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CNN: What Trump's 'sulk' told America's friends
What Trump's 'sulk' told America's friends
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/12/opinions/wwi-trump-armistice-day-paris-maltby-opinion/index.html
There has been plenty written in the last few days about President Donald Trump's failure to attend the armistice commemorations at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in France on Saturday -- and on what it means for his status in America as commander in chief of the armed forces. Less has been written on what it means for America's relationship with its allies.
US veterans have every right to be offended by Trump's inability to face a little rain. (Aisne-Marne cemetery had been chosen by the international community to show respect to the Americans; Trump's absence led to the bizarre image of foreign leaders gathering together in a predominantly American cemetery.)
But consider, too, the message it sends to those of us whose nations have served alongside American troops, often under American command. US presidents, it seems, are happy to send European troops into the face of battle in Iraq and Afghanistan, but not to travel 50 miles to mourn our shared war dead.
As a Brit, I have spent my life in love with the idea of America. I have lived in America, been educated in America, loved in America. No surprise, then, that I've always been deeply committed to the idea of Anglo-American military cooperation: Get a gin and tonic into me and I've even been known to try to convince British leftists that the invasion of Iraq, with better planning, could have been a good thing.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/12/opinions/wwi-trump-armistice-day-paris-maltby-opinion/index.html
There has been plenty written in the last few days about President Donald Trump's failure to attend the armistice commemorations at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in France on Saturday -- and on what it means for his status in America as commander in chief of the armed forces. Less has been written on what it means for America's relationship with its allies.
US veterans have every right to be offended by Trump's inability to face a little rain. (Aisne-Marne cemetery had been chosen by the international community to show respect to the Americans; Trump's absence led to the bizarre image of foreign leaders gathering together in a predominantly American cemetery.)
But consider, too, the message it sends to those of us whose nations have served alongside American troops, often under American command. US presidents, it seems, are happy to send European troops into the face of battle in Iraq and Afghanistan, but not to travel 50 miles to mourn our shared war dead.
As a Brit, I have spent my life in love with the idea of America. I have lived in America, been educated in America, loved in America. No surprise, then, that I've always been deeply committed to the idea of Anglo-American military cooperation: Get a gin and tonic into me and I've even been known to try to convince British leftists that the invasion of Iraq, with better planning, could have been a good thing.
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