any policies in order.
http://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/opinions/given-the-alternative-ill-take-trump/2016/07/31/
Great article by Prager.