Like I’ve said elsewhere, the real elephant in the room for Europe and by extension the entire free world is not the idea that America is no longer a reliable ally.
It’s the growing likelihood that America is now a threat to the free world; an imperialist power that behaves just like Russia and China. This is such a terrifying prospect that no international politician even wants to discuss it in public. I do hope they have had discussions in private instead of waiting for the tariff / sanction / military hammer to fall on them.
HumanSquare9453 on
Europe should stop sending strong worded letter and instead send troop in Greenland. Not doing it is an admission of weakness. Anyway their not using it them anywhere else right now
NovaDarkFox on
Hopefully, the EU will take that as a lesson and learn that the US has always been and will always be unreliable.
I would like to see a European army now.
Diegomax22 on
We already lost it since 1945 with De Gaulle teachings.
No-Confidence-9191 on
Very good article. Painfully to read yet so true. Europe is weak and hence has to swallow the humiliation which is around the corner. Not concession, not political maneuvering. Geostrategic humiliation and a realisation that they are nothing more than a plaything for the people with guns and the willingness to use them.
Economy-Bumblebee215 on
I don’t want US to take Greenland. However maybe it’s what will wake Europe tf up. We’re doing a lot but we need to do more.
GlesgaBawbag on
Yet the UK just did this.
“The UK will be at the leading edge of defence innovation as the government signs a new partnership with Palantir to unlock billions in investment and deliver on the Government’s Plan for Change”.
Embarrassing.
myaccountgotbanmed on
As an Aussie I’m watching this thinking we need to ally ourselves w someone else. USA is way too unreliable.
What if they decide they want some of our minerals or something, what’s gonna stop them helping themselves
butwhywedothis on
The main problem is, Europe in general is not vocal when they fight back. The tone always seems mild which is taken for weakness by Americans. Europe needs to speak the same language, at least with this administration.
If they talk about taking Greenland, tell them Europe will discuss with California governor directly to start referendum for it to become California republic. Fight their aggression with aggression.
The time for mildness is over.
Bango-TSW on
It’s not just the extra money that all European nations (excluding Russia of course) will have to pay on their defence, but also the change in mindset that wars were something that only happened in far-off lands that could be avoided through politics and the adoption of neutrality and non-aggression.
MJGB714 on
Scotland needs to confiscate his crappy golf course. Hit him where it hurts.
alexice89 on
Germany needs to stop having ww2 shame and arm up. Rest of EU will follow.
CharmingJackfruit167 on
No worries, it will be a peaceful referendum.
utsuriga on
OK I’m officially tired of these posts.
Yes, we KNOW the US is not a reliable ally (or even an ally) anymore. We KNOW.
Do we *really* need fifty posts/day of various levels of fearmongering and doomerism, about this, with pointless conversations going in circles? It’s starting to affect my mental health at this point.
BaddonAOE on
Actually, I do not think the United States is an unreliable ally, nor do I believe that Europe should be afraid of being abandoned.
Rather, I think the American political elite has realized that the war in Ukraine has been contributing to a gradual strengthening of Europe, and therefore to a slow increase in its strategic autonomy. Not in a dramatic or sudden way, but step by step.
This is likely what concerns US leaders the most: the emergence of a stronger and more independent Europe. One that develops its own defense industry, its own technological ecosystems, and its own strategic priorities. Such a shift would significantly alter the current balance.
In that scenario, the United States would not lose its influence through conflict, but through rebalancing. A Europe that no longer depends as heavily on American weapons, technology, and strategic leadership would inevitably reduce US global leverage, potentially accelerating a relative shift of power toward China.
This is why USA tries currently to afraid us.
Suspicious-Spot1651 on
What are we waiting to close their military bases ?
waterkip on
NATO needs to be disolved or expunge the US. Pick whatever one that leads to a European defense force. Europe also needs to step away from American made defense material.
The US cannot be trusted at this point and it will take decades to regain that trust.
katunar3000 on
Europe is still sleeping I guess
bidingmytime121 on
I remember when I posted a few weeks ago where I wrote that the US is not only no ally anymore, but an enemy, I was accused of „watching to many movies“ by 3 Americans in this sub…
mariellaxm on
Over 5000 posts and 351k karma speaks for itself. Mods need to stop these fearmongering/doomsday fanatics.
Chilliger on
Europe has to ban all social media from the US. Reddit included. I know it is hypocritical.
If you think Russian disinformation is bad, wait what the US could be doing. They have the monopoly of information in the West. One after another the states of Europe will fall into the hands of right wingers and they will try to destroy the EU from within.
Ancient_Ship2980 on
Europe, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, as well as US strategic partners, must bolster their military and defense capabilities as fast as they can across the entire spectrum of conflict. The same applies to trade and economic issues. Trump’s America has no allies. It has no strategic partners.
