>>MOD WARNING<<Germany threatens retaliation if U.S. sanctions harm its firms

You're right, ability is not meaningless. But the Russians have failed in Ukraine.

That is a good reason not to fly too close to the Sun, yes.

Some countries are able to do it. Russia and Iran are the big ones.

Sure, all American policymakers should understand Russia's sphere of influence.

And they should use that knowledge to roll it back.

 

Sobo has a pretty idealized view of the relation between his country and the EU, sure. But in a meaningful way, he's not wrong. The EU has been a disaster for Southern Europeans while the Germans just keep chugging on.

 

I want Merkel because the other options are idiotic. That doesnt mean that i dont see the flaws in our system.

 

US homes are cheap, shoddy, poorly build egg boxes which fall over in a breeze.

Not much call for moonshine.

 

Not really... they have the Crimean and it is and will be Russia from now on... sanctions or not.

The problem for the USA is that with 2003 and the criminal attack on Iraq, they lost a mountain of credibility and respect in the world.
Could things like Vietnam before and many other bad things of the USA being explained and reasoned with the cold war situation, the attack on Iraq and the following by the US caused disaster could not being explained and reasoned.
Aside this, the behavior of Bush towards Russia with this anti-missile shield necessary to be deployed in Eastern Europe NATO countries like Poland was backed by a bunch of BS and lies, as well ignoring Russia here totally! Bush himself reasoned it in one TV interview that this anti missile shield is towards the so dangerous North Korean missiles. Ehm .. yes, what is again the range of their missiles again as so often displayed during current Korea crisis?
So... who lied to the people in the past again?

Agreed ... but then they shall it really fulfill!

 

That's not true, sorry!
The southern countries have gotten a lot from the EU and EU aid also help a lot. The current situation does not really have anything to do with the EU and even with the euro ... because the main reason was the financial crash in 2008, which brought these countries into difficulties. But that, in turn, is ... as hard as it sounds ... these countries themselves are guilty because they themselves have caused it with their internal and national policies.

Greece is very much liked to be represented as a victim, and the normal Greek population is really the victim, but not because the EU and here Germany is so evil, but because all Greek governments of the last 30 years are actually due to waste, corruption and inability to enter the prison belong!
A point of so many is the famous Steur on swimming pools in Greece. The Greeks themselves decided this, but also implemented it and ensured that these taxes were paid? No! For all of greece, a good dozen officials were responsible for this ... and this in a financial administration where 3 to 4 officials make the same work, which in your country many light 2 make!
And when the topic came to the table, it was bold to read from Greece that you could not control who has a swimming pool.
The German finance minister Schaeuble asked whether there is Internet in Greece and whether the Greeks know what Google Maps / Google Earth is ... because you are opening it in the Internet, you look at the satellite photos, for example Athens and you can see where are all swimming pools visible. Then you look in your files, whether they all realy pay the tax - problem solved! Already the Germans had been the evil again ... ridiculous, right?

 

Official language is English in Pakistan and India, Mandarin in China. Why on earth should anyone there speak Russian?

Your outdated article form the "famous Brookings Institution" declares these points as regional. Maybe you should read articles before you post them and afterwards making fun of your own sources.

<Rule 3/4>

 

Agreements should be hold of course, but if it is not agreed or part of a treaty like for example the NATO treaty, why should we do?

 

I don't think so... That US massive market which you say has been wanted to be traded into may be reachable and therefore considerable for Mid and South American countries, or some European countries many of which have not been seen by the US as big of a threat to deserve economic sanctions owing to their overlapping natural globalist stance. But things do not work that way for countries like Turkiye. What has held us back for 5 or so decades from getting into a conflict with the US was definitely their military show offs and their "legal" local extensions, like some bought judges and prosecutors that have "executed" the ones who dared to fight against American agendas. Examples are many but the most prominent one is the execution of "Deniz Gezmis" and his friends. They, without hesitation beat the sh.t out and then threw into the cold waters of the Bosphorus a bunch of American sailors of the 6th fleet that was "supposedly" visiting Istanbul in July 1968...

American sailors of the 6th fleet are being pulled out of the water by Turkish police from the shores of Karakoy, Istanbul.



American sailors are getting their friends out of the water:



Deniz Gezmis is speaking to a crowd in Istanbul about American Imperialism:



Deniz Gezmis and friends in the courtroom (1971) One of the judges asked him why he was laughing. Deniz stood up and pointed the sign hanging on the wall behind the judges that read "Justice" and told the judge that he was laughing at that sign because he added, American justice was nothing but a joke. This photo was taken right at that moment. He considered himself a soldier of ATATURK fighting against western imperialism.

