If you don't subscribe to Neptunus Lex then you're missing out. This is his latest....
This is coming to a head.Secretaries Panetta and Clinton are on a little fence-mending mission in Evropa:European Doubts
The Obama administration sought to reassure anxious European allies Saturday that budget cuts won’t undercut the U.S.’s commitment to their security.The population of core Europe, excluding Russia and Turkey, consists of over 730 million souls, almost twice that of the US. The EU has a GDP of nearly $18 trillion, three trillion dollars more than the US – it is the largest economy in the world. But the EU’s proportion of defense spending to GDP is 1.6%, nearly one third of that spent by the US. Each US citizen spends $2274 per year on national defense. The proportion spent across Europe is $410 per soul. If you exclude the peripheral European countries and focus only on the Eurozone, that contribution rises to – wait for it: $967. Maybe three months worth of car payments on a BMW or Mercedes. Used.
The Pentagon announced plans last month to cut the permanent U.S. force in Europe to two brigades, down from four, as part of efforts to trim its budget over the next 10 years and to refocus its attention on Asia and the Middle East.
“We made this decision only after ensuring that our force posture adjustments will not weaken our ability to meet our commitment to the security of Europe,” U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told a security conference in Munich, Germany.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a rare joint appearance in Europe with Mr. Panetta, brushed aside “some of the doubts” expressed in European capitals about Washington’s continued commitment to the continent, saying the U.S. still sees Europe as its “partner of first resort.”
Most of Europe marched in the streets to protest the US going to war in defense of its own security in 2003.
Remind me again why we should be reassuring Europe of anything?
Europeans are proud to proclaim that they have a larger GDP. Brag that they have a higher standard of living. Boast that they are civilized. Cultured. Refined. Un Warlike.
Lets see what happens when the inevitable arrives. The US focuses on its own interests. The US stops subsidizing European defense.
When the US turns its back and closes not some, but all of its bases. And that day is going to be sooner rather than later.
One can only hope. It's long past time they should stand on their own.
ReplyDeleteya know its weird. its like they have the same cultural divide that we do between liberals and conservatives...only on steroids.
ReplyDeletethere are many that reject the EU and want national institutions to be supreme but it seems that the greater Europe group is wining.
the fall out from this economic crisis hasn't hit yet...and on the other side of it is going to be big changes. between the economic mess...the coming conflict with Iran (which it appears that Israel will push), the obvious spike in gas prices that will cause and then the severe economic downturn that will savage even China and I begin to wonder if a major conflict is the only thing that might save the worlds economies.
I am always interested to read articles like this to get the views of my American friends.
ReplyDeleteI would, though, make a couple of points. I understand the temptation to refer to 'Europeans' as one polity but (no matter how much the EU might like to pretend) we are not. I am British, and, like most Britons I do not regard myself as European, to most of us Europe very much counts as 'abroad'. Ask me who I share a common outlook with and I will unhesitatingly answer Australia, Canada, New Zealand and yes, the United States. Certainly not the French or Germans for fuck's sake!
Maybe some 'Europeans' do gloat about being beyond war or our collective GDP but, I have never met one, and would have an irresistible urge to punch him in the face if I did. This is the talk that eminates from an unelected and self-appointed Euro elite. An elite that fears the test of the ballot box because, in Britain at least, poll after poll suggests we would vote to leave the EU completely.
I could not agree more that we should spend more on defence, the UK is the fourth highest spender on defence in the world narrowly behind France in declared budget but the inclusion of urgent operational requirements (UOR'S) would take us to third. We in the UK spend over 2% of GDP on defence, personally I would like to see it at 3.5%, but it ain't fucking Christmas. Note that two European NATIONS have the third and fourth highest defence spends globally.
I would miss the Americans, contrary to what some US posters seem to believe there is no resentment (at least in Britain) to their presence. Nor is the presence so great that it makes a difference to our economy, it's just good to have friends.
It is undeniable that the United States makes a disproportionate contribution to global security. But, in the nineteenth century, all nations benefitted from freedom of navigation provided by the Royal Navy, that is the lot of the global hegemon.
Anyway, I could not blame you if you withdrew to your own borders, we in the UK are bringing back some 25,000 soldiers from Germany over the next decade, and I thank you for all you have done since 1945. I would just make a plea that you think before lumping us all into one 'European' basket.
the Brits are definitely outside the group that Lex is talking about (although I'm just guessing but I know he has an affection for your country as do I) but to be honest writers like Sven Ortman and many on the mainland make us (Americans) furious.
ReplyDeleteSol,
ReplyDeleteWankers like him make us furious too! We really are not all cheese eating surrender monkeys, and many of us despair of the girly snobbery of self appointed arbiters of liberal morality.
Or, as many of us like to call them, 'fucking wankers'.
Sorry mate, I know this is a family show but...damn!
Someone remind me again, why can't Europe defend themselves and why do we have to spend billions doing it for their socialist asses for them just to hate on us?
ReplyDeleteEurope does not exist , Europeans do not exist , what exists is an Europe made by bankers and banks not by people , your statement is 100% right unfortunately for those europeans who share the same values and the same principles with you
ReplyDelete