The three major ones for me were his classing NATO as obsolete; FREE TRADE as not working...at least for Americans; and the third being his open support for TORTURING captured combatants.
Thankfully, barely a week into his Presidency he has already changed his position on two of the three - NATO & TORTURE.
Regarding NATO, I have made the pitch that it is needed more than ever with aggressive Russia determined to extend its reach in Europe and the Middle East and with wealthy China spending more and more on its military. In the face of this, rather than idle chatter about closing shop, NATO should be looking to expand its membership to countries in all parts of the world most notably to include India and Japan.
Trump though was correct when he criticized NATO Countries which do not spend 2%* of their annual GDP on their respective militaries. Indeed, only 4 of its 28 country membership meet that target. Canada for instance spends a paltry .9%.
*2% GDP spending on its members military is the target set by NATO.
It may end up that those who do not meet the 2% target are kicked out of the Organization. But, if it was up to me I would reorganize NATO into full and associate membership with those countries meeting the 2% levy being given the exclusive right to vote.
As for Torture and assuming the West ever again decided to use it, it would come down once again to the question of who is more bad. Both the Terrorist and the White Knight West would find themselves on the same Spectrum of Evil with the Terrorists at a point of greater evil than the West and yet both still classed Evil.
So barely a week into his Presidency and Donald Trump looks far less worrisome.
That said, the above two changes of heart leaves outstanding Trump's flawed understanding of the dynamics between Free Trade and Isolationism. The Dirty Thirties showed that Isolationism only ensured that all countries beggared themselves individually. If Isolationism really worked, so to would State Run Economies such as those found within Communism. Why we'd all be driving Ladas - expensive non-workable junk.
The last 50 years have seen the world move to a more Global Economy - read Free Trade, with the effect that fewer and fewer find themselves in poverty. The US Agency for International Development reported recently that over the last 30 years extreme poverty has been cut in half..by over 1Billion People. Their findings are supported by a host of other reputable world organizations. For instance, the UN calls the rise out of poverty 'epochal' and believes that by 2030 poverty will be eradicated in it's entirety.
Thankfully, Republicans are generally speaking, Free Traders and I am betting that they will be able to bring President Trump over to their way of thinking.
And speaking of changes in approach, I am thinking that Mssrs. Putin and Company will very shortly find themselves in for a rude awakening.
As I write today's Blog the latest anti-Trump Protests are centered around his temporary ban on certain Muslim migration to the United States. I will do a Blog on this controversial subject shortly.
As I see it...
'K.D. Galagher'
