 "US President Donald Trump (centre), Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel (left) and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni at the G7 summit in Taormina, Italy, on Friday. Photo: Reuters")
Donald Trump’s electoral campaign was notable for his abrasive statements and blunt assessments about a variety of issues. Among his more unforgettable claims was his suggestion that NATO was “obsolete.”
This comment was largely founded, it seems, on a lack of understanding about what NATO does or how it functions. Since 1949, NATO has been a bedrock of American foreign policy, first in Europe against the Soviet Union and its allies, and then in Afghanistan. Trump’s desire to build bridges with the Russians, and his plain ignorance about NATO’s contribution in the