\

Here he is on his way to the execution:



So my friend, the fact of the matter is not what power is used, it is how we resist. 46 years is 5 decades... And today we're still resisting to the American imperialism as a NATO nation. Disapproval of US leadership in Turkiye has hit 89% this year. I think Russia is behind on that one.

 

No ... both have northing to do with each other in the first and the dispute about NATO agreement and fulfilling still existed under Obama and before Bush! But maybe now after this silly pull out from Trump, it could be of course...

But this NATO agreement at all is a story where not only few Americans are in a fairy tale world about due to be fooled by Trump and half truths from several medias...

#1
Every NATO member has by NATO treaty to spend 2% of their gross domestic income into their own defense as budget and this is by most not fulfilled. I totally agree that this must be fulfilled so far and in case of my country Germany we spend only 1.2% and I demand by my own that minimum 2% must be spend, due to fact that there is real need for the money at the Forces!
B U T ... this need is one point too, because what if there is no national need for it? This is not unlikely to happen and here I must clearly say that IF there is a case of no need for the money and the duties are also fulfilled, then a country must not spend, because this will be wasting of taxpayers money only! I think you and all others agree to that?

#2
I was and am amazed at the fact that there really are US Americans who believe that the US should pay more because of this misconduct. This is absolute nonsense and is not true.
There are Americans who actually believe that the US taxpayer pays the deficit of the others ... ie Germany has only 1.2% and the missing 0.8% pays the US taxpayer! Totally BS!
Just as BS is the assertion that the US must indirectly pay more because they assume duties, which can not be fulfilled by others because of the lack of 2%. The opposite is true, because the US no longer perceives more and more NATO duties no matter whether the 2% are fulfilled by the others or not.
NATO is aside USA and Canada at least only Europe. So, if you take a look what of US Froces is only placed in Europe, you will see that there are for example at of US Army aside Special Forces, staffs, logistic, medical center etc. only the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment with Strykers and since some month temporary a tank brigade as fighting force ... nothing else!
So what duties have they taken over from Europeans with these little force again, because the 2% not fulfilled? Truth is in reverse, that because only this little force is in Europe, the Europeans took over 95% of NATO duties which were in the past duty of USA by the will of the USA! Did Trump tell this FACT too at his statements and blabbering? No!

#3
It is quite cheeky if the US accuse with their 4-5% spending the Europeans, but in these 4-5% there are massive military expenditures that have nothing at all to do with NATO ... for example the 60-80 US military base in Japan, or is Japan a member of NATO or is NATO now defending itself not only in Europe and North America, but also in Asia?
Whatever your opinion and the opinion of the others is ... why can not France compensate the maintenance costs for the militier in French Guyana or, together with Germany, the cost of the anti-terrorist operation in Mali with his 2%? If right, then equal right for all, or do you not agree?
Apart from this 2% thing, Trump is also about something else, namely the pure own NATO budget, which Trump but gladly tigether as onw thing by stupidity and lacking knowledge...
The NATO budget is the cost of NATO, for example, the costs of the common NATO HQ in Brussels or the fleet of NATO AWACS aircraft.
Here, the USA is the largest contributor, accounting for around 23%, followed by Germany at around 17%. The 23% wants Trump reduce and Europeans should pay more, but that has a boomerang for the US ... why?
Being the biggest payer of the NATO budget also means having privileges, because the military commander of NATO is always a US 4 star General. If the USA then pay less than 23%, then they also give up privileges ... speak is the next commander then a European 4 star general from ... let us say Norway?
Reaction Trump was No, because he wants to pay lesser, but hold all privileges without change and this an impudence, we Europeans don't take and accept!

 

I think we should go that way...

 

It would be of you a good and friendly measure, if you would let this BS with the accusations against Germany because of the 2. World war times ... very particularly in my case.
I have already told you several times that my family, Germans, fought in the Second World War against the Nazis and suffered the same bad from Nazis as the Russians suffered! So please stop this silly NAZI accusation in my case please!

 

No this one is better and reality because fact...

 

It is not very polite and in topic, but it hilarious so you can have that like.

 

I don't think you can ever understand what's going on here...

 

No wondering that he understands nothing...

 

Kurdish immigrants do understand well though...

 

That Erdogan is a bloody dictator and Nazi they understand still know by their own very well, correct!

 

In this comment, I do not have you in mind at all. My comment above shows the absurdity of your comment. On the example of the Germans (not your family), I show that there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies.

