Europe is a mess. If they are American bashing then our best move is to give it all the credibility you'd give your little brother as he struggled thru puberty.
I want to start by acknowledging or accepting the chart at the beginning of your post as fact (or close enough for me to not need to verify).
I'd like to see the NATO countries get to the 2% of GDP level and I don't mind seeing them get slapped around a bit to get them focused on it. I don't like Trump's methods much but won't complain if he gets results. (I consider myself apolitical but probably appear pretty Libertarian mostly.)
I've got two big reasons for not caring much about how much we spend on NATO in absolute or relative terms. We can afford it and here is what we get for it:
I'd rather see us fight the Russians in Europe than have to try to take it back after they fold. Defense in depth beats holding them off at the wall, every fucking time.
Our fighting forces are mostly young people and I think they get huge lifelong benefits from being stationed anywhere overseas. I think I did.
Should we be trying to get a better deal in NATO? Of course! But a strong NATO is such an obvious advantage for us, for US, that it is no surprise we're paying for it.
Mhmm, from what I see, Russia can be the enemy of any country..
Between Russia and US myself I choose US even if Russia is near my country. And I am sure more people from my country has the same thought.
The first word which come in my mind when I am thinking to a region
Europe: Boring
U.S: Fat
Australia: Cool
Africa: Poor
Japan/China/Koreea: Smart
Russia: Crazy
@jwolf, interesting exercise. I applaud your choices but I have to offer some alternatives.
I believe it is an error to lump Japan/China/Korea together because the most relevant one is China and they differ significantly from Japan and Korea.
With that caveat:
China: stressed (the government)
or
China: cautious (the people)
The government is stressed because they want to continue to be a command economy but they can see how beneficial the freedoms have been. They don't know how to maintain the balance and won't accept that freedoms will win every time in the long run.
Russia: insecure
Russia is dangerous and is our enemy because they are a huge, but 2nd tier, power. They want to be a superpower again and are stirring the pot to get there.
I haven't met many Europeans, if any, personally since I got out of the AirForce thirty years ago.
In the last ten or twenty years All I've heard on the News is American Bashing from europe.
The Europeans apparently hate US.
Russia is part of Europe isn't it? That would make it a local matter. Why should the US get involved in local politics.
Isn't that frowned upon?
I don't think Russia is considered part of Europe, just saying. Doesn't change anything about you response tho! ;)
@everittdmickey,
Europe is a mess. If they are American bashing then our best move is to give it all the credibility you'd give your little brother as he struggled thru puberty.
I want to start by acknowledging or accepting the chart at the beginning of your post as fact (or close enough for me to not need to verify).
I'd like to see the NATO countries get to the 2% of GDP level and I don't mind seeing them get slapped around a bit to get them focused on it. I don't like Trump's methods much but won't complain if he gets results. (I consider myself apolitical but probably appear pretty Libertarian mostly.)
I've got two big reasons for not caring much about how much we spend on NATO in absolute or relative terms. We can afford it and here is what we get for it:
I'd rather see us fight the Russians in Europe than have to try to take it back after they fold. Defense in depth beats holding them off at the wall, every fucking time.
Our fighting forces are mostly young people and I think they get huge lifelong benefits from being stationed anywhere overseas. I think I did.
Should we be trying to get a better deal in NATO? Of course! But a strong NATO is such an obvious advantage for us, for US, that it is no surprise we're paying for it.
Regards,
Rick
Mhmm, from what I see, Russia can be the enemy of any country..
Between Russia and US myself I choose US even if Russia is near my country. And I am sure more people from my country has the same thought.
The first word which come in my mind when I am thinking to a region
Europe: Boring
U.S: Fat
Australia: Cool
Africa: Poor
Japan/China/Koreea: Smart
Russia: Crazy
Tell me yours pls
@jwolf, interesting exercise. I applaud your choices but I have to offer some alternatives.
I believe it is an error to lump Japan/China/Korea together because the most relevant one is China and they differ significantly from Japan and Korea.
With that caveat:
China: stressed (the government)
or
China: cautious (the people)
The government is stressed because they want to continue to be a command economy but they can see how beneficial the freedoms have been. They don't know how to maintain the balance and won't accept that freedoms will win every time in the long run.
Russia: insecure
Russia is dangerous and is our enemy because they are a huge, but 2nd tier, power. They want to be a superpower again and are stirring the pot to get there.
JMHO,
Rick