This an interesting story, as in disturbing and depressing and galling - let's quickly get to the crux that jars sharply - America essentially bankrolls Europe's security by taking the great cost and great risk associated with true military power on our shoulders, which is what allows Europe to pretend it can afford its various welfare states not to mention its somewhat pacifist, certainly unrealistic, pollyannish strategic outlook - and increasingly the main driver of these costs and risks America bears is China and how its rise potentially threatens a world order that yes, serves well America's interests but also without question Europe's too - and Europe pays us back for this largesse by significantly aiding and abetting that rise of China's military to the point where someone is quoted as saying China's navy would be nothing without tech and hardware from Europe.
Ahhh... this is crazy, right, a model that cannot possibly hold? We bear great cost and risk protecting Europe so that they can sell essential technology to the threat we're protecting them from - this is a madness that is not sustainable, right? I understand America is hardly blameless here and that we've profited greatly from this world order we've borne the risks and costs to defend and that certainly our business practices and foreign policy goals have often clashed - but still, this is nuts, yes? Galling - the progressive dreaminess that is the EU, for however long that dream lasts [which may not be too long given the way things are going], was and is made possible by American power - them arming our [and ultimately their] enemies may just be the the unfortunate yet unavoidable downside of free markets - still, it's bloody galling. I'm mean, look at the Ukraine mess - Europe has left itself very vulnerable to Putin's machinations because of their dependence on Russian gas - part of that dependence is the result of the EU's gleefully pollyannish idealist embrace of green technology which also implies scorning the development of non-green energy sources - and what makes this seemingly quite foolish behavior possible? American power - the EU assumes it can survive weakness since America will be there to save their ass.
Ahhh... this is crazy, right, a model that cannot possibly hold? We bear great cost and risk protecting Europe so that they can sell essential technology to the threat we're protecting them from - this is a madness that is not sustainable, right? I understand America is hardly blameless here and that we've profited greatly from this world order we've borne the risks and costs to defend and that certainly our business practices and foreign policy goals have often clashed - but still, this is nuts, yes? Galling - the progressive dreaminess that is the EU, for however long that dream lasts [which may not be too long given the way things are going], was and is made possible by American power - them arming our [and ultimately their] enemies may just be the the unfortunate yet unavoidable downside of free markets - still, it's bloody galling. I'm mean, look at the Ukraine mess - Europe has left itself very vulnerable to Putin's machinations because of their dependence on Russian gas - part of that dependence is the result of the EU's gleefully pollyannish idealist embrace of green technology which also implies scorning the development of non-green energy sources - and what makes this seemingly quite foolish behavior possible? American power - the EU assumes it can survive weakness since America will be there to save their ass.