Short note: NATO and Trump–What would more money for the “alliance” of “allies” be spent on and who would most benefit? Such issues need be considered before judgements are made about fairness. Too, what would the “delinquent” and “unwilling to pay their fair share” nations have to do in order to comply with the demands of the Trump administration?
Most likely, actually inevitably, the largest share of the money will go to private defense contractors, the makers of implements of war, the weapons manufacturers and the other industries that produce war materials.
In large part, the call for more money for NATO is as much about the welfare of already rich for selling the tools of death companies as it is about necessary levels of defense capability. The merchants of death first and foremost serve their owners, these mostly those with enough money already to invest heavily in the stock markets.
The costs of increased military spending in many of the countries Trump is targeting will necessitate cuts in programs that are for the people of these countries, in social welfare programs such as those hated by our capitalists such as socialized medicine and education. A part of what the American role in NATO is, like the role of the “benevolent” capitalist organizations such as the WTO, is to strengthen capitalism, the predatory and inhumane form of capitalism sponsored by the United States.
So, when Trump threatens to undermine NATO he is bullshitting. Corporate America makes incredible profits off the alliance. When liberals rise to condemn Trump for not being nice to NATO, really, if they think about it, they are lending support to an organization that IS all about the military industrial complex Ike warned of so many years ago. Trump’s bullying is not about what is good for the American people. It is not the American people who will benefit from a cost reduction in American military spending–the bully has already called for considerable increases. There will be no new spending affecting the social welfare of the American people–better schools, better medical care, better transportation systems, cleaner air, for example–only increased profits for the already fat and ugly defense industry.
