Donald Trump’s Trial Balloons Are Catching Up With Him
“He doesn’t understand diplomacy is not the zero-sum world of commercial real estate, hotels and golf courses,” said R. Nicholas Burns, an undersecretary of state for policy under President George W. Bush, and now a supporter of Hillary Clinton.
“Our allies magnify our power,” Mr. Burns said. “Our trans-Atlantic and Asian alliances are a significant power advantage over China and Russia, who don’t have real allies in the world.”
.. Mr. Gates’s phrase — “return on investment” — goes to the heart of the emerging Trump doctrine: Allies who will not pay their share, and defend themselves, will not be allies.
The difference is that Mr. Obama, Mr. Gates and Mrs. Clinton are all urging gradual change. Mr. Trump is declaring, perhaps for effect, that he would reconsider the entire structure of postwar alliances.
.. And while it is tempting to issue ultimatums, it was Mr. Gates, a former C.I.A. director, who observed that three of the least-uttered words in Washington are, “And then what?”