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2020-02-18 Europe
Europeans resent Trump's forcing them to contribute to their own defense
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Posted by Besoeker 2020-02-18 03:24|| || Front Page|| [11129 views ]  Top

#1 ...As I see it - YMMV, of course - with the qualified exception of the UK, the western European nations have no interest whatsoever in changing their ways, indeed, they would rather go down conquered than throttle back the bennies. No politician there is going to risk losing power by transferring money from benefits to defense. They cannot conceive of a world where we don't come charging to the rescue one more time.

Mike
Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2020-02-18 04:33||   2020-02-18 04:33|| Front Page Top

#2 Europeans are like a child who grew up in a wealthy home. They very quickly became used to someone else spending money on them, and got very angry when Daddy threatened to stop it. It's not something special, it's just how things must be.

Trump told them to their faces that they must carry a fair share of the load. They flat-out refused. What can one say? The Americans have been so effective that they don't see any threats. Thus they don't understand why they should need a military. It looks horrifying and uncivilized from their perspective.

They think the US doesn't have bases in Europe to protect them, but as springboards for military adventures in the Middle East. Wars which do nothing to help Europe, but generate endless masses of refugees. It's hard to contradict them on this point.

It is very satisfying to tell off the Americans for being baby-killing warmongers. They love feeling superior more than anything else.
Posted by Herb McCoy 2020-02-18 05:14||   2020-02-18 05:14|| Front Page Top

#3 Germany, France, Italy, many other NATO partners are against using their own militaries to defend against an attack on NATO. However they expect that America will respond with its military. What can men do against such reckless hypocrisy?

Posted by Herb McCoy 2020-02-18 05:20||   2020-02-18 05:20|| Front Page Top

#4 Graphic at https://www.pewresearch.org/global/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/02/PG_2020.02.09_NATO_0-08.png
Posted by Herb McCoy 2020-02-18 05:22||   2020-02-18 05:22|| Front Page Top

#5 Let's face it, colonials providing any type of instruction to Europe has never been popular. I suspect categorical rejection could be said to be a given.

I blame 2.5 bathrooms and $2.19 per gallon petrol.

Posted by Besoeker 2020-02-18 08:04||   2020-02-18 08:04|| Front Page Top

#6 Nice - now I have two reasons to like Bulgaria.
Posted by Raj 2020-02-18 08:59||   2020-02-18 08:59|| Front Page Top

#7 Sound an argument as any for dissolving NATO. Make a mutual defense pact with the Eastern European nations that actually still give a damn about existing and let the rest of Europe continue its slide into hell.
Posted by DarthVader 2020-02-18 10:25||   2020-02-18 10:25|| Front Page Top

#8 Well if the Russians move against Turkey in Syria, I don't think German troops need to come to the rescue.

So that poll is BS.
Posted by European Conservative 2020-02-18 10:30||   2020-02-18 10:30|| Front Page Top

#9 I'm a little disappointed in the Polish. Might be in their interest to support this.
Posted by Hellfish 2020-02-18 12:20||   2020-02-18 12:20|| Front Page Top

#10 /\ The Poles, Bulgarians, ..., and Estonians may be more interested in making sure they aren't the first meal the Soviet Russian Bear gobbles up to care about other peoples' problems.
Posted by magpie 2020-02-18 12:58||   2020-02-18 12:58|| Front Page Top

#11 I'm a little disappointed in the Polish. Might be in their interest to support this.

Fear not, Hellfish - One US airbase in Poland, coming right up!
Posted by Raj 2020-02-18 13:32||   2020-02-18 13:32|| Front Page Top

#12 When the US goes to war we prefer to do our own thing and act like our allies are in the way. We want them around to show whatever conflict is an international one but we don't want them at the planning table. ...and the US would absolutely smash anyone that conventionally attacked any of our allies. We wouldn't even need to be asked. ...and the biggest mover and shaker in the EU is embarrassed about anything military because of their own history.

With all that it is hard to fault the Europeans for not paying to keep their militaries funded.

Still they know they've gotten away with this game for a long time and shouldn't resent being called on it.
Posted by rjschwarz 2020-02-18 15:00||   2020-02-18 15:00|| Front Page Top

#13 The poll is not BS. You should look at the other one that states that Europeans very firmly think Americans should come to the rescue of embattled NATO countries.

They don't want to have a military, they don't want to use their military to help, but boy oh boy they expect the USA to be Johnny-on-the-spot when trouble rears its head. It's complete bullshit and it needs to come to a screeching halt.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
An' Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool -- you bet that Tommy sees!
Posted by Herb McCoy 2020-02-18 15:01||   2020-02-18 15:01|| Front Page Top

#14 Herb quoting Kipling?
Posted by g(r)omgoru 2020-02-18 15:05||   2020-02-18 15:05|| Front Page Top

#15 ^ Can't stop grinning here, either. Filthy, irrational behavior -- any monkey can do it! -- that doesn't even make it onto the pyramid, wot? Feels profoundly stupid GREAT!
Posted by Hupang Platypus6423 2020-02-18 15:52||   2020-02-18 15:52|| Front Page Top

#16 Speaking of which... Caps Lock? The hell you say! I didn't get these boogie-woogie pinkies playing boogie-woogie. ;-)
Posted by Hupang Platypus6423 2020-02-18 15:56||   2020-02-18 15:56|| Front Page Top

#17 Nice picture of a French waiter. They don't make good fighting men anyway. Then about Napoleon...he wasn't even French was he? Was he a Corsican or an Algerian? I forget, something like that. Or he may have been a Waiter like the one in the picture.The French serve Frogs and snails that are delicious, ( so I have heard ) a lot like the Chinese who will eat anything too.
Posted by Nero Hatrack5171 2020-02-18 16:35||   2020-02-18 16:35|| Front Page Top

#18 Maybe this has something to do with it. You can have a socialist state or national defense, but not both in their case.
Posted by Procopius2k 2020-02-18 17:06||   2020-02-18 17:06|| Front Page Top

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