Troop Movements on the German-Polish Border
In a tongue-in-cheek headline Eurointelligence reports Troop Movements on the German-Polish Border.
We couldn’t quite resist this headline, but it looks that a relocation of 9500 US troops from Germany to Poland is imminent.
Polish Media Details
- a new contingent of US troops, some from Germany and some from the US;
- a relocation of 30 F-16 US fighter planes from Germany to Poland;
- the headquarters of the V corps of the US army to be moved from Fort Knox to Poland;
- adding 5 C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft, not clear whether this is a purchase or a relocation;
- a deal on attack helicopters;
- a bilateral defence co-operation act between the US and Poland.
Robert O’Brien, the White House national security adviser admits openly that this decision is linked to Germany’s failure to meet the promise of raising defence spending to 2% of GDP by 2024, which is a Nato commitment. He writes that Germany is the world’s fourth largest economy, yet spends only 1.4% of its GDP on defence.
O’Brien also makes a link to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, and to Berlin’s choice of 5G telecoms provider. If this goes to Huawei, as we expect it might, the relationship with the US is set to deteriorate further.
Trump Pulls Troops From Germany, It’s a Good Start
On June 7 I commented Trump Pulls Troops From Germany, It’s a Good Start.
No Start at All
I was mistaken. This is not a start, no troops are coming home.
I am in favor of moving the troops, not from Germany to Poland, but from anywhere and everywhere back to the US.
If the EU is concerned about Russia enough to have troops, let the EU fund the troops.
Trump Shuffleboard
Instead, of bringing the troops home, Trump is playing troop shuffleboard.
The US cannot afford to be the world’s policeman and should not try.
Phooey.
Mish
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Sorry about the grammatical errors I need to proof read what I write before pressing. Correction: the US will not (or cannot) withdraw from the world.
The cooperation between Germany and Russia is too close for comfort. World War 2 did not extinguish the desire by either one to take over Europe. By removing US troop from Germany on America’s terms, the troops can remain in Europe to discourage another continental takeover.
As a lover of autocratic government, Trump is all in with Poland!
….this all radically changed in 2015 when a populist party PiS (Polish acronym for Law and Justice) won both the presidential and parliamentary elections. After its double victory the party began to dismantle all major checks and balances characteristic of the separation of powers in a democratic state. Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal, its regular courts including the Supreme Court, its National Council of the Judiciary, as well as its electoral commissions, civil service and public media have all been subordinated to the executive – single-handedly controlled by the party’s leader. In the process, political rights such as the freedom of assembly have been restricted, and the party has captured the entire state apparatus. The speed and depth of anti-democratic changes took many observers by surprise….
…Hungary and Poland Aren’t Democratic. They’re Authoritarian.
Central Europe’s populist revolt against the EU isn’t about safeguarding the West. It’s about rolling back freedoms and cozying up to Russia….
“Hungary and Poland Aren’t Democratic. They’re Authoritarian.”
And blub is not green. He is round….
Whether people get to dimple some chads with Chavez’, nor Trump’s, name on it every few years, have exactly no bearing on how authoritarian the resulting regime is.
What the nonsense!!! “It’s about rolling back freedoms and cozying up to Russia”. Where is the logic? Cozying up to Russia and inviting US troops to the country???
There are too many details to clarify why Supreme Court in Poland still seems to be more independent from politicians than a US one (where judges are chosen by president, then approved by parliament).
Poland is doing very well. By the way, democracy, media, freedom of assembly (except current CoV times), economy, all are doing really well. There are reasons why there is a negative propaganda around Poland and it’s current gov. It has something to do with Russia, with Germany riding their MittelEuropa idea et cet.
What’s the point of having troops in Germany now that they can be moved closer to the front lines just off the borders of Russia? We’ve got to teach those Russians that Americans don’t believe in borders.
The US must be involved around the world
Article 6 clause 2 the US Constitution, Treaties are Supreme Law (Super Law)
The US has treaty commitments with numerous countries around the world.
The US is the only nuclear power that provides extended deterrence to over 20 nations (aka nuclear umbrella) in order to prevent nuclear proliferation.
Perhaps, there are other reasons like reserve currency status or some I don’t know about. At any rate, unless things radically change (very possible) the US will not (or cannot) redraw from the world.
Exactly. This is the stranglehold China and Russia are trying to break. But they do worse stuff to their citizens then people could imagine. Ask the Uighyurs.
China remains a shithole. No doubt about it. As was the Soviet Union. And China was even more of a Shithole pre Deng.
The Soviet Union was left no choice but to mend their ways because, AT THAT TIME, The West still remained free enough to make the Soviets failings obvious to anyone. Ditto Mao’s China.
