11–20 of 38 posts
I don’t think Trump is particularly crazy like a fox, but Europe taking its defense into its own hands in a coherent, credible manner has been the goal of US European policy across at least the last six or seven administrations of both parties.
They are not in a position to do that successfully
I don’t think Trump is particularly crazy like a fox, but Europe taking its defense into its own hands in a coherent, credible manner has been the goal of US European policy across at least the last six or seven administrations of both parties.
They are not in a position to do that successfully
I don’t think Trump is particularly crazy like a fox, but Europe taking its defense into its own hands in a coherent, credible manner has been the goal of US European policy across at least the last six or seven administrations of both parties.
I don’t think Trump is particularly crazy like a fox, but Europe taking its defense into its own hands in a coherent, credible manner has been the goal of US European policy across at least the last six or seven administrations of both parties.
Not sure about that; why does the US have a huge number of troops in Germany in the first place? Defence, or occupation? It seems to me that the objectives until ~2014 were to (a) provide moral and a small amount of physical support for the War on Terror; (b) sell US weapons, such as the F-35; and (c) ensure that European defence centered around NATO, under US control, and not the EU. The US wanted Europe to have eno…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not sure about that; why does the US have a huge number of troops in Germany in the first place? Defence, or occupation? It seems to me that the objectives until ~2014 were to (a) provide moral and a small amount of physical support for the War on Terror; (b) sell US weapons, such as the F-35; and (c) ensure that European defence centered around NATO, under US control, and not the EU. The US wanted Europe to have eno…
The time when Europe had the capability to go off on adventures of its own or be a threat to the US is past. European economies are no longer big enough proportionately. Compare a lit of the world's largest economies from 40 years ago to now.
https://apnews.com/article/mercosur-european-union-trade-agr...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Not sure about that; why does the US have a huge number of troops in Germany in the first place? Defence, or occupation? It seems to me that the objectives until ~2014 were to (a) provide moral and a small amount of physical support for the War on Terror; (b) sell US weapons, such as the F-35; and (c) ensure that European defence centered around NATO, under US control, and not the EU. The US wanted Europe to have eno…
The time when Europe had the capability to go off on adventures of its own or be a threat to the US is past. European economies are no longer big enough proportionately. Compare a lit of the world's largest economies from 40 years ago to now.
China: $43.491 trillion [1]
USA: $31.821 trillion [2]
EU: $30.184 trillion [3]
UK: $4.59 trillion [4]
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_China
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_European_Union
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_Kingdom
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I would also say (d) make it clear to the Soviet Union that, if they invaded West Germany, it would not just be an intra-European war; it would be a world war.
Sure, but that rationale went away in the early 1990s and they stayed for thirty years longer than that.
But on the other hand, Russian aggression is back in the headlines these days...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The time when Europe had the capability to go off on adventures of its own or be a threat to the US is past. European economies are no longer big enough proportionately. Compare a lit of the world's largest economies from 40 years ago to now.
In purchasing power parity terms, a glance at Wikipedia yields China: $43.491 trillion [1] USA: $31.821 trillion [2] EU: $30.184 trillion [3] UK: $4.59 trillion [4] [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_China [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_States [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_European_Union [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_Kingdom
Then do the same with nominal GDP which is a better measure for this IMO as you cannot buy anything in global markets at PPP.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I would also say (d) make it clear to the Soviet Union that, if they invaded West Germany, it would not just be an intra-European war; it would be a world war.
Sure, but that rationale went away in the early 1990s and they stayed for thirty years longer than that.
The US can support all of its military operations in Africa and the Middle East from its vast cold war era infrastructure in Europe.