Angela Merkel says Germany can no longer rely on Donald Trump's America: 'We Europeans must take our

Trump is reportedly considering putting more troops into Afghanistan.

 

Yes, because we don't have our own army, air force or navy?

 

It would be a mistake to send more troops.

 

Sorry, but successful relationships are not one sided. They need equal partners.

 

Setting aside the fact that your second sentence would require Europe (or whomever) be as strong as the United States in order for it be "successful,"

You are wrong to think that our relationship with Europe provides us with zero benefit.

 

Well, back to Merkel and what she actually (ACTUALLY) said -- Merkel said that the United States of America is nicht zuverlässig.... Not reliable! And, in at least one sense, she is possibly correct... after SEVENTY-TWO YEARS of providing Germany an essentially "free ride" for its own national defense, the United States now can no longer be depended upon to continue to pay such a disproportionately large share of the cost for the defense of Germany, and, for that matter, of most of Europe.

I know, I know. it's not quite that simple. We did it for a lot of selfish reasons, including keeping the Soviet Union out of Western Europe after WWII. We did it for reasons that promote internationalist central banks which heavily impact the economies of the entire world. Hint: that's what this mess in Ukraine started out as in the first place....

But the simple truth is that Germany, the European Central Bank (headquartered in Frankfurt), and Deutsche Bank pretty much dictate terms for most of Europe. Even countries as prominent as France and Italy are merely anemic "slackers" by comparison... and the rest of these EU "countries" are mostly just failed socialistic bog-holes, sliding deeper and deeper into their own national and collective bankruptcies.

So, Germany -- it's on YOU now. Sorry, but we Americans are now lead by a faction that puts "America First!" You wanted to have a more-or-less unified "Reich"... and now you've got it. But there is a price to be paid for that, Frau Merkel.

. "Hier ist Ihre Rechnung, Eure Hoheit...." -- "Viel spaß!"

 

You do, but defense spending is kept at a minimum due to the U.S. providing the security blanket. Perhaps without the U.S. countries in Europe would probably have to double, triple the amount spent on the military and the like. Or let defense slide.

 

You do know that there isn't a single socialist nation in Europe?

 

This is what I don't understand; it isn't as if the US has a big military presence in Europe, so what is this 'security blanket'? Fewer than 40,000 US personnel in total, including non-combat support staff. Considering that European combat personnel totals 1.8 million on active service, the US contribution is a drop in the ocean.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_deployments#Europe

 

no karzai was extremely corrupt, bush jr, let afghanistan get away, even had bin laden cornered, and those war lords let him escape

 

Yes, Karzai squirreled away millions in hard cash-but, according to the article below, it was for his extended family while he himself led a fairly acetic life.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin...6a47a6-5804-11e6-9aee-8075993d73a2_story.html

 

That may be, but he still took the money.

 

Na I think the germans can just do what they promised, and spend 2% on their own defense.

 

A where was this sentiment when Obama was also asking them to pay up and they already agreed to do so under Obama by 2024?

 

I realize that. I can remember when there were 500,000 Americans troops spread all over Western Europe. I was one of them on the East German Border out of Fulda. It isn't the number of troops, although I do think that 40,000 could be drawn down to basically attaches and MAP personnel. The security blanket during the cold war was both nuclear and conventional to prevent an invasion of Western Europe from the USSR and Warsaw Pact. That was why NATO was formed, a united show of strength of Western European countries to deter aggression from the East. All well and good, NATO was needed then.

But what I am saying is once the USSR broke a part, the Warsaw Pack disbanded NATO should have gone the way of CENTO and SEATO. It was and is a cold war relic. If the Western European countries wanted to keep it, fine. But the U.S. had fulfilled its obligation to Europe and NATO. Time for Europe to take care of itself.

