It is imperative that Europe distance itself from the US. Trump and the Republicans are an existential threat to the world, from climate to NATO. If someone thinks Putin will stop with taking Ukraine, they haven't talked to Moldova or other former Soviet countries.
On Aug 5, AP reported Australia ordered $6.5B worth of frigates from Mitsubishi (Japan). I hope the money paid for arms ordered for efforts in Ukraine, paid for by Europe, can avoid flowing into the U.S.; Trump will take credit if that happens. I can hear it now “no boots on the ground, but money rolling in”. Jack, to your knowledge, are NATO members obligated to order only from other NATO members? Thank you.
As an American living in Europe (France) for 51 years I am sorry to see Europe slowly detaching itself from the US. In the beginning it was a good relationship, but eventually fell apart. It was a difficult, painful and emotional separation, yet in the end Europe had no choice. As much as Europe is and will always be eternally grateful for the immense sacrifice of American soldiers on D-Day 1944, it now understands that the America it once appreciated and trusted is no longer. Europe can no longer wait for the US to “wake up,” to lead the way; life is too short to sit by and do nothing in today’s world. If the US falls behind its citizens have only to blame it on the nonexistent leadership of the Trump Administration.
Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty assures collective defense. In a nutshell, it says one for all and all for one. Although, at its creation, it was likely thought that the USA would be the one stepping up should any European member of NATO be attacked. However, on September 11, 2001, when Al Queda had a heyday on our shores, Europe stood tall and let the USA know they were at the ready.
My guess is members of NATO are fairly certain that the current president who Congress has allowed to be authoritarian, does not respect agreements and should a member of NATO be attacked, the USA will probably not be reliable.
Yes, as Jack Hopkins stated, we have become viewed as a bystander (to put it politely) and as weak.
Now is the time to act, to engage in citizen pressure, to contact lawmakers, to demand knowledge of their actions and intentions, if for no other reason than we have been very weakened in just seven months, we have been made vulnerable, we have definitely been infiltrated. The sharks are already circling.
I was thrilled to see European heads of state coming with Zelenskyy to the White House to back him up. All of these bullies back down when there's a show of force ✊🏻
He has tossed out the idea of pulling the US out of NATO...but what if NATO removed the US instead? I don't know if thats possible... if it is, that would totally make him blow a gasket and screw the pooch at the same time.
If the United States can no longer depend on the EU or NATO... it would make this country completely vulnerable. I am not rooting for that by any means, but what's it going to take to get this motherfucker out of the White House? Seriously.
Europe is being the strong people and they need to protect their nations and this is the only way forward to stop putin from taking their countries. Is England going to participate in this too? I would think that they have a part to play also even if it is supplying ammo and weapons to Ukraine. Finland is probably the highest risk with its long border to Russia.
Another good question. I’m not often at home, but I am now. I have enough of a signal (if I hold my phone up to a window on the SW end of my tiny house) to do this, but not enough to do a good online search.
Jack, I'm an Australian living in Europe. I too have been doing my best to support people of the US against the monstrous tyrant that is Trump. Your article is spot on. I have re-stacked to all my followers etc with the note that it is essential reading. Thank you for your clarity in explaining this powerful lever that Europe is about to pull. I'm a great fan of Macron and the way he has been the leading European actor in the defence of Ukraine and the first world leader to recognize the Palestinian state. I have now upgraded my subscription to annual. I hope that this encourages other readers to do the same.
I would also hope that they - and you - will support the women of Afghanistan who have recently been instructed by the Taliban to sew eye patches for their own eyes because "they only need one eye to see". The Taliban regime is currently practising the most extreme misogyny in recorded history. I say that advisedly. You can find out much more by subscribing to my posts. And we can keep the women of Afghanistan alive (Afghanistan is currently in a state of famine/girls as young as 8 are dying due to physical injuries sustained when the "husband" their families have sold them to just so that they (the families) can EAT rape them/women are regularly raped and tortured and killed for breaking Taliban guidelines). We can keep them housed and warm (widows in particular, who are not allowed to work or leave their houses and are considered unclean for having had sex with their erstwhile husbands - their houses are falling apart and winter is again approaching). Above all we can give them HOPE - the charities I am sending 15% of all my subs to are in direct contact with these women. You and everyone who reads this message can do all this simply by donating the cost of a lunch at Starbucks per month to my monthly sub, or less than that per month for a year etc.
The only way I see this war coming to an end is if the NATO countries admit Ukraine to the club and all of them take Russia down. If this involved one of the NATO countries, they would all come together to fight. Why is the concept of WW3 any more scary now than if it involved one of their own? Trump wants his peace prize out of this and sees Zelenskyy standing in the way by not conceding land to Russia. It's crazy to say, but I believe that's his only motivation. They must all split from the USA and get this over. It's just shameful that so much time and valuable lives have been sacrificed because Europe won't act to save Ukraine.
It is imperative that Europe distance itself from the US. Trump and the Republicans are an existential threat to the world, from climate to NATO. If someone thinks Putin will stop with taking Ukraine, they haven't talked to Moldova or other former Soviet countries.
