TRUMP’S STRATEGY FOR PUTIN SUMMIT
by Jack Watts
COMMON SENSE: What does Putin want? He wants Russia to be as dominant as the Soviet Union was before its collapse, when it had parity with the United States economically and militarily, but that’s a goal that is nearly impossible to achieve.
Here’s why: The GDP of the United States in about $20.4 trillion annually, while Russia’s in only $1.7 trillion, which puts them just below the economy of Canada. This means Russia’s economy is just 8% of what ours is. There is no realistic way to make up the difference, so Russia must make itself relevant in other ways—like making Europe dependent on their enormous natural gas supply that Russia has and destabilizing the USA by meddling in our elections.
When Trump meets with Putin, both of these issues will be addressed. When it comes to energy, Trump has already called out Angela Merkel, and he was right to do so. It was a stinging rebuke that was aimed at Germany, but also at other NATO nations. The pipeline from Russia will make Germany dependent on Russia, which is a huge win for Putin. It gives him leverage over Germany, the dominant economic power in Europe. This pipeline, which I have warned about for several years, is not in NATO’s best interests, as Trump pointed out forcefully.
Second, when Rosenstein announced the indictment of the dirty dozen in Russia, this strengthened Trump’s hand instead of weakening it. We now have hard evidence that Putin cannot dismiss by a simple denial. Trump know this, and he will be just as forceful about it as he was in calling out Merkel for Germany’s duplicity with the pipeline.
The Progressive Left believes Putin is stronger than Trump, but that’s not true. Trump has decisive economic leverage, and he will use it to check Putin. NATO is getting stronger, which is an effective countermeasure against Putin’s aspiration to dominate Europe. Trump has awakened our allies to Putin’s threat, even though the American media lacks the awareness to recognize what is happening, but you are now aware. When you watch what happens, you can see for yourself that what I am writing will come true.