Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta attended an international security conference in Germany this weekend to reassure European allies that recent shifts in the U.S. defense priorities away from Europe will not mean an end to subsidizing the security of the entire continent.
The Obama administration has decided to withdraw two of the four Army brigades stationed on in Europe by 2014, but Panetta said that these changes indicate a “vote of confidence” in the future of NATO and reminded his audience that the U.S. military will still have a larger presence in Europe than in any other region of the world.
“That’s not only because the peace and prosperity of Europe is critically important to the United States, but because Europe remains our security partner of choice for military operations and diplomacy around the world,” he said. In other words, America will continue to subsidize European security in exchange for conformity and obedience to U.S. foreign policy.
Panetta tried to comfort European concerns, pointing to the fact that the U.S. is building a missile defense system in Europe, including a radar installation in Turkey and missiles to be stationed in Romania and Poland. He also said four U.S. warships capable of shooting down missiles will be stationed in Spain.
Clinton emphasized the importance of U.S.-European uniformity in approaching the world, pointing to the crisis in Syria as an example of where cooperation is needed to push for intervention. The war in Afghanistan, where European patience with their role in the NATO-led war is wearing thin, was not highlighted.
The Washington Post, reporting on the conference, noted the Obama administration was calling for “stepped up U.S.-European cooperation to isolate tyrannies like the Assad regime in Syria, promote democracy in the Arab World and beyond and repair damage from the global financial crisis.” This, even as the U.S. government props up tyrannies, promotes authoritarianism in the Arab world, and worsens the damage it has already caused in the global financial crisis.
And all the assuring and reassuring of the talking heads ain't gonna make an iota of difference on reality. In fact, just to prove the them wrong, the China and Russia vetoed a UN Resolution against Syria. How's that for US hegemony, eh? The first but certainly not the last. You can say bye, bye USan Empire, you're all but done.
Europe would be a lot better off if it booted America out. It wouldn't have to play 'posse' to the US 'sheriff' in Afghanistan for example. America would gain by saving money. Only the military and political elites in Washington would lose out.
Quite true, but too many Europeans (and all their politicians) are addicted to the massive welfare states that Uncle Sam has subsidized since NATO was formed in 1949. That, as I've written here previously, is another reason NATO plods along 20 years after its supposed mission — deterring or repelling an attack by the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact puppets — exited stage left.
The fact that those nanny states are now collapsing anyway — as they inevitably would have — hasn't made any difference to those pols, any more than the loss of a junkie's heroin connection changes his mind about the need for his next fix. In fact, the same could be said about our own nanny state and pols.
yah just plz if ya would just point to the aparchek hack willing to vouch for that peculiar limb, tyrannical sooo much more how the unwise say prudent “safety” change ould involve un-insured loses of the to a state of inertia called kolusess a little bit of understeer heading into anything but besides runaway trains running out of the prelaid twacks, a see a tyre change any lap now,lol
what these navigations require/desire is a nice warm fuzzy nuetrall 3rd, to get away with it all, AWAY from the offices now totally seeking some rejuvanating spark much like saging a smodg cloud, thare by driving the visible into a visible spectral array whare like lemons thrown into corners lend a clear mark on a baring or fix, lending more than enough grace for the layover to let the polite decorums to all fall out if they please of inspired concerns, a nuetrall proxy third netted by nuetrallities , i spy a little yellow i just to the north of katmandu, OR ion exchanging plants exotic & holistic to the ceiling in each & every room, unless of horse a desert is sought, brought about by the naval observatories best mark & bead of of horse its own selfish concerns wishing this particular moment well enough the trimuph may compliment, a freer state of governmental affairs,,, that is all,,,oo, over
Indeed! And Europe might in fact benefit from more peaceful dealings with Ukraine and Russia, instead of this permanent American insistence on 1. Establish superiority. 2 Manage the economic goodies. 3. Always tell the weaker ones, what their real interests are – if necessary by secret manipulations and/or military minglings.
Most German's who I know would be glad if US Troops would leave all together.
And they should take with them especially that new command center in Ramstein
which is not in the interest of Germany. It is designed as preparation for WW3 against
Russia, and Germany wants good relations with Russia. Much of our gas and oil
comes from Russia which is more important for us than the US soldiers.
W9
Well, Wolfgang, why don't Germans just elect a government that is committed to kicking Americans out?
I was wondering if anyone of consequence, in the German government, would say that they need USA help against whom? Just wondering since the Nordstream Gas project has cemented a strong business relationship between Russia and Germany? Is it the"old Europe or the New Europe"? Or is it just the Hegemon shitting in it's pants?