About the starkest illustration of Donald Trump and company’s misguided policies is its infantile interpretation of “America First”: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia), a member of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus, for instance, apparently told a rally of Trump supporters in Iowa that, “under Republicans, not another penny will go to Ukraine,” just as if cold-turkey stopping support would contribute to making America great again.
Luckily, such unconsidered belligerent ideas of “Ukraine fatigue” are not shared by the majority of either party presently. The former president weakened ties with NATO and Europe and appeared ready to ruin the iconic cross-Atlantic cornerstone pro-democracy alliance in favor of his isolationist dreams as a path to greatness. Meanwhile, countries concerned about past and possible future Soviet-style Russian domination have reasserted their commitment by showing a willingness to join NATO.
Although NATO certainly surrounds Russian territory, contrary to prevalent Russian propaganda, it is a defensive peacekeeping alliance, not one with an offensive agenda. Why some GOP “conservative values” seem to consider that turning our backs on foreign threats to democracy will put America’s interests “first” is a great mystery.
— Ken Green
Cooper Landing
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