- A river runs through it part one - 17th August 2026
- Nigel Farrago - 14th August 2026
- Struck out - 14th August 2026
During 42 years in journalism (when he was trained to use simple language, avoiding jargon) for our Editor, Welshman Phil Parry, it has always been paramount to highlight the importance of independent political institutions which govern all our lives, but now these could be put at risk, with another threat to the NATO alliance by Donald Trump on the eve of its vital annual summit in Ankara this week.
They sound boring but they’re not – institutions.
We have just seen this big time in Wales with elections to the Welsh Parliament/Senedd Cymru (WP/SC), which finally secured a new ruling party (the Welsh nationalist group Plaid Cymru [Plaid]), a body which is only really now bedding down after 27 years!
Institutions which govern our money and security are even older.
The Bretton Woods Agreement for example, was set up in 1944 and created the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as well as the World Bank, establishing a new global monetary order, pegging world currencies to the US dollar (which was backed by gold at $35 per ounce), so preventing competitive devaluations.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was founded in 1949 as a system of collective security, with members vowing to defend each from attack.
Throughout the Cold War, NATO’s primary purpose was to deter and counter the threat posed by the Soviet Union (SU) and its satellite states, but following the break up of the SU in 1991, the alliance has adapted.
In 2011, NATO intervened in the Libyan civil war, with a UN mandate to enforce a no-fly zone and protect civilians.
It has since been involved in training Iraq’s military and countering piracy.
Donald Trump, however, doesn’t like NATO and has made no secret of that fact, with any number of threats to undermine its finances, or even to pull the US out altogether.
Only last week, just four days before its annual summit in Ankara to decide what to do next, he declared that it was “ridiculous” for the US to continue its “one sided” relationship,
He wrote on his Truth Social (TS) platform that “They were not there for us!!!” (presumably referring to the Iran war, as several countries had restricted the use of bases for American forces), and that Washington’s relationship with NATO “is not reciprocal”.
Matt Whittaker, the United States of America (USA) ambassador to NATO proclaimed last night: “Some allies are doing more than others…but many others are lagging behind, and President Trump expects all allies to step up immediately, and not only get on a sustainable path to five per cent (of Gross Domestic Product [GDP]) but get to five per cent as soon as possible”.
Mr Trump has also insisted that he wants Europe to take the lead role for its own defence, and Washington has already moved to scale back commitments (which would have devastating economic implications, and may be viewed as rather petulant).
His TS post included a chart displaying the amount of NATO spending, with the US investing vastly more than a few other member states, including the UK and France.
The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has specifically said, that Mr Trump is disappointed NATO allies refused to become more actively involved in attacking Iran.
He stated: “The President’s views – frankly, disappointment – at some of our NATO allies and their response to our operations in the Middle East, they are well documented. That will have to be addressed”.
Talk about throwing your toys out of the pram! Apparently because NATO countries weren’t as whole hearted in their support for Mr Trump in attacking Iran as he would have liked, the entire foundation of our security is now under threat.
It seems that important institutions are not seen as key, to some political leaders any more, although we do – and the elections to the WP/SC show this…
The memories of Phil’s astonishing award-winning career in journalism (when institutions which governed daily life were central) as he was gripped by the rare neurological disabling condition, Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), have been released in a book without clichés ‘A GOOD STORY’. Order the book now!
Tomorrow – as he has written many times a free and independent media is essential in a society, although this does not exist in many states around the world, and it is now put centre stage by the shocking cover up of a plane crash in Beijing.
