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Post by Bentley on Oct 30, 2024 10:01:42 GMT
I'm not nearly as well read as Dan, but looking back as a foot soldier so to speak, I'm slightly surprised NATO survived after the collapse of communism. Post 1989 everything on the ground changed, yes we had more wars than you could shake a stick at, but the emphasis on NATO in Europe seemed to diminish and throughout the 1990's both the UK and US military withdrew from Europe and that was as a direct result of the collapse of communism, which NATO protected us from. So what in the 21st century, is NATO for? Nato is run by the US. It's to bully all countries into submitting to the will of the US. I mean people like Saddam Hussain wanted to go independent and that was not allowed. It's part of the post war order which looks like it is falling apart now. Trump and Harris are lunatics. Both propose disastrous economic policy which will destroy their nation. Trump and his tariffs is one way, and Harris and her price controls is the other way. It's all bad news over that way. They have lost their minds. “ Nato is run by the US. It's to bully all countries into submitting to the will of the US. “That's not an unreasonable comment . In the context that the counties being ‘ bullied’ were the USSR and its allies . Lucky that it still exists considering Russia’s recent military aggression eh? |
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Post by Dan Dare on Oct 30, 2024 14:03:32 GMT
'NATO is run by the US'.
The most senior military figure in NATO, the SACEUR, who the directs all operations and is the de facto controller of all of NATO's military assets is and always has been an American.
The notional civilian head of the organisation, the Secretary General, is typically a European, but his or her appointment requires the approval of the President of the United States.
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Post by Ripley on Oct 30, 2024 14:24:41 GMT
America and Germany each pay a lion's share (15.88%) of NATO's annual budget. Maybe it's time Germany took a turn to run NATO. Would that make you all feel better?
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Post by Red Rackham on Oct 30, 2024 14:50:29 GMT
I'm not nearly as well read as Dan, but looking back as a foot soldier so to speak, I'm slightly surprised NATO survived after the collapse of communism. Post 1989 everything on the ground changed, yes we had more wars than you could shake a stick at, but the emphasis on NATO in Europe seemed to diminish and throughout the 1990's both the UK and US military withdrew from Europe and that was as a direct result of the collapse of communism, which NATO protected us from. So what in the 21st century, is NATO for? NATO was active in the Balkans in the 90s. Indeed it was, so was the EU, under the auspices of EUFOR. (Op Althea) |
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Post by borgr0 on Oct 30, 2024 15:12:17 GMT
Well trade wars aren't good, but protectionism is. I think protectionism is absolutely wonderful and should be done in every country. You are surely aware of China reorientating their economy towards internal self-sufficiency? They have had to do this, because they can't be reliant on third countries much longer. This is what the world should be aiming for - all countries - self sufficient I want to see a strong and powerful China where self-sufficiency dominates, same in the West, same everywhere. We should all be prosperous, powerful and peaceful and that will serve the world best They can't be self sufficient. They need minerals from all over the world. The idea is to make Brics self-sufficient, and the larger it is the more it is self sufficient. This is why the US is screwed. It is boxing itself in. It's pissing all its trading partners off. The minerals will eventually be replaceable, they can't be 100% self sufficient just yet, but most countries are getting there and they have dramatically increased their self sufficiency in recent years. They had to owing to the border closures remember? |
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Post by Tinculin on Oct 30, 2024 15:12:58 GMT
Poland contributes the most %of GDP to nato.
Yes, I’d happily let Poland run the show, because they, like all Eastern European nations know better than anyone else the terror and horror of being ruled by Moscow.
