Obama tells 'complacent' Europe to hike military spending

[p291u]

2% of GDP isn't that much to ask for.

It's really small. We're not even asking anyone to spend as much as we do, just that NATO members meet the basic obligations they agreed to.

[Derpleton]

Well he's not wrong, hell, the US Marine Corps is larger than the British Army and the UK is the 2nd largest spender in NATO. The US by far provides the most to NATO and quite honestly its practically a scam that Europe is running at this point where we have to pay for their defense.

[Spectral]

Or maybe you're spending too much...

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The majority of these countries have comparably tiny economies. A look at spending as a percentage of GDP is more telling. American spending is still sizeable, but at as outsized as it looks in this figure.

[Deleted]

2% of GDP isn't that much to ask for.

Like I said, we have more important things that still need an increase in spending on right now.

[Deleted]

source http://www.sipri.org/research/armame...milex_database

Seems reasonably stable, going up and down periodically since the collapse of the soviet union. Sure seems go have bigger fluctuations in the US. Quite a few countries have joined since 1990s though so perhaps red line should have gone up since :S

also can i use bb code to make that image smaller?

[MCMLXXXII]

We gonna fight you like this:

[Kuntantee]

Just disband NATO.

"But who'll defend you against Putin, then?"

You mean like how NATO defended Crimea against Putin annexing it? You mean that kind of defense?

"Well Ukraine doesn't belong in NATO so screw Ukraine!"

Right, well, neither does Finland, so... Like I said, just disband NATO.

Turkey is not part of EU. We don't have the benefits of EU, so just disband it.

[p291u]

Like I said, we have more important things that still need an increase in spending on right now.

Maintaining membership in NATO is like paying your house insurance. It's pretty important.

[Mormolyce]

2% of GDP isn't that much to ask for.

It doesn't come out of GDP, it comes out of tax revenue.

Much to ask for. That's a non-statement. How much is the right amount to spend on the military? I would say, as close to zero as possible without being invaded by the Mongols...

It's really small. We're not even asking anyone to spend as much as we do

Of course not, what you spend is utterly batshit insane.

The majority of these countries have comparably tiny economies. A look at spending as a percentage of GDP is more telling. American spending is still sizeable, but at as outsized as it looks in this figure.

Why on earth should military spending scale with GDP?

[MCMLXXXII]

Turkey is not part of EU. We don't have the benefits of EU, so just disband it.

Lol claiming you don't get benefits from the Eu is hilarious.

[Spectral]

Why on earth should military spending scale with GDP?

In the context of alliances, it makes sense for nations to provide shared defense based on their abilities to do so. In the context of national interests, investing based on ability to do so may also make sense. Richer countries may find that they're more able to influence national policy when they spend more money on their military.

Even if you don't think scaling by GDP is the right approach, clearly just looking at raw dollars is pretty silly. If the United States stopped being interested in foreign adventurism, it would still be more costly to defend a nation of the size, population, and scope of the US than of a smaller country and it would still be incumbent on the United States to spend more than smaller and poorer allies.

[p291u]

It doesn't come out of GDP, it comes out of tax revenue.

No shit. 2% of GDP is the target minimum NATO members agreed to.

[Deleted]

I wish would Obama would just shut the fuck up and go stick it up his own ass.
Not only is he a warmonger, but he is also trying to force through TTIP in Europa where our politicans have no choice but to jump to his beat, corporate dipshit shill.

There`s actually a living, breathing human being who believes this.

Oh my...

[Deleted]

There`s actually a living, breathing human being who believes this.

Oh my...

I'm about as far politically from Trump supporters as possible, but I agree with this.

Obama can fuck off. The US has at best been a lukewarm ally to europe. I want nothing to do with its retarded wars.

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Well he's not wrong, hell, the US Marine Corps is larger than the British Army and the UK is the 2nd largest spender in NATO. The US by far provides the most to NATO and quite honestly its practically a scam that Europe is running at this point where we have to pay for their defense.

Of the major British conflicts I can remember:

Falkland Islands: US did nothing.
Ireland: US did nothing officially, many Americans supported the IRA.
Suez: US stayed out of it, probably correctly.
WWII US joined in after the Battle of Britain was over.

Why exactly should we ally with a country that never did anything for us? Disband NATO.

[Deleted]

I want nothing to do with its retarded wars.

No one is asking Europe to get involved in US wars anymore.

It`s about being able to provide even the most basic means of self-defense. UK literally can`t control what`s happening in it`s territorial waters now - Russian submarines have come close to nuclear submarine bases with impunity as UK has nothing like P-8`s (yet) to swat them away. London is literally begging US to send a pair of P-8`s to UK to help monitor Guik Gap.

Not only that, European industry and know-how has literally evaporated over the last two decades - especially when it comes to high-perfomance avionics, engines and PGM`s. It`s pathetic. Meanwhile every other continent in the world is arming to teeth and investing in to their military with break-neck efforts and speed.

The US has at best been a lukewarm ally to europe.

And with this statement you confirmed you have no clue what you`re talking about - living standard of Western Europe by large is a by product of titanic US efforts to consolidate economies to outperform anything East could come up with.

[Deleted]

America should piss off and stop telling us what to do.

This is why we need a European military; this whole pushing us around by America is disgusting. Every Euro we give in support of a pseudo-alliance with that country is unethical.

[A dot Ham]

Obama should mind about his country, that's about to make a turn for the shithouse.

Reading comprehension will take you far in life.

I have not really ever been an Obama fan, I didn't vote for him in either election, and up until recently I have been registered republican.

It follows remarks last month in which Mr Obama said European states are “free riders” by demanding the US act in North Africa without putting any “skin in the game”.

Don't demand that the US get in their and resolve conflicts if you aren't willing to help either. If the rest of the world wants the US to be the world police then the rest of the world needs to pony up the dough. If you would rather we stay out of it, that's fine too, means we can spend more on our own people rather than wasting military spending on you fools.

PS: Whether YOU want the US to act is irrelevant, your country and its leaders are DEMANDING that we act. You don't like that Obama calls you out on your shit... well too fucking bad.

[Deleted]

America should piss off and stop telling us what to do.

This is why we need a European military; this whole pushing us around by America is disgusting. Every Euro we give in support of a pseudo-alliance with that country is unethical.

Look who missed the point.

[Deleted]

Lol @ America funding our welfare. This is so sad to read. If the EU formed a military, slightly increased spending and cleaned up some other trashy budgets, we would literally be as safe as ever, and rival any other major force on the planet.

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Lol @ America funding our welfare. This is so sad to read. If the EU formed a military, slightly increased spending and cleaned up some other trashy budgets, we would literally be as safe as ever, and rival any other major force on the planet.

Oh, and we'd keep our welfare.

[A dot Ham]

There`s actually a living, breathing human being who believes this.

Oh my...

Even people in a vegetative state can breathe...