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It would be vastly cheaper to them to retain their European assembly. They have every financial incentive to weasel out of their proposed arrangement with your Alabama folks.

False. Have you seen the dollar exchange rate lately? Airbus has every incentive to set up a US production line, but are holding out on any commitment, because a.) the tanker guarantees the production volume they need and b.) why give away your best bargaining chip by announcing that you are going to set up shop in the US anyway. Airbus knows the dollar rate, they also know the US deficit - which means that the exchange rate will remain unfavorable for European production.

Face it...you are being used. And against the U.S.

If you really think that after Mercedes and Volkwagen, the pride and joy of German engineering, set up new factories (again, driven by currency exchange rates) in the US a multinational conglomerate like EADS would have any quarrels following their example, it is you who is being used: as a corporate shill for Boeing.

And no, I have no problems if Boeing wins the competition on merit (i.e. especially price), but facts are facts and the current value of the dollar is a fact.

False. Have you seen the dollar exchange rate lately? Airbus has every incentive to set up a US production line...

But they don't. And they won't. You surmise that..."why give away your best bargaining chip by announcing that you are going to set up shop in the US anyway.

Bargaining chip?!!

That is nuts from a procurement and political standpoint...if you are trying to persuade Americans that you are credible when a European State-run make-work operation purports to be interested in transferring its European jobs to the U.S....

Rooooooooight....!

The reluctance to set up shop is not for bargaining purposes. It is because they never intend to. Instead, once they get the contract, they intend to stiff Alabama...and America. And they will then get away with it. Just like they are with their subsidies right now.

If you really think that after Mercedes and Volkwagen, the pride and joy of German engineering, set up new factories (again, driven by currency exchange rates) in the US...

Notice, they aren't state-run. They aren't state-subsidized over 30% like Airbus. And they didn't wait for a huge defense contract.