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Post by borgr0 on Oct 30, 2024 15:17:40 GMT
It should not be run by any one country, then it's subject to the whims of whoever the PM is at the time in said country
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Post by Ripley on Oct 30, 2024 15:27:15 GMT
I'm not nearly as well read as Dan, but looking back as a foot soldier so to speak, I'm slightly surprised NATO survived after the collapse of communism. Post 1989 everything on the ground changed, yes we had more wars than you could shake a stick at, but the emphasis on NATO in Europe seemed to diminish and throughout the 1990's both the UK and US military withdrew from Europe and that was as a direct result of the collapse of communism, which NATO protected us from. So what in the 21st century, is NATO for? Nato is run by the US. It's to bully all countries into submitting to the will of the US. I mean people like Saddam Hussain wanted to go independent and that was not allowed. It's part of the post war order which looks like it is falling apart now. Trump and Harris are lunatics. Both propose disastrous economic policy which will destroy their nation. Trump and his tariffs is one way, and Harris and her price controls is the other way. It's all bad news over that way. They have lost their minds. Harris will continue to address price gouging so that pharmaceutical and other corporations have to limit the extent to which they rip off customers. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden/Harris administration were able to cap the rampant cost of insulin to $35 for millions of Americans, and the US economy is clipping along nicely, actually. "The US economy expanded at a robust pace in the third quarter as household purchases accelerated ahead of the election and the federal government ramped up defense spending. Consumer spending, which comprises the largest share of economic activity, advanced 3.7%, the most since early 2023. The acceleration was led by broad increases across goods, including autos, household furnishings and recreational items. The report card for the world’s largest economy illustrates solid momentum in domestic demand as the Fed began unwinding its tightest monetary policy program in decades. The numbers should keep the Fed on track to continue cutting interest rates in the coming quarters, including at their meeting next week. The figures are good news for Vice President Kamala Harris in the final days of the election campaign against former President Donald Trump. Compared with a year earlier, GDP rose 2.7% — holding above 2.5% for a sixth consecutive quarter. That’s “the longest stretch of such solid growth since 2006,” Bill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank, said in a note." (Bloomberg) - |
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Post by Ripley on Oct 30, 2024 15:30:29 GMT
Poland contributes the most %of GDP to nato. Yes, I’d happily let Poland run the show, because they, like all Eastern European nations know better than anyone else the terror and horror of being ruled by Moscow. I'm talking about cost share of NATO's bills, not the % of gdp each country spends on its defence. www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_67655.htm |
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Post by borgr0 on Oct 30, 2024 15:31:05 GMT
Price controls make sense in the event of a world war, all world wars featured them and it's making people nervous here in the US that it means they know it's coming
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Post by Tinculin on Oct 30, 2024 15:36:05 GMT
Poland contributes the most %of GDP to nato. Yes, I’d happily let Poland run the show, because they, like all Eastern European nations know better than anyone else the terror and horror of being ruled by Moscow. I'm talking about cost share of NATO's bills, not the % of gdp each country spends on its defence. www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_67655.htmMy view still stands. I’d happily let Poland run the show. |
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Post by borgr0 on Oct 30, 2024 15:44:24 GMT
And if Poland's next PM is anti-NATO and, like Orban, gravitates towards Putin's orbit? What then?
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Post by Ripley on Oct 30, 2024 16:21:42 GMT
Price controls make sense in the event of a world war, all world wars featured them and it's making people nervous here in the US that it means they know it's coming A lot of companies in the US have taken advantage of the pandemic to raise and keep raising their prices beyond acceptable levels. Pharmaceuticals are one example of that, hence the effort to address the practice of price gouging. |
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Post by borgr0 on Oct 30, 2024 16:33:10 GMT
Price controls make sense in the event of a world war, all world wars featured them and it's making people nervous here in the US that it means they know it's coming A lot of companies in the US have taken advantage of the pandemic to raise and keep raising their prices beyond acceptable levels. Pharmaceuticals are one example of that, hence the effort to address the practice of price gouging. I respect what she is trying to do and she means well, but price controls only make sense in the event of severe turmoil such as world war or other such things, in the context of our Neoliberal system the markets will lose trust in the govt if they implement them unduly just as they lost trust in Liz Truss and somewhat unfairly, IMHO, tanked the economy (not to condemn the markets, who mean well too) |
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Post by Ripley on Oct 30, 2024 16:43:45 GMT
A lot of companies in the US have taken advantage of the pandemic to raise and keep raising their prices beyond acceptable levels. Pharmaceuticals are one example of that, hence the effort to address the practice of price gouging. I respect what she is trying to do and she means well, but price controls only make sense in the event of severe turmoil such as world war or other such things, in the context of our Neoliberal system the markets will lose trust in the govt if they implement them unduly just as they lost trust in Liz Truss and somewhat unfairly, IMHO, tanked the economy (not to condemn the markets, who mean well too) The Inflation Reduction Act, which was put in place by the current Administration and has saved Medicare enrollees nearly $1 Billion in the first half of this year alone, has not harmed the economy at all. In fact, the US economy is clipping along very nicely, as I explained above in a reply to the Baron. |
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