But now, The West is also a shithole. Very few in China would want to trade their “system,” disgusting as it is, for this dump. Why would they? So that they can be strangled by cops? Because they value homelessness? Lack of access to even a nurse?
If you care about Uighyurs, and you should, the worst thing which can happen to them, is America continuing down the path to financialized self destruction it has been on for the past century, and which it sped up massively in the late 60s to early 70s. Noone aspires to be like this putrid garbage pile anymore. And for good reason.
Neither Xina nor Putinstan would be sustainable for long, if America remained a free country demonstrating to all how much obviously nicer it is to not live life as a theft victim under a jackboot. Uighurs would come here by the boatload, make a better life for themselves, and pass stories, (as well as arms and funds….), back home. Making oppressing them untenable. Heck, they’re Central Asian Stan-people. Hardly the most pliant nor easily cowed bunch out there.
But as long as America insists on failing at absolutely everything, solely in a Hail Mary effort to maximally enrich and empower a bunch of abject nothings; who neither know, understand, produce, do nor contribute anything of value whatsoever; who the heck would want to be stuck with that ???? The Chicoms, while no doubt bad, aren’t that hopeless.
I supposed, given that Newspeak is now the official language of the land: “no entangling alliances” can mean anything Humpty Dumpty arbitrarily chooses it to mean, including “must be involved.”
“Heck, they’re Central Asian Stan-people. Hardly the most pliant nor easily cowed bunch out there.”
No, they’re Muslims with a penchant for jihadism in addition to separatist ambitions. Since the USA/CIA started stirring the pot of extremist Islam in Afghanistan in the 70’s, all of these restive Muslim populations have become a danger in every country that has them, be it Chechnya, Syria, Algeria, China, Turkey, Iraq, wherever.
“all of these restive Muslim populations have become a danger in every country that has them, be it Chechnya, Syria, Algeria, China, Turkey, Iraq, wherever.”
That’s good. A danger to nation state governments, is what people are supposed to be. And what all people need to be, if they are to retain any hope of keeping any freedoms at all.
As the saying, whether by Jefferson or not, goes: “When government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.”
Historically, “Stan” people, or more generally hill, or mountain, people; or even just people from areas where the payback from intensive land cultivation and infrastructure development is does not render any of that feasible; didn’t suddenly become unruly on account of the CIA in the 80s. Nor from Islamization. Instead they have been at odds with more populous and “organized” lowland statelets’ attempts to fence them in and rule them, ever since before nation states.
Once America gets kicked out of Afghanistan for good; fat chance that place won’t, in time, harbor various “friends of oppressed Uighyurs”, and their training facilities. If America wants to help those guys, and in the process annoy and delegitimize China, America should do what they did in the 80s: Go back to handing them neato rocketry. Then sit back and wait for Xi to blunderbuss his way into Afghanistan to get his tail kicked by free people as well. Just like the rest of us do.
it is actually the US that drove Russia into China’s arms after the failed, US’ orchestrated coup in Ukraine and the subsequent unjustified sanctions when Russia merely defended its regional interests. ….and the spineless EU was armtwisted in playing along, reluctantly so….
…this comment was meant for Casual Observer…
Germany “only spends” 1.4% of GDP on defense – maybe that’s why they have nice things like good infrastructure and social services.
Countryeconomy.com claims we spend 10X what Russia spends on MIC, but I’ve seen claims they spend 3.9% GDP vs our 3.4%. Russia spends $65 billion, we spend $651 billion. Germany’s 1.4% equals $48.75 billion! Obviously not all GDPs are the same, so comparing percentages of GDPs is foolish. Bring our troops home… as soon as we find them real jobs. We can’t ALL work at Walmart (or Target for $15/hour).
“We can’t ALL work at Walmart (or Target for $15/hour).”
Many more of us could work for $15/hr, were it not for the robbery by taxes and debasement required to fund literal armies of crater builders in every corner of the world.
The soldiers should return home, and while on their return flight, all and any “zoning” and other permit nonsense preventing competent people from improving the competitiveness of America’s landmass should be thrown in the dustbin of totalitarian failed state policies where it belongs, right alongside such similarly valid and useful pearls of progressivism as cranial measurements of Jews.
Then, lack of taxes and almost “free” commercial and residential space, would quickly make America competitive again. Hence Great Again. It ain’t hard, for anyone but the terminally stupid.
