President Ronald Reagan and NATO Secretary General Lord Carrington in the White House Rose Garden before talks on Sept. 11, 1984. Instead of provoking greater tensions, as Trump has done, Reagan urged NATO allies to support Western interests worldwide. He considered NATO “the greatest alliance in history,” understanding it to be a crucial protector of democracy and freedom. The recognition of these new, out-of-area threats inspired NATO to shed its regionalism. During celebrations in Washington, the birthplace of the alliance, Trump should seize the opportunity to provide forward-looking leadership, as Reagan did years ago.

Source: Washington Post April 04, 2019 10:07 UTC