Europe’s Dilemma: Build a Military Industry or Keep Relying on the U.S.
Europe’s Dilemma: Build a Military Industry or Keep Relying on the U.S.
www.nytimes.com
nytimes.com
23 comments
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But we do have Military Industry? French, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Italy. Unify that all together and we have a pretty big one as well.
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Sweden could be added to that list.
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It was only on top of my head, but yeah every of our country has fire arms manufacturers.
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To summarize this propaganda piece by the NYT:
"Europe lacks quality alternatives", "It wont fuel innovation in Europe", "They should just keep buying our cutting edge technology", "USA number 1!!!11 whoo whoo whoo"
What a joke.
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Military-industrial complex: NO.
Enough to defend Europe: YES. -
Here's a crazy idea: how's about we just ensure we can defend ourselves if needed instead of building an industry out of it? Can we just do that, have some limit to it? Do we really want to go down the same roads the U.S. has been treading for years? Do we really like where said roads got them?
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Munitions go bad, weapon tech improves. If you are not constantly on the cutting edge then you are outgunned and outmatched.
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Do we really want to go down the same roads the U.S. has been treading for years? Do we really like where said roads got them?
It's not like there is only one path to the goal of being able to defend ourselves. Sure we might run into similar issues as the US, but buying tech from other countries instead of building it ourselves would really be an expensive and shortsighted idea. Don't forget our current dealer has been our closest ally since ww2, arguably longer, and they aren't proving themselves very dependable right now.
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Not saying we shouldn't make our own, just saying that making an entire industry out of it while the system still functions essentially as it has is a very, very bad idea.
We need a paradigm shift if we're ever to see a different society for ourselves. Repeating the same things over and over again ensures that we'll burn ourselves to the ground. And we shouldn't give into war paranoia, either. Being reasonably prepared is one thing, dumping everything we have into it is entirely different.
Just as the Church should be separated from the State, I believe the Military and everything else related to it should be separated from the economy.
I repeat, we seriously need to think differently from now on. The old ways have brought us this mess.
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I agree with it. I think we should be able to defend, but fuck a military-industrial complex.
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23 comments
It's not really a dilemma. The US has shown itself unreliable. So, Europe has to step up and become self-sufficient. Most European leaders know this, but it will take time. Also, in the meantime, Europe doesn't want to alienate the US too much.
the thing is that 'time' is probably what we have the least of at our disposal. At least, now that the USA told the entire world the EU can go fuck itself (and also now that they told the USA is willing to do what the fuck they consider good for them, anywhere on the planet).
Revitalizing our industries should be our top priority. I mean, here in France we have one remaining large gun factory... So we should not worry about the USA. As far as I'm concerned, if what they are doing to Ukraine is the way they intend to keep their engagements with their 'allies' they can also go fuck themselves.
We also need to get some real leaders, we've more than enough managers... but that's a whole other point.
The things is that the USA made it clear we were on our own already so why keep trying getting any support from them? We won't. It's just us sheepishly not willing to admit that and act accordingly. Which is even more silly knowing we could start immediately and that buy doing so, someone like Trump would probably feel less entitled in doing whatever he wants.
We wish for things to stay like they used to be. not change. Things have changed, and I don't see any turning back even after the angry Orange dude is replaced by another POTUS (if that happens, seeing how things are going over there I'm not that will be as easily as it should).
European countries need to remember what they used to be prior to them relying on the green giant. And they need to do it fast because we don't have much time left—exactly like with climate change but in an even shorter time frame: if shit must happen in Europe, unlike the climate change most dramatic consequences, they won't happen by 'the end of the century' which is so remote most people can't be bothered with it, they will happen in the coming decade or so, which most of us should still be there to experiment live with their own precious life...
edit: clarifications.
This pretty much sums up our problem and the solution when it comes to defending our part of the globe.
A US alienated too much would be a serious problem, because yes, we do need them. At the same time; we're a bigger group of people, with a stronger foundation when it comes to healthcare and education (i'd argue that also makes us a stronger and smarter group of people). Yet we need leaders who understand our position and understand we're not powerless sheep doomed to follow the big bad United States where ever they please. We need leaders or that lead.