Tag: U.S. allies

Inaction by U.K. and Allies Over Russian Meddling in U.S. Elections Emboldened Russia: Report

Inaction by the United Kingdom and some of its allies after Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections may have emboldened Russia, according to a new report by The Bureau of Investigative Journalism. The report says British members of the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) were told that the failure to respond to the meddling by the U.K. and some of its allies may have led to grave acts, including the poisonings of former Russian agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal in Salisbury in March 2018. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism is now suing the British government for access to the ISC committee report on potential Russian interference into its own upcoming election. Prime Minister Boris Johnson blocked the publication of the report until after elections next month despite a final clearance and vetting being given for its release.

View the November 16 article by Barbie Latz Nadeau on the Daily Beast website here.

Trump’s Abrupt Shifts in Middle East Unnerve U.S. Allies

New York Times logoPresident Trump’s surprise acquiescence to a Turkish incursion into northern Syria this week has shaken American allies, and not just because it was a betrayal of a loyal partner. What alarmed them even more was his sheer unpredictability.

His inconsistent and rapidly shifting positions in the Middle East have injected a new element of chaos into an already volatile region and have left allies guessing where the United States stands and for how long.

Previous American policymakers were clear about their intentions, said Mowaffak al-Rubaie, a former Iraqi national security adviser.

View the complete October 12 article by David D. Kirkpatrick, Ben Hubbard and David M. Halbfinger on The New York Times website here.

Rule 1 at the G7 Meeting? Don’t Get You-Know-Who Mad

New York Times logoBIARRITZ, France — For a day, at least, everyone was on their best behavior when the cameras were on, eager to present a show of bonhomie after so many previous meetings ended in discord.

But behind the scenes at the annual gathering of some of the world’s leading powers, President Trump still found himself at odds with his counterparts on Sunday over issues like trade, climate change, North Korea, Russia and Iran.

Ever so gingerly, as if determined not to rouse the American’s well-known temper, the other Group of 7 leaders sought to nudge him toward their views on the pressing issues of the day, or at least register their differences — while making sure to wrap them in a French crepe of flattery, as they know he prefers.

View the complete August 25 article by Peter Baker on The New York Times website here.

Trump Refuses to Sign G-7 Statement and Calls Trudeau ‘Weak’ Video

The following article by Michael D. Shear and Catherine Porter was posted on the New York Times website June 9, 2018:

At the meeting of the Group of 7 nations on Saturday, President Trump threatened to end trade with countries he says follow unfair trade practices and displayed confidence about the upcoming talks with North Korea.Published OnJune 9, 2018CreditImage by Doug Mills/The New York Times

QUEBEC CITY — President Trump upended two days of global economic diplomacy late Saturday, refusing to sign a joint statement with America’s allies, threatening to escalate his trade war on the country’s neighbors and deriding Canada’s prime minister as “very dishonest and weak.”

In a remarkable pair of acrimony-laced tweets from aboard Air Force One as he flew away from the Group of 7 summit toward a meeting with North Korea’s leader, Mr. Trump lashed out at Justin Trudeau. He accused the prime minister, who hosted the seven-nation gathering, of making false statements. Continue reading “Trump Refuses to Sign G-7 Statement and Calls Trudeau ‘Weak’ Video”