Our European allies
The Obama Administration has decided that they’re going to lean forward on the Crimea situation and position more US forces closer to the area according to the Associated Press;
President Barack Obama’s deputy national security adviser, Ben Rhodes, said NATO was aiming to provide “a continuous presence to reassure our allies.” While he would not detail specific countries where the additional resources would be sent, he noted that the U.S. was particularly focused on efforts to bolster Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia.
Rhodes briefed reporters as Obama traveled to Rome from Brussels, where he met with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, as well as European Union leaders. In a speech from the heart of Europe, Obama declared the crisis in Ukraine a global “moment of testing.”
An admirable goal, but according to the Washington Post, our European allies, you know, the folks who live in the neighborhood and have more skin in the game, aren’t interested in bolstering security in the region according to the Washington Post;
But even with officials acknowledging the danger, they are reluctant to respond by reversing planned cuts in military spending that were enacted when Europe was more stable.
“The hope is still there that political and diplomatic means will succeed. And budgets are still tight,” said Michael Clarke, director general of the London-based Royal United Services Institute. “There’s also a sense in Europe that we lived in the Soviet shadow for 50 years, and we learned not to overreact.”
Indeed, there’s strong sentiment in Europe against any kind of response to Russia that would set off a new Cold War. With most Europeans regarding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as failures, voters would rather see their governments focus on domestic spending than risk getting entangled in another foreign conflict.
So they’re perfectly happy to live under the old Cold War defensive umbrella that the US provided without reinforcing their own measures. And the reason that Afghanistan and Iraq failed, to some degree, was because of the socialists in Europe and their failure to recognize the importance of the mission. Maybe instead of leaning forward, the US should continue our withdrawal from Europe and let the Euro-wienies fend for themselves on the world stage.
The life of one American is not worth the whole continent of Europe.
Category: Foreign Policy
“Maybe instead of leaning forward, the US should continue our withdrawal from Europe and let the Euro-wienies fend for themselves on the world stage.”
Dead on Jonn. Funny I keep my own backyard in shape. I don’t go house to house in my neighborhood asking for help to pull weeds and mow. Maybe Europe needs to start taking care of themselves. By that I mean militarily as well as financially. We invest a LOT of money in their military efforts and they are happy to stick their hands out and take it.
To end: “The life of one American is not worth the whole continent of Europe.” I cannot agree with that statement more!
That would be great, except whenever Europe gets militarily strong, they tend to get in wars with each other that cost tens of thousands of American lives. MIT might cost us some extra resources, treasure, and even blood, but I like the militarily weak, strategic backwater, economic basket case Europe better than a strong one.
Awhile back I was involved in a high level OSD effort to sell a sophisticated high tech sensor system to our beloved allies in NATO. In a rare moment of candor a senior Defence Ministry guy told me “Why should we buy it? When there is a need for it, you will bring yours.”
Now THERE’S a piece of unvarnished truth!
President Obama stated for the record that, “Just as France and Britain stood by their Polish allies in 1939, the US will stand by the EU in their endeavors in the Ukraine and Crimea.
When Germany invaded Poland on 1 Sep 1939, Britain and France “stood by” all right – and effectively did nothing to help Poland. Ditto when the USSR invaded Poland a couple of weeks later.
If I were in a leadership position with the EU, that example wouldn’t reassure me one bit. It essentially says, “You guys are on your own.”
I wouldn’t say they did nothing, Hondo. If memory serves, the Royal Navy traded torpedoes with a U-boat a mere 800 miles (not including the Skaggerak and Kattegat Straits) from the Polish coast.
Meanwhile, half the French Army began collectively jacking off while gazing with pride at the Maginot Line’s impregnable forts, while the other half made sure their white flags were clean and pressed, ready for use at a moment’s notice.
I should have placed a or a /sarc in my post….
The europeans want to keep cutting their military budgets and don’t want to upset the Russkies, why should we provide more presence than those Brits and Frenchies did for the Poles? Europe has been the scourge of the planet since the Roman empire first enslaved its’ neighbors…
They don’t mind the Russians annexing all of Eastern Europe then fuck ’em and let ’em deal with it on their own….
And if you remember, Europe fell into the Dark Ages when Rome fell and the empire splintered. The ruin of Rome also came from the East. Once our protection and influence is lost there is no telling what will happen in Europe, but history gives us several good hints.
What is the US national security interest in Europe? What do we buy from them that we cannot get anywhere else? Cars?
Benghazi debacle should be telling the Euro’s and the Ukrainian’s just what Obama thinks about their petty ast problems.
“The life of one American is not worth the whole continent of Europe. ”
I would say the same about the Middle East and Africa as well.
Screw Europe. Let ’em burn.
Not to worry, Barrcade Obama has the situation well in hand. “to echo @BarackObama today-proud to stand #UnitedForUkraine World should stand together with one voice”. Jen Psaki said so, now we’re doing diplomacy by hashtag?
Tell you what. Ask the federal employees (non-military) whether they want a raise or an enhanced military presence in Europa to stare at Putin. I’ll go with whatever they decide.
I think we all know the answer to that question.
Ah, the Maginot Line. Great idea. Too bad the Germans didn’t get the French message-which I will translate: “In the event you invade us, please do not circumvent the Maginot line. It cost us a lot of money to build. Thank you.”
In true French fashion, it was the perfect weapon for the last war.
yeah, thank God WE don’t prepare to fight the last war… or act like just because the last conflict is winding down, there will never be another. (maybe just a TOUCH of sarcasm)
Would this be the same European allies that ran out of bomb stockpiles after a 4 DAY air offensive in Syria? Yeah, they’ll be a lot of help.
IIRC, all US heavy armour is already removed from Europe. perhaps the odd bit with the 173rd’s units, but other than that, ours has already gone away.
That leaves the German & French armour brigades, and whatever the rest of the Euroes decide to risk.
There sits the Bear with his armoured divisions.
So, yeah…….
Oh lordy, I’m so torn on this one.
On the one hand, allowing Russia to get away with this is just about as dumbass as possible. Not only will the Ruskies be motivated to get ever more aggressive, but so will the Chinese and every damned body else. Not cutting Russias dick off to shove it down its own throat ASAP is a huge mistake.
But…
To say it plainly, I hate the EU more than I hate the jihadiscum. Those passive aggressive parasites of Western Europe NEED to burn, live, on 24 hour cable news. Pizza party for the neighborhood with the large screen TV outside on an extension cord!
Too bad we, as a nation and a people, have plain forgot how to even fight a war to win. Not a whole lot of options left except to sit on our hands and watch the world turn to shit, which will wash up on our own shores and flood our own homes too.
While I agree with the leaving western EURO to burn. I am hesitant to abandon our eastern European allies/friends, who are actually trying to defend themselves the best they can against Russia or otherwise. Especially Poland
I do want to see those candy ass Western Europeans burn and suffer under the tender ministrations of Big Bad Vlad. They’ve never suffered under the Russian boot so maybe it’s their turn. I do feel for the Poles, the Baltics, and the other newer members of NATO though.
I forgot to mention that part myownself.
This is another piece and part that makes the situation so frustrating.
The Eastern Europeans are still trying to get their feet under themselves from “the end of history”.
It’s the western bunch of inbred, spineless, parasitic cowards and degenerates…