Section: European Voice (EU)
Democrats key on Trump’s national security fitness
With Democrats sensing that Donald Trump is newly vulnerable on national security grounds after startling statements about Russia and NATO, Wednesday night’s convention speakers blasted Trump’s fitness to be commander in chief, suggesting that only Hillary Clinton could keep America safe — and avoid nuclear war. “No major party...
Trump goes it alone on Russia
A day after Hillary Clinton made history, Donald Trump turned history on its head. The nominee of the Republican Party — the party that takes credit for winning the Cold War — on Wednesday appeared to align himself with Russia over his Democratic opponent, in remarks that suggested to many he was urging Moscow to interfere in a U.S. election....
‘Treason’? Critics savage Trump over Russia hack comments
Donald Trump’s call on Russia to hack Hillary Clinton’s emails has shocked, flabbergasted and appalled lawmakers and national security experts across the political spectrum, with some describing his comments as “treason.” Few would argue Wednesday that what the Republican presidential nominee said will directly cause Russia to conduct...
Trump to look at recognizing Crimea as Russian territory, lifting sanctions
Donald Trump said Wednesday he would consider recognizing Crimea as Russian territory and lifting the sanctions against the country if he’s elected president. At a wide-ranging news conference, Trump said he “would be looking into that” when asked about his stance on Crimea and Russia. The Crimean Peninsula has been part of Ukraine for...
Poland’s problem with this Pope
Pope Francis will be received by the usual ecstatic crowds when he touches down in Krakow, Poland, this week for a four-day Catholic youth celebration. But look closely at the faces of government officials and bishops in the crowd, and you might see something other than joy in their expressions: wariness, suspicion, anxiety — and in some cases...
Why Putin hates Hillary
When mass protests against Russian President Vladimir Putin erupted in Moscow in December 2011, Putin made clear who he thought was really behind them: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. With the protesters accusing Putin of having rigged recent elections, the Russian leader pointed an angry finger at Clinton, who had issued a statement sharply...
Email hack rattles US effort to rein in Russia on Syria
Allegations that Russia is trying to hack the U.S. presidential election are giving ammunition to critics of President Barack Obama’s struggling effort to bring peace to Syria — a case of bruising campaign politics rattling delicate foreign policy. In recent weeks, Secretary of State John Kerry has been pushing a proposal that reportedly...
Europeans should brace for a post-American world
I remember spending a fair portion of the 2000s, during the presidency of George W. Bush, fighting the casual anti-Americanism that existed in Europe at the time. I used to explain to my friends on the old continent that Republicans were not the dumb party. Their commitment to a hawkish foreign policy, including two controversial wars in...
‘Never write off Saudi Arabia’
The Saudis put on a diplomatic charm offensive in the EU capital this week designed to highlight looming changes in the ultra-conservative Gulf Kingdom. The man who delivered the message was the foreign minister, Adel al-Jubeir, a member of the younger, Western-educated generation of Saudi Arabian leaders that have taken seats in King...
Trump’s NATO comments ‘unprecedented’
WASHINGTON — When President Barack Obama attended a NATO summit in Warsaw earlier this month, he had one core goal: to reassure jittery members of the 67-year Alliance that the U.S. would defend them against Russian aggression. “As treaty allies, we have a solemn, binding Article 5 duty to defend each other. And in this obligation, we will never...