The Russians have fought the Germans many times in history. From the time of the Teutonic Order to the present day. But with Turkey, Russia also fought many times. Maybe even more than with the Germans.

So what? In your opinion I should not agree with the fair and intelligent comments of the Turk? Just because there was a conflict between Russia and Turkey? ...This is nonsense.... On an example with the Germans, I showed all the absurdity of your statements.

If Turkey and Russia want to live respecting each other's interests, for mutual own benefit - is it bad for you?
I would also be happy if Russia and Germany also respected each other's interests for the common benefit .... But according to your opinion - if Russia and Germany fought, and later, during the Cold War, for example, there were conflicts between our countries - we should hate each other Many generations?

Why are you so aggressive?

 

Please stop violating the rules and reconsider your posting style.
Off topic, flame bait, bypassing the profanity filter to responses to such violations, to name a few.
If you can't post within the rules, you will be infracted and removed from this thread. This is the one and only warning.

 

[

All bad maths.
America does pick up the tab for everyone else.

America has an army in your country defending you. You do not have an army in anyone else's country defending them.
The army they have sent to your country is on top of the 2% they have in their own country. Extra.
America spends it's own 2% and then it spends another 18% on other peoples.

Make no mistake, we are all hiding behind them. Letting them take the burden because they are willing to.
You think you are pulling your weight, you are not. Nor does anyone really want you to. But they want respect for it. Because they are doing it.
Do yourself a favour, give it them.

 

America should not be in any nation, defending them. This is a ruse, and is an excuse to not appear like an empire when in fact our ruling elites want an empire. Granted a new kind of empire, an empire ruled by a few elite capitalists, in their own self interests. Then these interests, the interests of a few elites are called "American interests", and most americans are so dumbed down as not to notice what is being done in their name.

NATO has no reason to even exist since the implosion of the USSR and the end of the communist revolution. NATO exists today to enrich the elites who own the war monger industrial complex and for little else. For what threat is Europe under that they must have NATO? From Russia, who has an economy smaller than South Korea and whose military spending is a mere fraction of the US? In order to try to turn Russia into some great threat to Europe requires great stupidity on behalf of the American people as well as western Europeans. The absurdity here is so overwhelming and frankly embarrassing for the few who are capable of critical thinking and not so weak intellectually as to be conditioned by really, crude, and not so clever propaganda. Hell, the lowest form of propaganda now works against both Europeans and americans. As I said, as a human being, it is embarrassing how mentally feeble so many have become.

 

The Russians haven't failed in Ukraine. The Donbas Republics voted to unite with Russia, but Putin wouldn't take them since their industries were interconnected with Ukraine. So Donbas was forced to agree to the Minsk agreement.

The situation has now changed thanks to Kiev's actions. By stopping the pensions due the people in Donbas, they were forced to use the Ruble and bank at Russian banks. When the coal shipments were blocked by the Nazis, Zacharchenko was forced to nationalize the mining industries and sell the coal to Russia. Since it's the only coal that can be used in the Ukrainian industries, Russia sells it back to Ukraine at a higher price ...if you can believe it.

Due to Kiev's foolishness, Donbass has integrated with Russia and Poroshenko wants them back... yet he's not willing to comply with the Minsk agreements he signed, so he's planning on using force. In the meantime his people are starving and millions of Ukrainians are working in Russia to feed their families... but the criminals could care less.

Any aggression by Kiev works to the benefit of Donetsk's president. It burdened Zacharshenko knowing that others in Donbass were still under Kiev's tyranny, so it's giving him a chance to advance and free them.

 

Although I agree with much of what you said and that Russia is not a threat, since it would go against its political beliefs, it is second to the US in military power. But it's build up is only because of Nato's actions towards Russia, rather than choosing to do so on its own volition. Russia is also the second largest exporter of military arms in the world.

Putin takes pride in being able to produce equal, and sometimes even better arms as the US at a fraction of the cost. Russia today is not only self sufficient in minerals and natural resources, but also in electronic and industrial parts so that nothing is imported.

Since everything in Russia costs less, wages can be kept low as well without creating hardships on anyone... and that includes the military. To get an idea of its strength, get on to the military and defense section of TASS: http://tass.com/defense

 

@One Mind

That's right America should not be in any other country defending them. Those countries should be defending themselves. No country or person should ever need allies. But they still do.

I think NATO is no longer fit for purpose.

The threat to Europe is the EU taking on...China, America, Russia, the UK or any combination of those.
To that end, people seek to break up NATO in Europe.

Also the Russians want it broken up too. No surprises there.