Why Trump's prime minister shove pleased Putin

[Cooley Hurd]

http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/25/opinions/trump-nato-mistakes-opinion-ghitis/index.html



(CNN)President Donald Trump's body language during his visit to Brussels on Thursday was about as subtle as a politician body slamming a reporter. For America's closest allies, in town for a major meeting of NATO, the actions and words of the new US President were visibly troubling. For Vladimir Putin, who surely paid close attention from Moscow, the day was filled with pleasing images and satisfying rhetoric.

The moment that best encapsulated Trump's day came after the speeches, when NATO leaders were taking a tour of the Alliance's brand new headquarters. Trump fell back into the pack, but worked his way forward, pushing aside the Prime Minister of Montenegro to put himself in front.

I will not suggest that Trump deliberately chose Prime Minister Dusko Markovic as the leader to clear out of his way, but the incident could not have made for a better metaphor.

This was Markovic's and Montenegro's first NATO summit. The tiny Balkan country has just been accepted into the alliance, much to Moscow's chagrin.

How much chagrin?

Authorities in Montenegro say they stopped a Russian-backed plot to kill Markovic's predecessor, which was aimed at preventing Montenegro from joining NATO. They have arrested 14 people, including two Russians. (Russia denies involvement.) The plot, prosecutors say, sought to install a new government loyal to Russia and opposed to Montenegro's efforts to grow closer to the West and to NATO. The plot failed, and now Montenegro is becoming NATO's 29th member.

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[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. He's such a pig.

Although Putin probably enjoyed seeing SCROTUS shove the PM of Montenegro for the reasons CNN mentioned, the fact is Trump probably didn't know who the guy was and couldn't find Montenegro on a map. No doubt there was some sort of meet-and-greet reception at the beginning of the event, but somebody as self-obsessed as Dolt 45 wouldn't have remembered the names or countries of anyone else unless they were extremely Important (nobody was wearing "Hello, My Name Is ___" sticky tags). And if it meant getting to the front of the group for a photo op, he'd have shoved even an Important leader, even the Secretary General, who, I note, made the critical mistake of being taller than Himself, which probably made Himself hate NATO that much more.

[Blue_Roses]

6. Exactly.

Nt

[Cracklin Charlie]

2. Montenegro should have decked him.

[leftstreet]

3. I doubt Trump knew who he was

seriously

[Cooley Hurd]

4. Maybe not, but Putin does...

...and watching him get shoved aside by the shitgibbon, of all people, made Putin smile.

[GeorgeGist]

5. i bet he did ...

Montenegro PM was getting extra attention; being the new kid at NATO.