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I agree that the US might withdraw (under Trump), but the EU can defend itself. It spends EUR 330 billion on defense, way more than Russia. It has more people.

I agree that the US might withdraw (under Trump), but the EU can defend itself. It spends EUR 330 billion on defense, way more than Russia. It has more people. It can build nuclear weapons on demand. I think all the statements that the EU "is freeloading" on the US are not factual. The US spends more than the EU because it has a nuclear arsenal (forbidden for many EU countries) and regularly engages in hegemonic wars like in the second Iraq war or in Afghanistan. If the US withdraws its forces from the EU, Poland alone could stop a Russian invasion, not to mention a two front war with Finland involved. I blame the EU politicians for not responding with more confidence and concrete examples like the above to Trump's recent statements. Trump has no cards to play. If he leaves, good riddance. If he threatens 50% tariffs, block Google, Meta, Amazon, X and Tesla. This is the language he understands.

hkpack 2y ago
EU will only be able to defend itself if it stays united, which is not a given in the future. There is no guarantee that part of the EU will decide not to block any joint military action for either fear of retaliation from russia or because of separate peace agreements with it. You can see that right now US incites division in multiple ways: Musk in Germany, Republicans in UK, Trump in Denmark. These are all coordinated attacks with the same strategic goals.
lifestyleguru 2y ago
> Poland alone could stop a Russian invasion The Polish "elite" has portfolio of real estates located from Spain to Dubai. The Russian invasion would be meatgrinder of youngish non rich male population as in Ukraine.
- hkpack 2y ago
  The average age of Ukrainian soldier is 42.
  - Detrytus 2y ago
    Yes, because all the young people have fled the country. And Ukrainian army is now facing severe understaffing.
  - lifestyleguru 2y ago
    Younger fled, are crippled, or dead.
    - Vilian 2y ago
      They just didn't need to conscript younger, you're mistaking Ukraine to russia
      - lifestyleguru 2y ago
        27/25 is still younger, isn't it? "Interesting" outcome is that the war will simply wipe out male Russian and Ukrainian millenials.
andy_ppp 2y ago
The war won’t last very long and Putin will probably be one of the few people who survive.
Detrytus 2y ago
> I think all the statements that the EU "is freeloading" on the US are not factual. But they are. Germany's Minister of Defence recently admitted that Bundeswehr is in such sorry state that "pretty much anyone could defeat it". They have tanks, but those tanks are not even operational, because they are not maintained. Same goes for other types of equipment, and other EU countries. War in Ukraine was a wake-up call, but it will take at least a decade for EU to be able to defend themselves without US help.
- thw12312 2y ago
  That statement was made when he wanted a higher budget. You can find similar statements in the US from interest groups: https://www.heritage.org/defense/commentary/2024-the-us-military-weakand-should-scare-you https://www.heritage.org/defense/commentary/2024-the-us-mili... Germany has a higher budget than Poland. Apparently Poland is able to keep 1000 tanks operational. Germany/von der Leyen made the mistake to use McKinsey as consultants for the army. McKinsey can leave Germany, too.
  - rasz 2y ago
    2015 'German Soldiers Used Broomsticks Instead of Guns During NATO Exercise' https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/german-soldiers-used-broomsticks-instead-of-guns-during-nato-exercise/ https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/german-sold... 2020 'during a recent military exercise all 18 Pumas deployed suffered technical failures' https://thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-technology/ap-german-military-swaps-apcs-for-nato-force-after-breakdowns/ https://thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-technology/ap-german-mili...
    - jiggawatts 2y ago
      They have something like 2,500 tanks. The mechanical failure rate of heavy armoured vehicles is very high, of all models, in all militaries. Look up the maintenance hours per flight hour of a fighter jet!
      - 2y ago

hkpack 2y ago

EU will only be able to defend itself if it stays united, which is not a given in the future. There is no guarantee that part of the EU will decide not to block any joint military action for either fear of retaliation from russia or because of separate peace agreements with it. You can see that right now US incites division in multiple ways: Musk in Germany, Republicans in UK, Trump in Denmark. These are all coordinated attacks with the same strategic goals.

lifestyleguru 2y ago

> Poland alone could stop a Russian invasion The Polish "elite" has portfolio of real estates located from Spain to Dubai. The Russian invasion would be meatgrinder of youngish non rich male population as in Ukraine.

hkpack 2y ago
The average age of Ukrainian soldier is 42.
- Detrytus 2y ago
  Yes, because all the young people have fled the country. And Ukrainian army is now facing severe understaffing.
- lifestyleguru 2y ago
  Younger fled, are crippled, or dead.
  - Vilian 2y ago
    They just didn't need to conscript younger, you're mistaking Ukraine to russia
    - lifestyleguru 2y ago
      27/25 is still younger, isn't it? "Interesting" outcome is that the war will simply wipe out male Russian and Ukrainian millenials.

andy_ppp 2y ago

The war won’t last very long and Putin will probably be one of the few people who survive.

Detrytus 2y ago

> I think all the statements that the EU "is freeloading" on the US are not factual. But they are. Germany's Minister of Defence recently admitted that Bundeswehr is in such sorry state that "pretty much anyone could defeat it". They have tanks, but those tanks are not even operational, because they are not maintained. Same goes for other types of equipment, and other EU countries. War in Ukraine was a wake-up call, but it will take at least a decade for EU to be able to defend themselves without US help.

thw12312 2y ago
That statement was made when he wanted a higher budget. You can find similar statements in the US from interest groups: https://www.heritage.org/defense/commentary/2024-the-us-military-weakand-should-scare-you https://www.heritage.org/defense/commentary/2024-the-us-mili... Germany has a higher budget than Poland. Apparently Poland is able to keep 1000 tanks operational. Germany/von der Leyen made the mistake to use McKinsey as consultants for the army. McKinsey can leave Germany, too.
- rasz 2y ago
  2015 'German Soldiers Used Broomsticks Instead of Guns During NATO Exercise' https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/german-soldiers-used-broomsticks-instead-of-guns-during-nato-exercise/ https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/natosource/german-sold... 2020 'during a recent military exercise all 18 Pumas deployed suffered technical failures' https://thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-technology/ap-german-military-swaps-apcs-for-nato-force-after-breakdowns/ https://thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-technology/ap-german-mili...
  - jiggawatts 2y ago
    They have something like 2,500 tanks. The mechanical failure rate of heavy armoured vehicles is very high, of all models, in all militaries. Look up the maintenance hours per flight hour of a fighter jet!
    - 2y ago