Isa_Boletini on
The way this is going, soon our best friend will be Russia.
Longjumping_Walk_992 on
Trumps tail is wagging the dog. This is his method to spin up debate while he sits back and watches and looks for ways to assert his will while other people create the opening.
happenedtoyoureye on
Trump sees a tri-polar world where America, Russia, China dominate their regions . He wants the EU to break up so it’s easier for America and Russia to bully individual nations. Be amazed if NATO is still standing it’s current form by the end of Trump. Europe needs to wise up. The world has changed.
yksvaan on
Well Europe seems to be full of naive idiots, obviously everyone cares primarily for their own interests. Sometimes they align with others so alliances, deals and such are formed. But things change and in the end it’s everyone for themselves.
But there seems to be a ton of exaggeration online for political reasons likely. Looking at reddit front page gives such a hysterical impression about everything as if war is on and civil war as well..
Alive_Reveal8939 on
Remember how easily we Europeans bent-over over the tariffs? Yeah, that was just Trump testing us. We lost then and there
DepletedMitochondria on
Of course. This should have been clear for years since W Bush. The US is growing more and more unstable to the point that the occasional Dem administration won’t have enough time in 4 years to clean things up even if they had the willingness.
krzywaLagaMikolaja on
Here’s a lesson in how putting more and more executive powers on one man is not the best idea…
101Phase on
Something major is missing from all these conversations: what happens to Canada if the US takes Greenland? In that scenario, Canada would be surrounded from the East (Greenland), West (Alaska), and South (rest of the US).
Yugaisu on
The USA is not an ‘unreliable ally’, it is a civilisation-threatening enemy.
GrannyFlash7373 on
They better convert their fear into action, to prepare to defend themselves against those who want to control them and their countries. This isn’t the time or place to accommodate complacency and ambivalence, and inaction. Maybe their FREEDOM isn’t really as important to them as they pretend it is. Maybe their self rule and sovereignty, and right to self determine their future is not as important as the politicians claim. Actions speak louder that mere words. Action talks and words take a hike, Grumbling amongst themselves is seen as weakness, and these wannabe rulers of the world only understand one language. And we ALL know what language that is, overwhelming strength and showing you are NOT afraid to use it. Bullies always GOAD their adversaries to the brink, and then back off when they see that they are about to face defeat and ruin, and humiliation.
yugutyup on
USA = undeniable textbook facism as of early 2016
NotForMeClive7787 on
We don’t fear it, we’re just pissed off with it being a fucking moron all the time….
flippin_ruckus on
American here: I can tell you that our regime is very much driven by small dick. They are going to bully the rest of the world as long as you let them. Notice how we’re not fucking with China or Russia? Small dick, small balls. Muscle up and the small dick bully is going to lose interest quick. If you allow it, teeny weeny will push as far as they can.
Special-Camel-6114 on
I say this as someone who bemoans the state of my own country and our politics:
If Europe wants “respect” on the international stage and a seat at the table, they are going to have to:
– build up a military capable of projecting force outside their own borders
– build up a technology/industrial complex that can rival those in the big powers (your own version of Big Tech – can’t rely on us)
– solve their own internal problems so they can actually take action on things. You all talk like the USA is uniquely compromised – the reality is we have an electoral system that favors a minority. But you have your own problems: Hungary and other countries have repeatedly prevented you all from taking action on Ukraine. Brexit tore the UK out of the EU to the detriment of both sides. You are probably only an RN or AFD win from losing France or Germany, and those parties are gaining strength.
Yeah the USA has a lot of problems right now. Propaganda and a bad economy allowed Trump to win a very narrow election. He doesn’t have popular support anymore even a year in. If he doesn’t cheat, his party will lose the House in the mid terms. It’s not much comfort for you all but we aren’t all insane and very few people actually like the idea of taking Greenland or backstabbing Europe.
The best thing you all can do is build your own strength quickly, and ideally, fix your own Russian funded Right Wing Extremist problem.
Clumsy_Claus on
The Americans willing to fight their own government with force seem to be mostly MAGA.
Jibber_Fight on
It would take an enormous event to finally get us Americans off of our assess to do something. Attacking an ally with our military would surely do that. I would hope but I don’t have any more. Millions of people would actively be sabotaging our own military any way we could. I would hope.
BigChaosGuy on
Yall watched America attack the global south for over half a century and didn’t think it could happen to yall? What did you think you think having fair skin and an aversion to “communism” was enough to stop the most powerful military in the history of mankind from doing what powerful militaries do? At least de gaulle had the smarts to get their own nukes.
DannyBlue-22 on
They are not republicans. They are fascists, neo nazis, call it whatever you want.
They are no different from Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy or Imperialist Japan in WW2.
