After meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House yesterday, President Trump said this about the 70-year old organization:
The Secretary General and I had a productive discussion about what more NATO can do in the fight against terrorism. I complained about that a long time ago and they made a change, and now they do fight terrorism. I said it was obsolete; it's no longer obsolete.
This is, of course, rubbish.
NATO invoked Article 5 for the first and only time the day after the attacks of September 11, 2001. You know the one where Trump erroneously claimed there were thousands of Muslims in New Jersey cheering the attacks.
Article 5 is the clause which states an attack on one NATO member is an attack on all NATO members. After NATO invoked Article 5, it stated, ''If it is determined that this attack was directed from abroad against the United States, it shall be regarded as an action covered by Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.''
The idea that NATO made a change after Trump complained about it is a complete fabrication. Frankly, the only reason Trump is singing this tune is because he was talking out of his ass and cannot admit he was wrong.
With that said, I am glad that Trump now sees the value of NATO - at least for now. With Trump you never know. In a week or a month, he could change positions yet again.
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