The armies of "Old Europe" combined are, I understand, only a small fraction of the US military forces.
When we feel threatened, they can't help us, even if they wanted to.
When they feel threatened, they know we will shed blood to defend them - we've done it for a century now.
So they can afford to throw their tantrums and live in their little bubble.
They ignore the realities of world around them, and they can afford to. Like a college kid living in his parents' basement.
They have not "stepped up to the plate" and taken responsibility for security and democracy.
We have.
I don't care what they think of us.
They should feel only shame . . .
Actually, the EU has an impressively large number of people wearing military uniforms. The capabilities of these forces, however, is less impressive.
Fact Sheet on the French Armed Forces
2004 Defense Budget : 32.4 billion euros (+4.3% from 2003 to 2004, +7.5% from 2002 to 2003)
The total number of personnel working for the defense department is 438,000, of which 356,000 are military, all professional and 82,000 civilians. The Army comprises 38 percent (132,000 active military), the Navy - 12 percent (42,500 active military), the Air Force - 16 percent (64,000 active military), the Gendarmerie - 23 percent, and joint services -11 percent.
With 132,000 soldiers in the French Army, you’d think that a considerable number, say 5-10,000, could have participated in Afghanistan or Iraq to considerable effect, especially if other Old Europe countries also chipped in.