As long as they are in power, US is a threat.
fighterpizza on
As an American, I stand with Europe
Fuck Trump and Fuck his handler (Putin)
MrOphicer on
It’s so ironic that the main goal of Putin was to show the world that the West is unreliable and will leave you on dry when things get messy. But not only did he manage to achieve it, but I also don’t think that’s ironic at all; it was decades in the making.
The even worse thing is to contemplate that there were no counterweights that would stop the US of plunging in this new paradigm. The next few decades won’t be fun at all, Europe in particular. Everybody was building their fortresses while Europe thought the cooperation period would go on indefinitely. A costly and very dangerous mistake to have now.
43 Comments
We’re cooked
Like I’ve said elsewhere, the real elephant in the room for Europe and by extension the entire free world is not the idea that America is no longer a reliable ally.
It’s the growing likelihood that America is now a threat to the free world; an imperialist power that behaves just like Russia and China. This is such a terrifying prospect that no international politician even wants to discuss it in public. I do hope they have had discussions in private instead of waiting for the tariff / sanction / military hammer to fall on them.
Europe should stop sending strong worded letter and instead send troop in Greenland. Not doing it is an admission of weakness. Anyway their not using it them anywhere else right now
Hopefully, the EU will take that as a lesson and learn that the US has always been and will always be unreliable.
I would like to see a European army now.
We already lost it since 1945 with De Gaulle teachings.
Very good article. Painfully to read yet so true. Europe is weak and hence has to swallow the humiliation which is around the corner. Not concession, not political maneuvering. Geostrategic humiliation and a realisation that they are nothing more than a plaything for the people with guns and the willingness to use them.
I don’t want US to take Greenland. However maybe it’s what will wake Europe tf up. We’re doing a lot but we need to do more.
Yet the UK just did this.
“The UK will be at the leading edge of defence innovation as the government signs a new partnership with Palantir to unlock billions in investment and deliver on the Government’s Plan for Change”.
Embarrassing.
As an Aussie I’m watching this thinking we need to ally ourselves w someone else. USA is way too unreliable.
What if they decide they want some of our minerals or something, what’s gonna stop them helping themselves
The main problem is, Europe in general is not vocal when they fight back. The tone always seems mild which is taken for weakness by Americans. Europe needs to speak the same language, at least with this administration.
If they talk about taking Greenland, tell them Europe will discuss with California governor directly to start referendum for it to become California republic. Fight their aggression with aggression.
The time for mildness is over.
It’s not just the extra money that all European nations (excluding Russia of course) will have to pay on their defence, but also the change in mindset that wars were something that only happened in far-off lands that could be avoided through politics and the adoption of neutrality and non-aggression.
Scotland needs to confiscate his crappy golf course. Hit him where it hurts.
Germany needs to stop having ww2 shame and arm up. Rest of EU will follow.
No worries, it will be a peaceful referendum.
OK I’m officially tired of these posts.
Yes, we KNOW the US is not a reliable ally (or even an ally) anymore. We KNOW.
Do we *really* need fifty posts/day of various levels of fearmongering and doomerism, about this, with pointless conversations going in circles? It’s starting to affect my mental health at this point.
Actually, I do not think the United States is an unreliable ally, nor do I believe that Europe should be afraid of being abandoned.
Rather, I think the American political elite has realized that the war in Ukraine has been contributing to a gradual strengthening of Europe, and therefore to a slow increase in its strategic autonomy. Not in a dramatic or sudden way, but step by step.
This is likely what concerns US leaders the most: the emergence of a stronger and more independent Europe. One that develops its own defense industry, its own technological ecosystems, and its own strategic priorities. Such a shift would significantly alter the current balance.
In that scenario, the United States would not lose its influence through conflict, but through rebalancing. A Europe that no longer depends as heavily on American weapons, technology, and strategic leadership would inevitably reduce US global leverage, potentially accelerating a relative shift of power toward China.
This is why USA tries currently to afraid us.
What are we waiting to close their military bases ?
NATO needs to be disolved or expunge the US. Pick whatever one that leads to a European defense force. Europe also needs to step away from American made defense material.
The US cannot be trusted at this point and it will take decades to regain that trust.
Europe is still sleeping I guess
I remember when I posted a few weeks ago where I wrote that the US is not only no ally anymore, but an enemy, I was accused of „watching to many movies“ by 3 Americans in this sub…
Over 5000 posts and 351k karma speaks for itself. Mods need to stop these fearmongering/doomsday fanatics.
Europe has to ban all social media from the US. Reddit included. I know it is hypocritical.
If you think Russian disinformation is bad, wait what the US could be doing. They have the monopoly of information in the West. One after another the states of Europe will fall into the hands of right wingers and they will try to destroy the EU from within.
Europe, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, as well as US strategic partners, must bolster their military and defense capabilities as fast as they can across the entire spectrum of conflict. The same applies to trade and economic issues. Trump’s America has no allies. It has no strategic partners.
