Bulgarian and Spanish army special forces soldiers participate in a military drill, as part of NATO's Steadfast Dart 2025 exercise, at Tsrantcha military training field. | Stoyan Nenov
Palma 14/02/2025 10:05
For once I agree with President Donald Trump, Europe should pay more for its own defence. NATO, without the U.S. - bar a few exceptions - is like a Home Guard. Take Spain for instance. The golden rule in NATO is that all members should spend two percent of their GDP on defence (and that was before the Trump administration took office).
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Morgan WilliamsAnd whilst you are at it, would you like to make a comment about this article ? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-54553132
Morgan WilliamsSeeing that you enjoy propagating links so much, here’s one for you. https://youtu.be/DZ2hFUZLvY0?si=fm52luQF-J2_FRF2
Morgan WilliamsDid you honestly expect a Guardian journalist called Ashifa Kassam to write negatively about immigration into Europe ? I may be stupid, but not THAT stupid. Are you talking about the Herr Scholz who is going to receive a huge thumbs down from the German voters this weekend ? He will no doubt start sobbing and crying like his fellow compatriot did on stage two days ago when he receives the final results. I bet the Russians are quaking in their boots after witnessing such a performance from someone who is (was) supposedly in charge of Europe’s security. Yes, Spain is doing fine, apart from having Europe’s highest youth unemployment and one of the highest in the “developed” world. They also recently had to beg funds from the EU to be able to increase their military spending, Europe’s lowest, to be able to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. The computer said NO, you’ve borrowed enough already. “Unless it directly benefits Trump personally” I hereby challenge you to give me one simple example of the outrageous statement. You have 36 hours.
tranq tranquerI agree with you tranq. Isolationism always has consequences. Although I agree in spirit to what Olaf Scholz recently said, "Europe and the US must remain united", this wasn't the best response to Trump. It's a clear signal that Europe is willing to capitulate. Instead, he should be pointing out Europe's enormous potential and encouraging Europeans to leverage its strengths and potential. However, the US is not interested in "working with others" unless it directly benefits Trump personally. Evidence of this is everywhere in newly imposed US policy. Spain, on the other hand, has been benefitting nicely from the opposite strategy. But nobody wants to hear that. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/18/how-spains-radically-different-approach-to-migration-helped-its-economy-soar
Morgan WilliamsThis article in the FT might interest you. Forget the US — Europe has successfully put tariffs on itself
MyselfHe was trying to atract the Asian vote. Seems that it worked.
Richard PearsonSerious and well informed? Vance, the man who said immigrants ate people’s pet dogs and cats.
tranq tranquerBy the way, the speech given by US Vice President JD Vance, in Munich is in my opinion well worth watching to get a serious and well informed view of Europe’s current state of affairs, and not what if’s and other wishful thinkings. Cheers
Richard PearsonUnelected Parliament?
and stringent border controls to all outsiders, even those from the same continent, who speak the same recognizable language and worship the same God. By the way, the undergrowth in my garden is clearly winning it’s particular battle with me.