Incidentally, the leaders in Europe and the middle East are very concerned about the growing influence of Russia in this region. They hope that the U.S. will be able to resist this influence. Writer and Middle East expert Joel Rosenberg told about the upcoming meeting of the President of trump with Putin and what he hopes it will lead.
MHN: Just a few days, President trump will meet with President Putin. What is your opinion about this? And that should realize the Trump before the meeting?
Joel Rosenberg, author of the book “Conspiracy of the Kremlin”:
In fact, President trump solves the issues with Russia are much better than most critics. He turns to his team of these so-called “hawks”, who can confront Russia and the threat posed by Putin. This James Mattis as Secretary of defense, and Mike Pompeo as Secretary of state, and John Bolton as national security Advisor. It’s all good! In addition, trump increases spending on defense and demands the same from NATO: “You have to spend more!” As a result, at least eight countries increase their spending. That’s good. However, it is strange when President trump is much more harsh comments about his attorney-General, what about Vladimir Putin. It’s just weird! I can’t explain it. So continue to pray for him.
MHN: If you could give advice to President Trump on the eve of this meeting, what would you say to him?
Stop saying: “it is an honor to meet you, President Putin.” Stop! Because this gentleness is perceived as weakness. This is so not like how trump deals with the NATO allies, with his attorney General, and Democrats in Congress. Start to treat Putin as well as with the Democrats: tough, from a position of strength. “We do not agree with your nonsense! That’s what we want!” I’m not saying that you need to get involved with him in a fight. I’m just saying, that Putin really is a dangerous guy who does bad in the world. And for the sake of our interests stop acting as if flirting with him.
MHN: If you were in the same room with trump and Putin after it leaves the press, what would you like to trump Putin said?
I find it hard to answer this question, because personally, I don’t want President trump were in the same room with Putin. I don’t think there is much we can say to President Putin. Of course, better that they at least talk about something than fighting, but with Putin in General should not be something to discuss. I don’t think you need to be in the same room with a world leader who is the enemy, constitutes a strategic threat, unless you have a specific game plan. I think the President trump doing the right thing by restoring US military power, strengthening the armed forces of NATO, forcing the country to spend more on own defense, surrounding himself with strong leaders. But I just don’t know why President Trump to be in the same room with Vladimir Putin. Putin is nothing for us does not and is not going to do. So I’m generally against them meeting under these circumstances, when there is no strategic purpose: “I need it”.
MHN: Tell us about the goals of Putin in the middle East. What are its objectives?
The task of Vladimir Putin is to expand the influence of the Russian Empire. He wants to make Russia feared. He wants to be the person one is talking to world leaders. And the only region where he could maneuver the middle East. Iran had already in his pocket. He draws Turkey into its orbit. Turkey — our NATO ally, but Turkey gradually moves to the dark side more and more approaching Putin. It is obvious that Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad is already in Putin’s camp. And Putin wants to become so strong and influential in the middle East that will refer to the Saudis, the Emiratis, and the Jordanians and the Egyptians. He’s trying to alienate all of them from the United States, away from the West, bringing them into the Russian orbit. However, the Russians under Vladimir Putin completely different view of the world than the Saudis, the Emiratis and the Sunni Arab States and Israel, because Russia has partnered with Iran. Here’s the thing. That’s the simple truth. They built an Alliance that we have never seen in history, and it’s dangerous. The Saudis, the Emiratis, the Israelis, the Jordanians, the Egyptians, the Americans are all supposed to say, “You have to make a choice. After all, if you’re going to stick to this Iranian Alliance, then you will come into direct conflict with the interests of us all.”
MHN: How should people pray for this upcoming summit?
That it has not led to anything bad. I would say that now, I pray the Hippocratic oath: “do No harm”. I pray that President trump “do no harm”. Trump somehow thinks that if he will be in the same room with Putin, it will be able to reach out to him, and he suddenly becomes a good guy. No, it won’t! Putin is not a good guy! He’s the bad guy! Therefore, you should try to complete this meeting that was not supposed to be doing anything unnecessary. And we need to stick to the political course of the President of trump: to restore the American armed forces, to strengthen NATO, to get NATO to spend more money on its own defense, and to force Europe to stop making multi-billion dollar oil and gas deals with Russia! It is not useful! It does not contribute to our security. In General, the policy of trump against Russia is good. But his personal relations with Putin are of great concern. And I pray that we stopped to meet with evil dictators when we have a clear strategic game plan.