Posted on 02/24/2025 10:58:34 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
Friedrich Merz said that Europe needed to “achieve independence from the U.S., step by step.” That won’t be easy, for Europe or for the United States.
Within hours of emerging as the near-certain next chancellor of Germany after Sunday’s election, Friedrich Merz offered a grim prognosis of the transatlantic relationship.
Europe needs to “achieve independence from the U.S., step by step,” Merz told public broadcaster ARD. The Trump administration does not care about Europe “one way or the other,” he said, and called the advocacy of Vice President JD Vance and tech billionaire Elon Musk on behalf of Germany’s far right “no less outrageous” than Kremlin-backed election interference.
It was a remarkable assessment, in large part because of who delivered it. Merz, 69, is a veteran politician representing Germany’s conservative Christian Democrats. He is not known as a firebrand, but a pro-business politician who worked for an organization whose aim is to further U.S.-German relations.
What would have been a more radical position a few years ago or from a different source instead came across as a basic recognition of an impending, tectonic shift in European foreign policy. The continents has seen Washington as its most important ally and security guarantor since World War II.
The invasion of Ukraine by Russia three years ago, the first large-scale European land war since 1945, had shown Europe that it needed to rethink its defenses. The uncertainty over U.S. leadership under the Trump administration has brought the matter of dependence to a crisis.
Europe should still hope for a good relationship with the United States and continue to support the NATO military alliance, Merz said at a news conference Monday. However, he added, “if those who really make not just America first but almost America alone their motto … prevail,...”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
No problem, pay us for everything the US spent on Germany from 1935 forward.
We have about 35,000 troops in Germany
Means more of the SOS for Germany, with muslims getting a free reign with bonuses.
If it means they’re going to unlatch their maw from our monetary udder, that would be great.
It’s amazing how Fred Merz has kept himself alive so long since “I Love Lucy”; he must have access to the same elixir used by Keith Richards.
How many US troops stationed there. 100K ?...at a cost of a few billion every year ?
Merz is inviting an ax to a large budget item, one that might be very welcome.
I guessed more, but still. 35K is not nuthin’....I wonder at what cost annually
Biden increased US military in Germany from less than 40,000 to 50,000, and added more elsewhere in Europe.
To become an islamic state ?
Perfect. Made the decision that much easier.
All Trump has to do is issue orders to get our military out. Last man turn out the lights.
Ethyl Mertz would have been better for Germany.
LOL Defining be careful what you wish for.
If Fred Mertz does not intend to deport every mohammedan in Germany, he has no room to criticize anyone.
Hey! Is this a prank?! Wasn’t Fred Mertz a neighbor of Lucy and Desi away back when? And this guy makes about as much sense as the Arnaz’s neighbor did. The fact that he wants to break any relationship with the Trump Admin., but continues to embrace the Ragheads who consider him an infidel unless he kneels to the Raghead religion, tells me his elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top floor. JMHO.
Try not to leave 80 billion dollars worth of equipment this time.
OK. Not another dollar of US taxpayer money to Germany. Sounds like a win-win to me.
The entire mess beginning with the ouster of Yankonovich....reminds me of Korea.
How many troops do we have in South Korea??
I think our big thing should be "NO AMERICAN TROOPS IN UKRAINE" .....
We have about 28,500 in South Korea.
So the so-called Christian Democrat Union in Germany is forming a coalition with the Socialist Party. Both parties have participated in the open borders policy in Germany. They must join together to keep out the “far right” — which now means the party that is not in favor of allowing Germany to become an Islamic state.
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