What does the US gain from paying for Europe’s Security?

[unhappycamper]

http://rt.com/op-edge/189352-us-gain-europe-security/

What does the US gain from paying for Europe’s Security?
Published time: September 20, 2014 16:16
Bryan MacDonald

Despite the fact that Europe is a very rich continent - the EU’s total GDP is higher than the US - Americans are bankrolling its security.

The only way to explain the background to this conundrum is in fairytale style. When detailed in analytical text it’s even more baffling, and I don’t want to confuse everyone.

Once upon a time in a land far away there were two families, the Europas and the Amerigos, who were closely related. The Europa’s fought bloody wars for millennia, mainly due to disputes between kings and queens they declared fealty to, and a few centuries ago, the Amerigos moved out of the home region. After that, the Europas continued to - constantly - argue and the Amerigos became extremely rich in their new homeland.

Then, about 70 years ago, the Europas had the mother, father and cousin of all internal rows and much of the family was annihilated in a mass fratricide, but the Amerigos and their other cousins, the Sovetskys, came to save them. While the Europas became largely poor as a result of the conflict, the Amerigos and the Sovetskys were bolstered and decided they both wanted to be top dog. They then ‘fought’ a cold war for 45 years. The Amerigos worshipped free markets, but the Sovetskys believed in socialism.

[geek tragedy]

1. It interferes with the agenda of rt.com's owners

So that is a plus.

Still the US is correct to ask them to spend more of their own money.

[ColesCountyDem]

2. Giving Comrade Major Putin chronic heartburn is one benefit that immediately comes to mind. n/t

[Demeter]

3. Uncle "Sugar" has devolved to "Uncle Sap", with fascist overtones

The US presumes too much authority, with too little integrity, especially in its alphabet-soup agencies, both military and economic (war by another name): IMF, FBI, NSA, CIA, WTO, etc.

This government needs a massive dose of humility and repentance: with attention to fixing what it's broken, starting at home and branching out to every other nation it has defiled, derailed, and destroyed, not forgetting the ecosystem. And it should do so with the full partnership of each individual nation, which has the right to say "No" to any deceptive US scheme, and the right to demand specific reparations in a world court not run by the US.

[on point]

4. Knowing policy history failure here. Cheaper to prevent a war than be in a new one

That was the policy rational when put in place. Sure they should pay more so they don't have an economic advantage, but this is a republican talking point born of selfish greed and short term vision bereft of knowledge of historical knowledge

[Diclotican]

5. unhappycamper

unhappycamper
So, RT is saying is that Europe itself was doing nothing to fend off the nazis as best as they could - the fact that UK was at its last leg in 1941, when US finally got its act together - when Pearl Harbor was attacked - and suddenly understood if Democracy in our form was to win - US had to get off their ass and start pulling their power around - as UK itself was on the brink of breaking under the onslaught from german submarines - and Luftwaffe who for two years had bombed and devastated the country as best as Luftwaffe could do it....

And RT should not say a word - as Stalin and Hitler had an diplomatic accord between them - and until Hitler broke the deal in the summer of 1941 - and attacked Soviet union - had been selling Hitler and Germany's war machine most of the strategical metals the country was in need for as the war progressed - and more and more of Europe was under the spell of the Nazis - if anything - the only reason Russia got on the "right side" was because of the manically war Hitler deiced to wage in european Russia between 1941-44 - where 20 million russians was killed - as a result of the war - who was devastating on all levels - and after ww2 - it should take a decade and a half before the european part of Russia again was rebuild - even as Stalin had half of Europe in his power - The eastern part of Europe - with millions and millions of people was subjected to his form of "rule" - and the cost of that project is still being paid form in the form of dirt poor countries, who in many cases still is reeling from the past - when it was part of the soviet empire.... even if they on paper was free and could choose what they want to do...

When it come to US "paying for Europe's security" - it is somewhat more complicated about it - than US is paying for it all - europe itself in its current form as national states pays some of the money needed to retain a defense - in many ways against Russia who many still see as a advisory - even if the cold war ended with the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 - most of Europe spend as much as they can at the moment....

But on the flip side - I guess US have as much to benefit for the fact they "defend Europe" against itself - as they have to benefit to leave the continent.... Many mean it should be best to leave Europe and use the resources in the US - But the fact is that US benefit greatly from military bases and a foothold in Europe too... I doubt they would have been willing to be here if US was not benefiting from it...

Diclotican

[unhappycamper]

6. I know the article was from RT and I know who their owner's are.

Pretty much everything you read from RT has the Russian spin on it; much the same as White House releases about our need to get another war going soon.

Our tea baggers and McCainbaggers and Demobaggers for some unknown reason have decided another war is necessary. We are standing on the precipice of a new Thirty Years War.

[Diclotican]

7. unhappycamper

unhappycamper

I know - RT is not exactly the most reliable media outlet out there - even if some of them who work there - seen to be rather honest about most things - but sadly I guess they would be on their way out soon... Mostly because they might end up being at odds with the bosses....

The last 30 years war, was a rather nasty one in Europe - if I'm not to wrong - it started because of a religious strife between north european kingdoms - and the south european kingdoms who was split in two by the Lutheran Protestant religious strife and the Catholic church who was trying to get a foothold in the north again - after most of the north europe had going Protestants in the schism in the Catholic shurch... It was a mess - a horrible mess who ruined most of north europe - and was going very hard out over what later become Germany who in many was was split between Catholic and protestants religion - and where most of the war was going on - between the great powers at the time... Even here in Norway who was a long way from the actions - we kind of experienced the hardship - as the "superpower" at the time - Sweden was using it military power to conquer half of Norway who in 1660 in the "eternal peace" between Denmark-Norway and Sweden lost Herjedalen, Båhus and some other parts of the country to Sweden - who was our arch enemy for some centuries - but in the end it mended it self rather well - and a couple of monts ago we could celebrate 200 year of peace between Sweden and Norway... And it would possible continue for another couple of centuries I hope..

The Thirty Years war was also a war about territory in some way it molded the modern Western Europe into being - as most of it ended in a more clearly defined Territorial existence than before - even if part of Europe continued to be in the form of empires with many different cultures and nationality - it ended first when WW1 ended in many ways.. Even if Germany as a state survived - even if it was just by luck in the aftermath of 1918...

Diclotican