Europe

[Good2Golf]

Looking forward to strong and independent Europe that does not revert to spheres of influence of France and Germany.

Interesting. How do you see that developing of not France and Germany materially involved?

 

[Good2Golf]

The UK has to make some hard choices about whether they want to realign with Europe or potentially find themselves a wallflower.

UK is trying hard, but nuclear deterrence is nowhere in their wheelhouse.

Next best thing…SOF…

Britain to lead new NATO special ops force

The UK is preparing to assume leadership of the NATO Allied Reaction Force (ARF) Special Operations Component after completing a two-year programme of preparation, training and validation.

ukdefencejournal.org.uk

 

[Cloud Cover]

Europe finally wakes up from its self-indulgent 30+ year post cold war snooze on the lido deck.

Looking forward to strong and independent Europe that does not revert to spheres of influence of France and Germany.

I too hope The Vikings put the band back together. As long as they don’t start touring.

 

[Brad Sallows]

Interesting. How do you see that developing of not France and Germany materially involved?

There's always a possibility that Europe backslides. All that's needed is dissatisfaction among the peasants and a ruling class mostly interested in perpetuating its privileges and powers. Right now it's obvious that some European countries are disinclined to satisfy their median voters.

 

[Good2Golf]

There's always a possibility that Europe backslides. All that's needed is dissatisfaction among the peasants and a ruling class mostly interested in perpetuating its privileges and powers. Right now it's obvious that some European countries are disinclined to satisfy their median voters.

I wasn’t talking about a backslide, I was looking for your thoughts on ‘if not France and Germany, where do you see the root(s) of a “strong and independent” Europe?’

 

[Brad Sallows]

I wasn’t talking about a backslide, I was looking for your thoughts on ‘if not France and Germany, where do you see the root(s) of a “strong and independent” Europe?’

I don't see a strong and independent Europe any more than a strong and independent NA, SA, Africa, Asia, or any of the usual subdivisions of the above (eg. south Asia, or southeast Asia). Europe is fundamentally splintered and fractious. The only way I see for it to become less so is by formation of the smaller pieces into larger ones - including some potentially new ones - and that would be messy given the recent tendency of Europe to form more smaller pieces.

 

[Good2Golf]

I agree on the whole, though I think they France is a central driver in that consolidation, for amongst other factors, that it is in very little way of any, if being beholden to American pressure.