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Is Europe’s Free Ride Over?
Foundation for Economic Education ^ | Friday, July 25, 2025 | Jake Scott

Posted on 07/25/2025 11:53:01 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

Ending military dependence on America.

A welcome and significant change has come to European politics: an admission that the European Union (EU) has relied too heavily on the US for its military defense. Only a few years ago, any suggestion that Europe had not been pulling its weight in defending its own continent, or had outsourced its military might to the US, would have been met with scorn and derision. Yet Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz has now not only acknowledged this reality, but has gone as far as saying the continent has been “free-loading” off the US.

A single power dominating global affairs through military power is hardly unusual. In fact, it’s been the norm in international relations for centuries that regions have dominant powers: in Europe, that role was largely played by France from the 14th to the 19th centuries, and it was only the advent of a globalized empire under the aegis of the British crown that a truly “global” power could emerge.

In the waning years of the 19th century, Britain developed what it called the “two-power standard.” The principle was that the British Royal Navy ought to be as strong, if not as large, as the next two great powers combined—then France and Russia. By the first decade of the 20th century, Germany’s rapid industrialization saw this balance of power shift. The purpose of Britain’s policy was to protect its global (and, therefore, maritime) empire and the source of her geopolitical strength.

Nearly 150 years later, we see a remarkably similar approach taken by the United States, but for somewhat different reasons. For better or for worse, the US does not act in the primarily realist fashion of Britain’s former empire. Rather than using its military power solely in pursuit of national interest, the US has often...

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TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
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1 posted on 07/25/2025 11:53:01 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

BS. Europe knew for decades it was getting a free ride. The US repeatedly begged the Europeans for burden sharing. They just shrugged their shoulders and laughed at us. Finally, we have a President who introduced them to the new reality. Uncle Sap is no longer. We can’t afford to defend them regardless.


2 posted on 07/25/2025 12:04:38 PM PDT by kabar
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
I read that half of all Germany's unemployment/not working expenditures are spent on migrants.

Boot them out and that's a nice contribution to the Bundeswehr right there.

The main problem in breaking dependency on the US is the technical gap in aircraft, air defense, and (of course) nukes. The Poles made a wise choice in doing a lot of co-production with SK, which gets them first-rate arms at a discount price and significant tech transfer. But they still need Patriots and THAAD as do the other European states.

3 posted on 07/25/2025 12:05:55 PM PDT by pierrem15 ("Massacrez-les, car le seigneur connait les siens" )
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To: pierrem15

“ The main problem in breaking dependency on the US is the technical gap in aircraft, air defense, and (of course) nukes.”

They should save themselves the trouble and just learn Russian.


4 posted on 07/25/2025 12:33:08 PM PDT by KingLudd
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Just maybe these euro parasites can get rid of their socialism, have their taxes raised, end subsidizing alien invaders, sell some of their hyper-wealthy country estates, get rid of their “royalty” and so forth.

The bottom line is “who cares?”


5 posted on 07/25/2025 12:34:29 PM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp)
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To: pierrem15

The Polish - SK deal also got them tanks much, much more quickly than other paths.


6 posted on 07/25/2025 1:10:51 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (Islam delenda est)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“Is Europe’s Free Ride Over?”

As a long time American taxpayer, I hope the answer is YES!


7 posted on 07/25/2025 1:33:57 PM PDT by TheDon (Remember the J6 political prisoners! Remember Ashli Babbitt!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
A welcome and significant change has come to European politics: an admission that the European Union (EU) has relied too heavily on the US for its military defense.

We've subsidized their expansive welfare states. In order to maintain their generous benefits for their citizens, they are forced to open their borders.

8 posted on 07/25/2025 1:36:17 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
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To: KingLudd
They should save themselves the trouble and just learn Russian.

Fine.

But, the Russian alliance is more than just Russia. It's China and N.Korea and Iran and perhaps a few other nations hostile to Europe and the U.S. and to other western countries.
9 posted on 07/25/2025 1:50:12 PM PDT by adorno ( )
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Europe will be reliant on the Caliphate for their guardians before long.


10 posted on 07/25/2025 1:52:21 PM PDT by Redleg Duke (“Time to Play Cowboys and Snowflakes!”)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
--- "Is Europe's Free Ride Over?"

Europe is not synonymous with the European Union. Given the debt here in our US, it is a safe bet that "liberal socialism's" free ride is coming to its logical end everywhere. Slowly but surely. The EU is a drain on individual "member states" and the corrupt political class is working hard to suppress the growing populism of European peoples, because the EU is the unsustainable burden on Europe itself.

11 posted on 07/25/2025 2:39:02 PM PDT by Worldtraveler once upon a time (Degrow government)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Isn't Germany's current government a Maoist Trump hating one? If I'm correct on that it doesn't make sense for them to make such an acknowledgment. Unless they have an ulterior motive.
12 posted on 07/25/2025 4:35:13 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Import The Third World,Become The Third World)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Europe is bending over and inviting an enemy in which hates them . Why should we protect them while they are committing national suicide.


13 posted on 07/25/2025 5:04:29 PM PDT by Nateman (Democrats did not strive for fraud friendly voting merely to continue honest elections.)
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