U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose far larger tariffs on the European Union and Canada if they work together to combat trade tariffs.
Maybe vassals is too strong-worded to describe the phenomenon. But living in western Europe I have firsthand experience in the relationship between the US and my country in the past decades. The US offered protection to the “free world”, but of course this comes at a price. The US had to be regarded as a role model in many ways, and everything that came out of the US, was copied and implemented verbatim. Which made the US the de facto puppet master and they really liked that role. This relationship was carefully orchestrated and nurtured by the US from the end of WW2 onwards, and the effect was that European countries embraced this strategy and viewed the US in a positive light, no obvious power play or bullying necessary. But the fact is, there always was a strong dependency on the US, and this was by US design.
Trump doesn’t realize that there was good reason for choosing such a “soft” strategy, he can’t because bullying is his only available tactic. He will soon find out that his perceived european vassal states don’t respond as well to hostility and blackmail as he might have expected.
I see what you’re saying, although I think it was a joint effort by the US and the EU. And it was short-sighted on both their parts.
The EU is feeling the heat that comes from a lapse in personal security and the US will find out that they aren’t the power they thought they were without their allies.
If Trump isn’t corrected it could all come crashing down for the US and the EU.
Maybe vassals is too strong-worded to describe the phenomenon. But living in western Europe I have firsthand experience in the relationship between the US and my country in the past decades. The US offered protection to the “free world”, but of course this comes at a price. The US had to be regarded as a role model in many ways, and everything that came out of the US, was copied and implemented verbatim. Which made the US the de facto puppet master and they really liked that role. This relationship was carefully orchestrated and nurtured by the US from the end of WW2 onwards, and the effect was that European countries embraced this strategy and viewed the US in a positive light, no obvious power play or bullying necessary. But the fact is, there always was a strong dependency on the US, and this was by US design.
Trump doesn’t realize that there was good reason for choosing such a “soft” strategy, he can’t because bullying is his only available tactic. He will soon find out that his perceived european vassal states don’t respond as well to hostility and blackmail as he might have expected.
I see what you’re saying, although I think it was a joint effort by the US and the EU. And it was short-sighted on both their parts.
The EU is feeling the heat that comes from a lapse in personal security and the US will find out that they aren’t the power they thought they were without their allies.
If Trump isn’t corrected it could all come crashing down for the US and the EU.
Why for the EU?
It’s much easier to produce military hardware than to set up a large trading network.
Remember, we only need to have enough to decisively stop the Russia. We don’t need to become another US military power.