ECFR: with possible exception of France, whole of Europe “has almost completely renounced the idea of greater strategic autonomy.” “We are so vassalised that we can’t even admit to it. If we did, then people might figure it out and that would be terrible.”

    • Hillock
      6•1 year ago

      No, not really. They are a few years too late with their conclusion. The topic of US military dependency came up a couple of years ago and the EU decided to take steps against it. And with the invasion of Ukraine, this is only taken more seriously and urgently. The article also doesn’t bring up that many points. Only

      The paper also compared Germany’s previous unwillingness to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine unless the US agreed to provide its own M1 Abrams vehicles to the behaviour of “a scared child in a room full of strangers [who] felt alone if Uncle Sam was not holding its hand.”

      and

      “encouraging European nations to ban Huawei sales in Europe”

      Germany has been hesitant on taking a leading position in anything military due to history. And taking the step of becoming more involved in a war wasn’t that simple. But again, they came around and acknowledged that they have to.
      And trying to argue that restricting the sales of technology that most likely is used by the Chinese government to spy is a rather weird way of saying it’s becoming a vassal of the US.

      And then the article only goes on about how the word “Vassal” is triggering people. So I don’t see the good points you are talking about.