I might have viewed things differently if NATO just remained a Western European alliance. Abided by the Bush, the father and Gorbachev agreement that if Gorbachev allowed the peaceful unification of Germany, NATO wouldn't advance east of Germany. Gorbachev even agreed to let NATO continue its existence, although it had served it original purpose, mission accomplished. But as soon as NATO started heading eastward, the agreement was broken and broken by the U.S. and NATO countries. It seems Western Europe was using NATO as a hegemony instrument, moving it right up to Russia's front door.

 

Is the year 2024? Then Germany still has time to meet their pledge.

 

No, Snake, I do not know any such thing. "Socialist" IS as "Socialist DOES... or do you disagree...? In "plain Texas talk", show me a country where one bunch of people suck a living off of another bunch of people who work to provide it and I'll show you SOCIALISM!

BTW, Snake, I congratulate you in Great Britain (not for the first time) for having the wisdom, first, to preserve your own money, followed by even more wisdom shown in getting out of the EU.

In all your history you have never tolerated the rise to supremacy of any great European power but your own, and you were wise in that, too. Even further wisdom is exhibited now in your escape from the economic disaster that will surely overtake the EU as Socialism destroys the economies of everything from the European Atlantic coast to the Russian border.... Great Britain is certainly no stranger to Socialism, as we both know, but you're in nowhere nearly so bad a shape as France, Italy, and most of the other European economic pest-holes. Now, you have your independence, as well as your own money!

A look ahead -- in time, after everything has completely gone to hell, Germany will forge a new alliance... with Russia. Then you will have something to worry about. But for now? Rule Brittania!

 

Perhaps Karzai was, but there is no excuse for any poster to allege Bin Laden was cornered nor that he was allowed to escape. Seems to me the MOAB has been forgotten already. Bush dropped some trying to kill Bin Laden. Gen. Tommy Franks denies his forces found Bin Laden. That is fake news. Franks did report a war lord on the scene of the bombs dropped alleges the war lords wanted to leave and go home for dinner. I trust Franks on that.

 

We need to see the written deal to pass judgment.

 

Every hear of corporate welfare? Does the US not practice this? Is that socialism?

 

2% per year

 

Its the same

 

TO BE MET BY THE YEAR 2024.

 

Those slackers needed to step up years ago.

Let's take a look at the reliability of our allies in Europe and their contributions to NATO:

LAME.

The Europeans couldn't even run a limited air campaign against a crackpot and his two-bit military in North Africa.

If they were forced to fight a real war against a real adversary they'd come begging to us for help in a heartbeat because they are incapable of fighting a real war against a real adversary.

A swift kick in the ass is exactly what they need, and if it takes shaming their lame-assed political elites to get them to pull their own weight then fine. As Merkel admitted in her own mealy-mouthed way, it's about time this generation of Europeans grew up and took responsibility for themselves.

 

Honestly, Thor, a lot of that "corporate welfare" stuff falls in the category of "shades of gray" -- BUT -- it is most definitely a FACT that our U. S. Tax Code is grotesquely manipulated to provide enormous numbers of tax shelters and loopholes that benefit the wealthy, almost exclusively.

Note: no American President since Ronald Reagan has even made a dimple or a dent in the monstrosity that is the U. S. Tax Code. That comes closer to supporting the idea of "corporate welfare" than anything else. Not even a radical Democrat like Barack Obama did one (ONE) thing to actually change the U. S. Tax Code. Why not? Partially because Obama was nothing but an obedient stooge for the Federal Reserve System, and partially because "Fat cat" Republicans AND "Limousine Liberal" Democrats love the U. S. Tax Code exactly like it is, and together they laugh all the way to the bank!

Hint: A large part of why Trump's having so much trouble with both Democrats AND Republicans is because -- guess what? He wants to change and simplify the Tax Code so that it is more fair for the working Middle-Class!

So, it's all back to the same thing as before... the "rich" won't pay... the "poor" can't pay... thus, the American Middle-Class pays -- for the lion's share of costs for the defense of Europe, and everything else!