The G7 Meeting that just wrapped up in Taormina, Sicily may mark a watershed moment in 21st century geopolitics.
A normally conservative Angela Merkel was quoted as saying that, “The times in which [Germany] could fully rely on others are partly over. I have experienced this in the last few days,”
While she stopped short of pointing an accusing finger at President Trump, the communique that affirmed the climate goals from previous G7 meetings was missing one nation.
The United States.
In addition to this, President Trump has been reported to have told his advisers that he will back out from the Paris Accords. This is a drastic move, but hardly surprising. Trump&Co. are out to make money, and they don’t care how blatant they are in their lust for profit.
Trump also engaged in his usual absurdities, and demonstrated once again just how far he is willing to go into the realm of the delusional.
During the conference he decided to brag about his dedication to the environment, and made claims about the number of environmental accolades he has won.
These statements were of course based on the most meager of facts, and when examined more carefully are laughable. One of the awards was given to a golf course in New Jersey with his name on it by a local commerce group, and the other was given for donating land that would have been impossible to develop.
It is clearly hilarious that the President of The United States is willing to engage in openly delusional behavior, but what is more worrying is the damage he may be doing to transatlantic relations. Europe isn’t in the most stable condition at the moment, and the wild card in The White House could do just about anything.
Prior to the G7 meeting where Trump humiliated both himself personally, and the United States as a whole, he was given a formal meeting with The Pope.
The meeting itself was private, but upon its ending Pope Francis presented The Donald with his 2015 encyclical that cried for immediate and drastic cuts in fossil-fuel emissions.
But to no avail, apparently.
Ms. Merkel went on to say that, “We Europeans really have to take our destiny into our own hands.”
Yes Ms. Merkel, the Europeans need to do just that. Because The United States is flying off the rails, and the Federal Government is shoveling coal at a furious pace.
[via businessinsider]
