Article

2018-06-16 Europe

America won't put up with Europe's weakness on defence any more

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Posted by Herb McCoy 2018-06-16 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11133 views ] Top

#1 Remember every tax dollar to defense adds to the overall cost of products and services. Think of it as a tariff imposed on American products in the competing world market.

Posted by Procopius2k 2018-06-16 03:54|| 2018-06-16 03:54|| Front Page Top

#2 ...I've been saying this for years. That's why the stories about them forming a new 'European' fighting force are so damned funny - they not only don't have the manpower or equipment to do it; they'd have to rely on the US to move them anywhere.

Oh, and they can't talk to each other, either. Everybody runs different comm systems.

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2018-06-16 05:11|| 2018-06-16 05:11|| Front Page Top

#3 In a war they'd do what the do on exercise and use their mobiles haha

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2018-06-16 05:43|| 2018-06-16 05:43|| Front Page Top

#4 Time to implement Obama's flexible plan for Russia. Sell Germany to Russia as a training facility.

Posted by AlanC 2018-06-16 08:02|| 2018-06-16 08:02|| Front Page Top

#5 European Conservative demanded to know where Europr had a higher tariff on US products than teh US on EU.
Try cars: "The U.S. levies just a 2.5 percent tax on cars imported from Germany and other European Union members, compared with a 10 percent charge on American cars sent to Europe"

Posted by Frank G 2018-06-16 08:20|| 2018-06-16 08:20|| Front Page Top

#6 Considering how psychotic EUropean ideology is - is the fact that they're weak is really a bad thing?

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2018-06-16 08:58|| 2018-06-16 08:58|| Front Page Top

#7 Considering how psychotic EUropean ideology is - is the fact that they're weak is really a bad thing?

If one uses Russia as a model, frankly, no.

Posted by Besoeker 2018-06-16 09:00|| 2018-06-16 09:00|| Front Page Top

#8 IMO, EUropeans make post Stalin Sov. U. look like a libertarian's dream.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2018-06-16 09:03|| 2018-06-16 09:03|| Front Page Top

#9 Netanyahu and Putin discuss security on Israeli-Syrian border

French carmaker Renault to remain in Iran despite sanctions

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2018-06-16 09:37|| 2018-06-16 09:37|| Front Page Top

#10 French carmaker Renault to remain in Iran despite sanctions

No downside there.

Posted by Besoeker 2018-06-16 09:39|| 2018-06-16 09:39|| Front Page Top

#11 Ah, yes Renault... I once found myself driving a brand new rental Renault 50KM through the hills of Sicily with no 1st, 2nd or reverse gears. Car had 750km on it. Got behind a tractor trailer on an up hill grade and just about stalled her out...had to run a toll booth, just fliging money toward the basket.
Yes, Iran can keep them.

Posted by Capsu78 2018-06-16 14:41|| 2018-06-16 14:41|| Front Page Top

#12 #5 Frank

That's true and I did mention that, although it's not just US cars. Japanese cars don't seem to have a problem with that.

And note that due to outward processing (EU cars parts shipped to the US for assembly) a very large portion of US car imports into the EU is actually subject to a much lower import duty.

In 2017, only 1 billion euros out of the total value of US cars imports to the EU of 6.5 billion Euros was subject to the full tariff.

I'm all for abolishing tariffs on cars completely.

But did you know that the U.S. charges 25% tariffs on imported trucks (Europe 10%)?

Tariffs vary, but if you compare ALL tariffs levied by the U.S. and Europe, there's not much difference. Very much a non-issue.

Subsidies and regulation are more important trade barriers, but very often it's hard to decide what's intended as a trade barrier and what's not.

Btw there is no "Buy European" Act in the EU. U.S. companies can compete in EU tenders on an equal footing under EU rules.

Posted by European Conservative 2018-06-16 15:30|| 2018-06-16 15:30|| Front Page Top

#13 FYI - the Buy American clause in US Federal contracts only applies to steel, thanks to a long-ago steel crisis (1980's?). Often, contractors think it's everything, but I read the Federal requirement. Right, Frank?

Posted by Bobby 2018-06-16 15:58|| 2018-06-16 15:58|| Front Page Top

#14 I'm all for abolishing tariffs on cars completely.

I like replacing a car every 5 years.
Any earlier, charge a 40% luxury tax.

Posted by Skidmark 2018-06-16 16:24|| 2018-06-16 16:24|| Front Page Top

#15

Subsidies and regulation are more important trade barriers, but very often it's hard to decide what's intended as a trade barrier and what's not.

Very true. An often overlooked aspect that can be more significant than tariffs are differences in systems of taxation in various nations. E.g., a VAT acts as a direct export subsidy which often dwarfs the impact of tariffs.

Posted by Uneth Gonque8041 2018-06-16 19:18|| 2018-06-16 19:18|| Front Page Top

#16 Oh, and they can't talk to each other, either.

I thought they all spoke European or something.

Posted by SteveS 2018-06-16 19:27|| 2018-06-16 19:27|| Front Page Top

#17 Well in a few decades they will all be speaking Arabic or some other Islamic language.

Posted by CrazyFool 2018-06-16 20:55|| 2018-06-16 20:55|| Front Page Top

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