I admit in advance, this is a VERY rude American opinion: its frustrating Europe loves to insult America in public but ultimately still depend on our military, soldiers, and money rather than invest to defend themselves. Without American money, equipment, and soldiers, Europe would be in trouble. Ultimately, everyone would be better off long term if Europe sought an more robust & independent military with its own local supply chains and industrial base.
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21 sats \ 0 replies \ @xz 20 Jan
Ultimately, everyone would be better off long term if Europe sought an more robust & independent military with its own local supply chains and industrial base.
I think this could only be a reality at a national level. Assessing military capabilities in relation to perceived threats is difficult. Sure there's critical defensive capabilities but military campaigns are rarely waged and defended in isolation. The fact that NATO is a thing is not only a factor of wanting protection but also because NATO members share intelligence, and in return receive a furnishing of troops and infrastructure.
Not saying it'd be easy for small, individual nations to counter coordinated attacks, but if the goal is defense, that's shared with the borders of nations next door. A coordinated response. When the likes of Hungary entered into NATO (post Soviet invasion) there's stimulus to a response. Now Hungary has to deal with the same thing again on it's doorstep due to the presence of, and to the expansion.
Don't know if you can agree with that but I see supranational policing as part of the problem here. It's not merely insulting outwardly and depending inwardly.
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Yes, but there is nothing like a european army. The EU as it is now is a fantasy product of some technocrats that are melking the continent
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Understood, but I guess to be blunt that's my kind of my point. Europe being unable or unwilling to develop a cohesive military with a supply chain to match is not America's responsibility.
To be clear, I don't resent Europe. I resent American politicians agreeing to spend endless fiat on far flung military nonsense that doesn't benefit everyday Americans who are forced to pay for this. This is why we bitcoin, defund war.
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