US to quadruple military spending in Europe

[Cyberowl]

You're right

Its Swedistan, Geriya, and Denmaq

Touche.

Fox news should hire you, at least their shepherd headlines would be a bit more interesting.

[GennGreymane]

Touche.

Fox news should hire you, at least their shepherd headlines would be a bit more interesting.

Whats funny is Denmark would be pronounced the same way.

[Spectral]

He’ll say spending on weapons and equipment in Europe will, next year, increase from $789 million to $3.4 billion, The New York Times reports, citing unnamed US officials.

This is a trivial amount of money in the context of global American military spending. I wish our official defense policy wasn't that no one else can take care of themselves, but this particular move doesn't wind me up much.

[Theinquisition]

This is a trivial amount of money in the context of global American military spending. I wish our official defense policy wasn't that no one else can take care of themselves, but this particular move doesn't wind me up much.

Much of the infastructure is already in place, really it comes down to shifting equipment and personal

[Auxora]

The US military budget for 2017 is $533B...so I agree that I'm shocked less than $1B was being spent there. Increasing it to $3B is kind of a drop in the bucket. So it has to be kept in context. It's more in the category of we just won't completely ignore Europe next year, than anything close to prepping for a war. There would be 10x or more spending over the $3B there if that were the case.

[GennGreymane]

The US military budget for 2017 is $533B...so I agree that I'm shocked less than $1B was being spent there. Increasing it to $3B is kind of a drop in the bucket. So it has to be kept in context. It's more in the category of we just won't completely ignore Europe next year, than anything close to prepping for a war. There would be 10x or more spending over the $3B there if that were the case.

A lot of the budget is for payment, development, and fuel. Not so much bases that just need maintenance that are already on European soil.

[unbound]

is there oil?

Russia is number 3 in oil production - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...oil_production

[Independent voter]

Weird, I saw the other day that the US spends $50 billion on NATO. I wonder if this is something separate from NATO?

[Arlon]

EU being a bitch as always. Could try to protect it's own interests for once.

[Deleted]

EU being a bitch as always. Could try to protect it's own interests for once.

Or the US being overzealous for once? Putin isn´t threatening shit. Europe is just fine.

[Theinquisition]

Or the US being overzealous for once? Putin isn´t threatening shit. Europe is just fine.

Thatd why European allies are asking us to come back?

[Arlon]

Or the US being overzealous for once? Putin isn´t threatening shit. Europe is just fine.

That ain't the point. Instead of focusing on developing it's own power projections, it relies on US. What federal union when it can't even wipe it's own ass. If there is no need in the first place then why allow a foreign power quadruple it's military budget in your own location? Either way the outcome means that the EU is incompetent in protecting it's own interest.

[Kurioxan]

You're right

Its Swedistan, Geriya, and Denmaq
(just joking around)

If I recall, stan means "land of", so it would be Svenskarstan, Deuschstsan and Danskerestan!

Or we can take the joke a step further and say it will be called somalistan/pakistan because thats what the population is going to be in 200 years!
(just continuing the joke, dont murder me)

[fooliuscaesar13]

"This is a longer-term response to a changed security environment in Europe."

A changed security environment that was caused by our idiot fkn government creating instability in the region over the past 15+ years. Well, I call them "our idiot fkn gov't" but they know what they're doing. Creating instability creates a need for a bigger army and more weapons and allows for the spread of fear in America so they can control us.


Or some shit. I truly feel bad for the future generations of this planet.

[Kathandira]

https://euobserver.com/foreign/132101

Woot! Spending more money we don't have on things we don't need to be doing.

I swear, the U.S. is the definition of hood rich. Got all the nice toys, and it looks like we have a ton of money. But really, we live pay check to pay check and can't afford things that we actually need, because we NEED to have that new fancy thing so we can be the envy of the rest of the cool kids.

[Deleted]

Thatd why European allies are asking us to come back?

No, that would be because of a very specific and targeted media campaign aimed at "eastern europe".
This is pretty much the result of having US officers on eastern european countries every second day during that ukrainian crisis.

- - - Updated - - -

That ain't the point. Instead of focusing on developing it's own power projections, it relies on US. What federal union when it can't even wipe it's own ass. If there is no need in the first place then why allow a foreign power quadruple it's military budget in your own location? Either way the outcome means that the EU is incompetent in protecting it's own interest.

Not at all. Overspending in the region of the billions in order to protect against an imaginary enemy isnt being competent under any point of view. Europa has already built enough bridges between EU and Russia for this not to escalate ever again. Trade is the final answer to security threats. The only long term answer.

[Deleted]

Woot! Spending more money we don't have on things we don't need to be doing.

I swear, the U.S. is the definition of hood rich. Got all the nice toys, and it looks like we have a ton of money. But really, we live pay check to pay check and can't afford things that we actually need, because we NEED to have that new fancy thing so we can be the envy of the rest of the cool kids.

Military spending, while massively overblown, isn't exactly an unnecessary fancy thing.

[Berengil]

Frankly, NATO is useless to the US. If president, I'd pull out of NATO and indeed ALL " entangling alliances", to use George Washington's wording. Pull all US military back to US territory. Continue to engage with the world through scientific exchange and trade. And VIGOROUSLY enforce an updated version of the Monroe Doctrine.

It would basically be " only states of the western hemisphere may have military forces of any kind in that hemisphere"

basically stay off our porch and we'll pay you the same courtesy

It would just mean that the UK and France would have to guarantee European security. They've got nukes, so Russia's not gonna go full pants on head stupid with them.

And as for Africa/Asia/etc? not our problem, take care of yourselves. And if you try to bring it to us and make it our problem.... well why don't you go ask the Japanese how that worked out for them?

[ellieg]

These threads are always good to make me cringe.

"We are helping the EU"
"We are fighting"
"Our money is being spent"

Yeah, okay. Whatever you say...

Where does that tax money come from? Thin air?

[GennGreymane]

Where does that tax money come from? Thin air?

yes

technically yes it does