Aristides

Hundreds of western factories set up shop in Russia including major car makers. Finish companies alone had 500 production facilities in Russia. The Nokian tires on my car were manufactured in Russia. Since Putin invaded they are doing their best to get out of Russia. VW, Toyota, Volvo, Mitsubishi, Renault, Hyundai, Skoda all shut down their production facilities in Russia. After 32 years, MacDonalds bailed on Russia at a cost of 1.2 to 1.4 billion. Let's face it, anything made in Russia worth owning was built in a western owned plant. That's reality my friend.

This doesn't help our recruiting problem. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/permanent-resident-military-applications-enrolment-1.7116469

The West did not abandon Russia. Many western countries set up shop in Russia providing employment for hundreds of thousands working in their factories or businesses. They also became customers for Russia's resourses Russia became a mob driven kleptocracy on its own, it has never been a democracy in its long history and doesn't know how. Strong men are what Russians know and prefer, be it a Czar, General/First Secretary or a dictator like Putin.

You would think that someone who wants to be POTUS would have an opinion or policy. Don't you think potential voters should expect a comment from a candidate? Yet he is avoiding it like the plague.

How well did the most powerful airforce in the world do to protect the US on 911? Our F-18's are old but still quite capable of intercepting a civil airliner.

So how would Trump resolve the Ukraine war?

Trump equals Navalny. Absurd.

So you think it OK that a POTUS wouldn't know or care about what happens in Russia or any other country that is not close by? I don't support a war against a Russia. I do support Ukraine's right to independence and territorial security. You on the other hand seem to support Russia invading its neighbours.

Nice thought but I wouldn't count on it. Fear of being primaried will probably keep them in line. You are very vocal about doing nothing and making excuses for despots who murder their opposition.

So why bring up Epstein? Who was he running against? Plenty of people would have had it in for him and not for political reasons. Although the circumstances of his death are somewhat bizarre with people losing their jobs over it, we don't know that he didn't commit suicide.

Should I be surprised that you approve of the liquidation of political opponents by incumbents? Guess not.

Vlad the Exterminator really doesn't care whether the world knows he is a murdering SOB. https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/russia-alexei-navalny-1.7117208

Leader of the opposition is the best job in politics, until they lose an election. PM is the second best job, until they lose an election.

Answer to who was the worst president.

His companies and "charities" have and it's only a matter of time.

Money does matter, the SCOTUS said so. With big buck donors such as the Koch Bros abandoning Trump and his candidates, that could be a problem for Agent Orange.

Santos seat flips to Democrats. Even if Trump wins, the Republicans could lose both houses.

Like every other tax, it takes money from some people and gives it to others.

Yes, during the Cold War. In the early 60's it was over 4%. It didn't drop below 2% until 1973. It rose to over 2% again for a few years in the mid 80's but hasn't been there since.

Your quotes from Stoltenberg are five years old, three years before Russia invaded Ukraine. You need to keep up.

US is still part of NATO unless Trump pulls them out, so increases in US spending are increases in NATO spending. Your link gives defence spending by NATO countries, not NATO specific spending.

Ukraine is spending 34% GDP on defence. You would think Trump would be supporting them instead of trying to stab them in the back.

Yes they do. https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/USA/united-states/military-spending-defense-budget https://www.iiss.org/online-analysis/military-balance/2020/02/global-defence-spending/ How much of that increase China and Russia? Not baseless at all, most of the increase was by the US as I already posted.

The facts are what Stoltenberg said about Trumps latest rant.

Do you seriously think someone asked him that? More likely more made up bullshit. That should be no surprise to anyone by now.