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2004-08-17 Europe
Steyn on US troop pullouts from Europe
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Posted by Bulldog 2004-08-17 5:41:05 AM|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 Europe had better pay attention to why the gentleman is saying, for it's own sake.

I personally will not support any defense of Germany or France if they are attacked by an external force of any type until they admit they are and were wrong about Iraq. I am glad we are removing 170,000 bodies from Germany. 10 years is to long. For me it is over, over there
Posted by Flamebait93268 2004-08-17 6:04:53 AM||   2004-08-17 6:04:53 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 That should read ...they were wrong and we were right... I should know better than try and type this late at night.
Posted by Flamebait93268 2004-08-17 7:39:07 AM||   2004-08-17 7:39:07 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 "Semi-Belgian"? That's a new ethnic classification. What, is he a truck whose parents emigrated to Brussels?
Posted by Mitch H.  2004-08-17 8:26:22 AM|| [http://blogfonte.blogspot.com/]  2004-08-17 8:26:22 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Actually, FB, your original sentence made perfect sense: They were wrong THEN, and they still are wrong NOW.
Posted by Ptah  2004-08-17 9:24:42 AM|| [http://www.crusaderwarcollege.org]  2004-08-17 9:24:42 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 and nice dig on Barbra too! Another Steyn classic...
Posted by Frank G  2004-08-17 10:00:34 AM||   2004-08-17 10:00:34 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 FB: I personally will not support any defense of Germany or France if they are attacked by an external force of any type until they admit they are and were wrong about Iraq.

No country is in a position to launch an invasion on Western Europe. The Russians are having great difficulty overwhelming a ragtag bunch of rebels in Chechnya using rules of engagement that permit leveling civilian infrastructure at will - I doubt they'll have any appetite for overseas adventures. Threats and attacks with nuclear-armed ballistic missiles are another matter. Is France willing to risk the nuking of Paris by an Islamic state to defend Berlin? That is the question.
Posted by Zhang Fei  2004-08-17 10:00:52 AM|| [http://www.polipundit.com]  2004-08-17 10:00:52 AM|| Front Page Top

#7  As Stephens points out, European countries now have attitudes in inverse proportion to the likelihood of their acting upon them. They're like my hippy-dippy Vermont neighbours who drive around with "Free Tibet" bumper stickers

snicker.
Posted by B 2004-08-17 11:26:12 AM||   2004-08-17 11:26:12 AM|| Front Page Top

#8 "FREE TIBET! with equal or larger purchase™"
Posted by Frank G  2004-08-17 11:28:50 AM||   2004-08-17 11:28:50 AM|| Front Page Top

#9 Toga party first Mr G.!
Posted by Lucky 2004-08-17 11:40:42 AM||   2004-08-17 11:40:42 AM|| Front Page Top

#10 The Russians are having great difficulty overwhelming a ragtag bunch of rebels in Chechnya using rules of engagement that permit leveling civilian infrastructure at will - I doubt they'll have any appetite for overseas adventures

A couple of observations.

Right now Russia is dancing with the devil, Iran, helping them with their nuke facilities while ignoring Iran is most likely one of the routes of jihadniki in and out of Chechnya. It's a sad game of whack a mole that Putin must play for Russia's economic survival, and it may well cost the world a nuclear exchange with Iran.

Russia has been traditionally a defense oriented nation, from time immemorial. Their military culture has shined when they have defended the land from invasion. Russians, for lack of a better word, suck at aggression.

At the moment Putin is failing to recognize the west, including Russia is undergoing an invasion by Islamists. Bush partially got the message 911, but it may take another massive attack to pull together the resouces of the west to deal with the sole true remaining terrorist state, Iran.
Posted by badanov  2004-08-17 11:50:21 AM|| [http://www.rkka.org]  2004-08-17 11:50:21 AM|| Front Page Top

#11 Is France willing to risk the nuking of Paris by an Islamic state to defend Berlin France?

That I believe is the true question.
Posted by Dreadnought 2004-08-17 12:15:57 PM||   2004-08-17 12:15:57 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 Bottom line. . . Troops remaining in Continental Europe are going to Poland, and Hungary, where they are appreciated.

Drop the Bratwurst, bring on the Kelbasa!
Drop the Rhinewine, bring on the Tokay!
Posted by BigEd 2004-08-17 3:55:15 PM||   2004-08-17 3:55:15 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 I noticed the team from liberated Afghanistan drew far more enthusiastic cheers from the Athens crowd than the team of the country that actually liberated them... At the time of the Afghan liberation, a poll found only 5.2 per cent of Greeks supported the war.

Three cheers for irony.

Posted by Pappy 2004-08-17 10:37:41 PM||   2004-08-17 10:37:41 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 The external attack is not going to come from any country excepting perhaps Iran. The Terrorists are living in their societys. I can't support helping them. If taking out Saddam is wrong then defending them against islamic terror must be wrong likewise.
Posted by Flamebait93268 2004-08-17 10:46:19 PM||   2004-08-17 10:46:19 PM|| Front Page Top

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