On Aug 5, AP reported Australia ordered $6.5B worth of frigates from Mitsubishi (Japan). I hope the money paid for arms ordered for efforts in Ukraine, paid for by Europe, can avoid flowing into the U.S.; Trump will take credit if that happens. I can hear it now “no boots on the ground, but money rolling in”. Jack, to your knowledge, are NATO members obligated to order only from other NATO members? Thank you.
Good question.
As an American living in Europe (France) for 51 years I am sorry to see Europe slowly detaching itself from the US. In the beginning it was a good relationship, but eventually fell apart. It was a difficult, painful and emotional separation, yet in the end Europe had no choice. As much as Europe is and will always be eternally grateful for the immense sacrifice of American soldiers on D-Day 1944, it now understands that the America it once appreciated and trusted is no longer. Europe can no longer wait for the US to “wake up,” to lead the way; life is too short to sit by and do nothing in today’s world. If the US falls behind its citizens have only to blame it on the nonexistent leadership of the Trump Administration.
Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty assures collective defense. In a nutshell, it says one for all and all for one. Although, at its creation, it was likely thought that the USA would be the one stepping up should any European member of NATO be attacked. However, on September 11, 2001, when Al Queda had a heyday on our shores, Europe stood tall and let the USA know they were at the ready.
My guess is members of NATO are fairly certain that the current president who Congress has allowed to be authoritarian, does not respect agreements and should a member of NATO be attacked, the USA will probably not be reliable.
Yes, as Jack Hopkins stated, we have become viewed as a bystander (to put it politely) and as weak.
Now is the time to act, to engage in citizen pressure, to contact lawmakers, to demand knowledge of their actions and intentions, if for no other reason than we have been very weakened in just seven months, we have been made vulnerable, we have definitely been infiltrated. The sharks are already circling.
The sooner the better Jack. Time for that son of a bitch to be irrelevant.
Europe fully backing Ukraine would effectively castrate Trump in multiple ways.
The dominoes would fall hard and fast. Trump would be set adrift internationally and his mental fragility would be exacerbated.
And most importantly for Europe, they would not be appeasing Putin.
Slava Ukraine!🇺🇦
Thanks, Jack Hopkins!
I applaud Europes decisions to back Ukraine and show what a disaster Trump is to the world.
I was thrilled to see European heads of state coming with Zelenskyy to the White House to back him up. All of these bullies back down when there's a show of force ✊🏻
He has tossed out the idea of pulling the US out of NATO...but what if NATO removed the US instead? I don't know if thats possible... if it is, that would totally make him blow a gasket and screw the pooch at the same time.
If the United States can no longer depend on the EU or NATO... it would make this country completely vulnerable. I am not rooting for that by any means, but what's it going to take to get this motherfucker out of the White House? Seriously.
Europe is being the strong people and they need to protect their nations and this is the only way forward to stop putin from taking their countries. Is England going to participate in this too? I would think that they have a part to play also even if it is supplying ammo and weapons to Ukraine. Finland is probably the highest risk with its long border to Russia.
Hope the membership explodes. People need this more than they realize, which reflects the larger problem.
Good to remind me to find more of the corporations backing this fascist. They can be reviewed on Google.
Target precision- What companies are openly lobbying for deregulation deals so they can be boycotted?
Another good question. I’m not often at home, but I am now. I have enough of a signal (if I hold my phone up to a window on the SW end of my tiny house) to do this, but not enough to do a good online search.
Jack, I'm an Australian living in Europe. I too have been doing my best to support people of the US against the monstrous tyrant that is Trump. Your article is spot on. I have re-stacked to all my followers etc with the note that it is essential reading. Thank you for your clarity in explaining this powerful lever that Europe is about to pull. I'm a great fan of Macron and the way he has been the leading European actor in the defence of Ukraine and the first world leader to recognize the Palestinian state. I have now upgraded my subscription to annual. I hope that this encourages other readers to do the same.
I would also hope that they - and you - will support the women of Afghanistan who have recently been instructed by the Taliban to sew eye patches for their own eyes because "they only need one eye to see". The Taliban regime is currently practising the most extreme misogyny in recorded history. I say that advisedly. You can find out much more by subscribing to my posts. And we can keep the women of Afghanistan alive (Afghanistan is currently in a state of famine/girls as young as 8 are dying due to physical injuries sustained when the "husband" their families have sold them to just so that they (the families) can EAT rape them/women are regularly raped and tortured and killed for breaking Taliban guidelines). We can keep them housed and warm (widows in particular, who are not allowed to work or leave their houses and are considered unclean for having had sex with their erstwhile husbands - their houses are falling apart and winter is again approaching). Above all we can give them HOPE - the charities I am sending 15% of all my subs to are in direct contact with these women. You and everyone who reads this message can do all this simply by donating the cost of a lunch at Starbucks per month to my monthly sub, or less than that per month for a year etc.
The only way I see this war coming to an end is if the NATO countries admit Ukraine to the club and all of them take Russia down. If this involved one of the NATO countries, they would all come together to fight. Why is the concept of WW3 any more scary now than if it involved one of their own? Trump wants his peace prize out of this and sees Zelenskyy standing in the way by not conceding land to Russia. It's crazy to say, but I believe that's his only motivation. They must all split from the USA and get this over. It's just shameful that so much time and valuable lives have been sacrificed because Europe won't act to save Ukraine.
Thanks, Jack.
Thank you for the updates.