ALTERNATIVE FACTS? OR, AN ALTERNATE UNIVERSE????

This is incredible......   Like many of you, I watched President' Trump's first foreign excursion - holding my breath in the hope that he didn't intentionally or unknowingly started a new war somewhere on the planet....  I cringed when he embraced the Saudi Leadership - in the place that gave birth to and supported the most radical version of Islam and the source of the greatest number of the World Trade Center bombers.....  I took a deep breath when he approached the Western Wall in Jerusalem... in the hope that he wouldn't inadvertently insult Israel or the Jewish people.  And, I relaxed (big mistake!) when he arrived for the NATO meetings in Europe.... a culture he would be more familiar with and comfortable in and one where he had already reversed himself in saying that the NATO alliance would continue as the cornerstone of American foreign policy... and that it was, indeed, not "obsolete." BOY WAS I IN FOR A SURPRISE....

Today's Daily Press Briefing conducted by Sean (Spicey) Spicer went well beyond "alternative facts" and entered the realm of another dimension... and an ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE!   Unbelievably, Spicer and other Trump apologists have described his 9-day foreign sojourn as "the greatest foreign policy success ever!".... "a great success, surpassing expectations!".... "Trump displayed great leadership in his role at NATO".... and other over-the-top superlatives related to his behavior and remarks during the trip.  I thought, that isn't what I saw in the news coverage on TV.  I observed a president stumbling from place to place and from topic to topic and from person to person over nine days, and being a complete embarrassment for the United States. After insulting several NATO State leaders, squeezing the hand of the new French President (after having supported his opponent), ignoring German President Angela Merkel, and shoving other state leaders aside to boorishly push his way to the front of those walking toward a photo area, Trump delivered remarks that did not re-state the US pledge to come to the aid of the other alliance members as expected - Article Five of the NATO Charter - which all member nations pledge to do if any member is attacked. He leaves that part out and, instead, berates those present for not contributing enough cash to support NATO operations, costing the US more than necessary. Frankly, I was embarrassed for him.... and for myself as an American.

In my view, although I admit that I am no foreign policy expert, Trump added fuel to the Putin regime, disappointed or insulted nations that have been allied with the US for the past 70 years - through both Republican and Democratic Administrations, and threatened the stability of the single most successful alliance in history - NATO, while inviting ridicule on the US and those nations who choose to be associated with us in the foreign policy arena.  Facts matter.  Words matter.  Actions matter.  And, behavior matters.  Conspiracy theories and wild speculation have no place in the world of international relations and, with the immense stakes at risk, we cannot afford to send a bumbling, unknowing, uninformed, boob into the hallowed halls of multi-national relations and multi-state negotiations to represent our interests.  While Sean Spicer stated today that Trump and Merkel could not be closer and that Trump's appearance at the NATO meetings could not have gone better or been more effective, Merkel commented that the European nations would need to rely more on themselves insofar as others may not be there when needed as "they" had been in the past. Others commented that Trump ceded leadership of the free world to Germany. Trump's trip - his remarks - and his behavior - presented an inaccurate portrait of American attitudes toward our allies, and projected a narcissism more typical of an "ugly American" out of his/her element, than a measured, mature, and knowledgeable leader committed to a secure future through peace, cooperation, and maintenance of historical relationships. Awful!  By any measure, a total failure on the international stage.

And, by the way Mr. Trump..... CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOT A CHINESE HOAX!

Stand Up!  Speak Out!  March On!  Bobby J