Different Messenger, Same Message

[Zam-Zam]

Barack Obama, circa 2014:

Obama Warns NATO Allies to Share Defense Burden: ‘We Can’t Do It Alone’
By Barack Obama, White House

Part of what I discussed with Secretary General of NATO Rasmussen and now with the new Secretary General Stoltenberg is the need to make sure that the collective defense effort is robust, it is ready, it is properly equipped.

That does mean that every NATO member has to do its fair share. Obviously, we all have different capacities. The United States is going to have different capacities than Poland; Poland is going to have a different capacity than Latvia. But everyone has the capacity to do their fair share, to do a proportional amount to make sure that we have the resources, the planning, the integration, the training in order to be effective. . . .


Complete text: Obama Warns NATO Allies to Share Defense Burden: 'We Can't Do It Alone' - Atlantic Council

Fast forward to JD Vance 2024:

Vance: We Want NATO To Be A "Real Alliance," Which Means Europe Must "Pay Up"

Vance: We Want NATO To Be A "Real Alliance," Which Means Europe Must "Pay Up" | Video | RealClearPolitics


Hopefully, something actually gets done this time.

 

[as seen on tv]

Barack Obama, circa 2014:

Obama Warns NATO Allies to Share Defense Burden: ‘We Can’t Do It Alone’
By Barack Obama, White House

Part of what I discussed with Secretary General of NATO Rasmussen and now with the new Secretary General Stoltenberg is the need to make sure that the collective defense effort is robust, it is ready, it is properly equipped.

That does mean that every NATO member has to do its fair share. Obviously, we all have different capacities. The United States is going to have different capacities than Poland; Poland is going to have a different capacity than Latvia. But everyone has the capacity to do their fair share, to do a proportional amount to make sure that we have the resources, the planning, the integration, the training in order to be effective. . . .


Complete text: Obama Warns NATO Allies to Share Defense Burden: 'We Can't Do It Alone' - Atlantic Council

Fast forward to JD Vance 2024:

Vance: We Want NATO To Be A "Real Alliance," Which Means Europe Must "Pay Up"

Vance: We Want NATO To Be A "Real Alliance," Which Means Europe Must "Pay Up" | Video | RealClearPolitics


Hopefully, something actually gets done this time.

2014? Hey, isn't that the same year Putin invaded Crimea, and held elections at gunpoint? Do we have any Obama quotes on THAT fiasco?

 

[Zam-Zam]

2014? Hey, isn't that the same year Putin invaded Crimea, and held elections at gunpoint? Do we have any Obama quotes on THAT fiasco?

There was this:

Stern words, economic sanctions and a diplomatic boycott: The action Obama took to deter Putin from invading Crimea in 2014

Stern words and economic sanctions: The action Obama took to deter Putin from invading Crimea | Daily Mail Online

As with the infamous "red line" drawn in the sand with regard to Syria's use of chemical weapons, I would say perhaps not entirely effective.