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How exactly American military spending in Iraq or Pacific makes Europe more safe? Wasn't it that trillion USD spent to replace Saddam with a puppet state that p

How exactly American military spending in Iraq or Pacific makes Europe more safe? Wasn't it that trillion USD spent to replace Saddam with a puppet state that pave the way for ISIS, which now attacks European cities?

rayiner 9y ago
The Iraq and Afghanistan wars were a disaster. But without American military protection during the Cold War, there are a lot of Europeans that'd be speaking Russian now.
- ivan_gammel 9y ago
  Questionable. USSR had much more conventional military power and strategic balance was defined by presence of nuclear weapons at both sides. But it's not that expensive and it's not only US who had them in NATO or in Europe. US saved Europe from Soviet invasion in 1940-1950s, but later it's not so clear, whether role of USA was decisive.
colemannugent 9y ago
I agree with your sentiment completely. In this case corrupt politicians created a crisis, and it is a shame that hangs over American international politics. As someone who believes in a smaller role for the American federal government, the idea that the American taxpayer actually paid money to destabilize a region and create an enemy that has routinely harassed us and our allies is sickening. But not that long ago in the Pacific Theater the US intervened to stop a very determined Imperial Japan. Without that intervention China and other Asian nations may not have been able to survive. Nowadays, Japan has no need for much of a military as the US is more than happy to help out one of our now good allies and trade partners. The idea of Japan being threatened by a possible North Korean attack provokes a protective response from most Americans I know. I'm sure our Japanese allies are very grateful that they can focus their government spending on other things that matter to them like the incredible standard of living they enjoy.

rayiner 9y ago

The Iraq and Afghanistan wars were a disaster. But without American military protection during the Cold War, there are a lot of Europeans that'd be speaking Russian now.

ivan_gammel 9y ago
Questionable. USSR had much more conventional military power and strategic balance was defined by presence of nuclear weapons at both sides. But it's not that expensive and it's not only US who had them in NATO or in Europe. US saved Europe from Soviet invasion in 1940-1950s, but later it's not so clear, whether role of USA was decisive.

colemannugent 9y ago

I agree with your sentiment completely. In this case corrupt politicians created a crisis, and it is a shame that hangs over American international politics. As someone who believes in a smaller role for the American federal government, the idea that the American taxpayer actually paid money to destabilize a region and create an enemy that has routinely harassed us and our allies is sickening. But not that long ago in the Pacific Theater the US intervened to stop a very determined Imperial Japan. Without that intervention China and other Asian nations may not have been able to survive. Nowadays, Japan has no need for much of a military as the US is more than happy to help out one of our now good allies and trade partners. The idea of Japan being threatened by a possible North Korean attack provokes a protective response from most Americans I know. I'm sure our Japanese allies are very grateful that they can focus their government spending on other things that matter to them like the incredible standard of living they enjoy.