Trump Power Trips Again – Orders 9,500 U.S. Soldiers to Leave Germany

Politics, Uncategorized, ,

Trump went into another self-aggrandizing show of power tripping when he ordered 9,500 soldiers to leave Germany after Chancellor Markell rebuffed G7 invitation.

https://youtu.be/cwSgbgq8lVg

As if still not satisfied or in denial of the fact that he has been receiving serious backlash and criticisms in handling the country’s current state affairs, the U.S. president once again made use of his executive power to prove that he has control over important diplomatic matters.

The military order stemmed from Chancellor Angela Markell’s polite refusal of Trump’s invitation for her to attend the G7 Summit in Washington scheduled at the end of June. The German Chancellor cited concerns over the still ongoing global health crisis. That is understandably so since, as of June 10, 2020, the World Health Organization reported that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. has reached a total of 1,933,560, of which 110,220 have died.

The numbers continue to rise, where as many as 17,850 new cases were added last June 08, 2020. Actually, the large numbers of increases are expected due to Trump’s and other Republican’s call for reopening state economies even if not meeting the checkpoints that public health experts recommended as conditions for reopening. Not to mention that millions of Americans are now out in the streets, in support of calls for a nationwide reform of the police force.

However, Trump was slighted by the Chancellor’s rejection of his invitation, since the G7 Summit meet would have been excellent propaganda for convincing his supporters that all’s well in the U.S.

White House officials claim that the removal of the U.S. troops in Germany was in now way connected to Chancellor Markell’s rebuff of Trump’s invitation, as plans were already underway even before that. However, many of Trump’s Republican allies in Congress were unaware of such plans, and were in fact critical of the move.

Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney of Wyoming branded Trump’s order to remove U.S. soldiers in German soil, as a dangerously misguided policy.

“If the United States continues to abandon allies, withdraws U.S. forces and order retreats within U.S. borders, such actions put in peril the cause of freedom on which the American nation was founded and on which the country’s own security depends.”

Trump Forced to Cancel G7 Summit as Other World Leaders Will Not Commit Attendance

Yet, inasmuxh as other G7 leaders have expressed non-committal responses to Trump’s summit invitation in June, the POTUS decided to cancel the event instead; but without making a repeat of his response to Chancellor Markel’s outright refusal.

As if the controversy he created was not enough, Trump announced that in resuming the G7 Summit in September, he intends to invite Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Trump said he plans to form an expanded world alliance against China.

 

Apparently, Trump is overlooking the fact that Russia has been banned from attending Western summit meetings of world leaders, as sanction for its invasion and annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Besides, is Trump not aware that Russia and China have been holding joint military exercises since 2018, which clearly indicate their military ties?

Withdrawal of Extradition Bill : Will it End Carrie Lam’s Hong Kong Woes?

Uncategorized, ,

The 3-month long protest actions that have been embattling Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam may possibly come to an end, or so she hopes. Through a press release, the controversial extradition bill that sparked the civil unrest, has finally been withdrawn by the Hong Kong leader; confirming the exclusive report released last Wednesday by the South China Morning Post.

However, there is still a possibility that protests will continue because protest leaders are now saying that the withdrawal action came a little too late. Too many violent clashes have transpired, with some demonstrators hurt and/or have been arrested. In addition to the extradition bill’s withdrawal, there is now a demand for a full-inquiry that will make the police accountable for the violent outcomes of their demonstrations.

The demonstrations lasted because the HK Chief Executive has a reputation for mincing words, like when she said the extradition bill is “dead” rather than directly state that it will be off the legislation table. Now she is also saying that in addition to the bill’s withdrawal, she will set up an inquiry commission to investigate the root causes on why social unrest ignites in the city, as well as formulate solutions on how to avoid them from happening again.

 

 

Yet protesters have three other demands to consider before the civil unrest can be completely called off.

Other Conditions that the HK Chief Executive Must Meet to End Social Unrest

The 3-month long protest movements have attracted international attention mainly because most rallies resulted to violence, despite an attempt by moderate demonstrators to hold a peaceful rally. Protesters are now calling on the government to investigate why the police used aggression in dispersing the demonstrators, which only sparked greater anger among people.

In addition to the withdrawal and the inquiry, other demands on the table include the HK authorities’ characterization of their movements as riots. Mainly because whatever violence that transpired were the results of the police force’s use of unreasonable aggression.

Another concession that must be met is the granting of amnesty to those who were arrested as a result of the violent disruptions.

Finally, protesters are calling on the government to restart the political reform process that had been previously voted down at the Hong Kong Legislative Council. .

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