The way this is going, soon our best friend will be Russia.
Trumps tail is wagging the dog. This is his method to spin up debate while he sits back and watches and looks for ways to assert his will while other people create the opening.
Trump sees a tri-polar world where America, Russia, China dominate their regions . He wants the EU to break up so it’s easier for America and Russia to bully individual nations. Be amazed if NATO is still standing it’s current form by the end of Trump. Europe needs to wise up. The world has changed.
Well Europe seems to be full of naive idiots, obviously everyone cares primarily for their own interests. Sometimes they align with others so alliances, deals and such are formed. But things change and in the end it’s everyone for themselves.
But there seems to be a ton of exaggeration online for political reasons likely. Looking at reddit front page gives such a hysterical impression about everything as if war is on and civil war as well..
Remember how easily we Europeans bent-over over the tariffs? Yeah, that was just Trump testing us. We lost then and there
Of course. This should have been clear for years since W Bush. The US is growing more and more unstable to the point that the occasional Dem administration won’t have enough time in 4 years to clean things up even if they had the willingness.
Here’s a lesson in how putting more and more executive powers on one man is not the best idea…
Something major is missing from all these conversations: what happens to Canada if the US takes Greenland? In that scenario, Canada would be surrounded from the East (Greenland), West (Alaska), and South (rest of the US).
The USA is not an ‘unreliable ally’, it is a civilisation-threatening enemy.
They better convert their fear into action, to prepare to defend themselves against those who want to control them and their countries. This isn’t the time or place to accommodate complacency and ambivalence, and inaction. Maybe their FREEDOM isn’t really as important to them as they pretend it is. Maybe their self rule and sovereignty, and right to self determine their future is not as important as the politicians claim. Actions speak louder that mere words. Action talks and words take a hike, Grumbling amongst themselves is seen as weakness, and these wannabe rulers of the world only understand one language. And we ALL know what language that is, overwhelming strength and showing you are NOT afraid to use it. Bullies always GOAD their adversaries to the brink, and then back off when they see that they are about to face defeat and ruin, and humiliation.
USA = undeniable textbook facism as of early 2016
We don’t fear it, we’re just pissed off with it being a fucking moron all the time….
American here: I can tell you that our regime is very much driven by small dick. They are going to bully the rest of the world as long as you let them. Notice how we’re not fucking with China or Russia? Small dick, small balls. Muscle up and the small dick bully is going to lose interest quick. If you allow it, teeny weeny will push as far as they can.
I say this as someone who bemoans the state of my own country and our politics:
If Europe wants “respect” on the international stage and a seat at the table, they are going to have to:
– build up a military capable of projecting force outside their own borders
– build up a technology/industrial complex that can rival those in the big powers (your own version of Big Tech – can’t rely on us)
– solve their own internal problems so they can actually take action on things. You all talk like the USA is uniquely compromised – the reality is we have an electoral system that favors a minority. But you have your own problems: Hungary and other countries have repeatedly prevented you all from taking action on Ukraine. Brexit tore the UK out of the EU to the detriment of both sides. You are probably only an RN or AFD win from losing France or Germany, and those parties are gaining strength.
Yeah the USA has a lot of problems right now. Propaganda and a bad economy allowed Trump to win a very narrow election. He doesn’t have popular support anymore even a year in. If he doesn’t cheat, his party will lose the House in the mid terms. It’s not much comfort for you all but we aren’t all insane and very few people actually like the idea of taking Greenland or backstabbing Europe.
The best thing you all can do is build your own strength quickly, and ideally, fix your own Russian funded Right Wing Extremist problem.
The Americans willing to fight their own government with force seem to be mostly MAGA.
It would take an enormous event to finally get us Americans off of our assess to do something. Attacking an ally with our military would surely do that. I would hope but I don’t have any more. Millions of people would actively be sabotaging our own military any way we could. I would hope.
Yall watched America attack the global south for over half a century and didn’t think it could happen to yall? What did you think you think having fair skin and an aversion to “communism” was enough to stop the most powerful military in the history of mankind from doing what powerful militaries do? At least de gaulle had the smarts to get their own nukes.
They are not republicans. They are fascists, neo nazis, call it whatever you want.
They are no different from Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy or Imperialist Japan in WW2.
As long as they are in power, US is a threat.
As an American, I stand with Europe
Fuck Trump and Fuck his handler (Putin)
It’s so ironic that the main goal of Putin was to show the world that the West is unreliable and will leave you on dry when things get messy. But not only did he manage to achieve it, but I also don’t think that’s ironic at all; it was decades in the making.
The even worse thing is to contemplate that there were no counterweights that would stop the US of plunging in this new paradigm. The next few decades won’t be fun at all, Europe in particular. Everybody was building their fortresses while Europe thought the cooperation period would go on indefinitely. A costly and very dangerous mistake to have now.