Mish you are going to have to choose between the the rise of communist China and Russian Oligarchs or US trying to keep democratic institutions and countries safe. While I agree no system is perfect it is obvious Trump has been an abject failure in foreign policy and ceded way too much control by Russia and China. This is why the GOP from previous administrations is now lining up behind Biden. They know things are so bad right now even they are scared 4 more years of Trump will leave the US military more like that of the Russian or Chinese militaries who are political tools of the powers that be in those countries. The general that admitted he shouldn’t have stood next to Trump in Lafayatte park was the first domino to fall. Now they are openly supporting Biden. Trump will call it a deep state conspiracy but the only thing separating us from China or Russia are our values, ideas and institutions.
You are using scare tactic of the last 70 years of American history, communism, the bogeyman, paint anybody opposing your idea or way of thinking as a communist.
Let me tell you something, Russia is not rising, China is rising but they are more capitalist than you can imagine. No , Mish does not have to choose between US and China , he is simply saying what is right and wrong.
The problem is with you, your thinking, you cannot accept different views, you are supporting one side no matter what they do right or wrong.
China isnt capitalist to any degree. Capitalism actually means some degree of transparency. China has none.
This sort of binary thinking why we’re in so much trouble. Usually it’s presented as red/blue, but the old capitalist/communist dichotomy was used to get people to accept things like central bank intervention and military adventurism.
Life isn’t black and white. Usually when someone only presents two possible options and presents one as a lesser evil, they are being intentionally manipulative.
Its not black and white but there are shades of grey. What we are seeing is exactly that. The pendulum swings in shades of grey. The current shade of grey is worse.
Throughout history it has always been military spending that ended empires.
I don’t expect the US to be any different. We engineer a technology and it’s stolen/sold to the “enemy” for pennies on the dollar.
War technology is also reaching diminishing returns. Drones can do everything a fighter can do for a fraction of the cost. Death is getting cheaper and the budgets will eventually have to reflect that.
You are full of sh… Do Russia and China have the same values? I don’t think so. In China they shoot an oligarch every once in a while if they are too corrupt. Putin’s strength is owed completely to getting rid of oligarchs (favorite destination London). In America, in contrast, the oligarchs are in full control of the MIC, foreign policy, the MSM, the Fed, and all the institutions. After shoveling trillions to the oligarchs in 2008, they’re upping the ante and shoveling another Tr$8 to the oligarchs, maybe some of it will trickle down their legs. Do you think you are a good guy just because you were born in the USA, and that Americans are always the good guys, no matter what? Do you call choosing between Biden and Trump a democracy? American political culture is a side show.
Yep. We are the leaders and will be. Even today people around the world are upset about what? That they cant apply for visas to enter what country ? Russia ? China ? Nope. It’s still the United States.
I wasnt born American! Poof. I was born in a closed economy in Asia which I had to leave in another time when the world sucked worse than today. America is still a better place which is why people still clamor for immigration visas to leave their country to come to America.
I knew this would get negative reactions here. It shows how much people dont know about China or Russia. These are not countries built on personal freedom or liberty of any degree.
What country were you born in? Chances are the now-merged UK/US/European empire had a lot to do with making it a place you wanted to leave.
It wasn’t any of those that had us to do with leaving but the lack of opportunity we had was because of laws favoring some classes over others. It was also the alignment with the closed economy of the Soviet Union which was collapsing. We ended up leaving because the consulate of the US state department told a relative to go study in America after he got a visa and worked there for sometime. He couldn’t get into a graduate school in our home country because of our bloodlines. So a family that grew up dirt poor overseas and was forgotten by their country left. An American company was my dad’s first employer in our native country and even they told us life was better in America. So we left and started life anew. Nice try getting me to blame the empire but it was our native country’s own fault for not seeing the light sooner regarding the Soviet Union and closed economies of the 19th century. They opened their economy in the late 1980s but they still have millions of people clamoring to leave for the United States, Canada , Europe and Australia.
“the only thing separating us from China or Russia are our values, ideas and institutions.”
As in, they value freedom now. We don’t.
You’re talking governments here. They fail. That is what they do. Communism tried to kill off all freedom and, entirely predictably, managed to fail even at that. Since fail is all that any government will ever do.
America originally tried to preserve freedom and, tah-dah, surprise surprise, failed at that.
So that now, comparatively, they are the freedom guys. While we are the totalitarian slave state. And the comparison is getting worse and worse, from our POV, for every year which goes by.
No amount of one-party rule could ever hope to enslave, oppress, rob and harass people nearly as thouroughly as an entirely unconstrained unleashed army of millions of privateer ambulance chasing regime sycophants, whose sole means of getting by is to rob and harass; backed up by a completely unlimited money printer, institutionalized spying and taxation, bailouts of illiterate garbage, militarized police and standing armies in every corner of the world. It’s not even close.
They value authoritarianism and do not value individual liberty or freedom. Why do you think people are out again in the United States and not in Russia and China ? Why do you think people overseas are upset about not getting more visas to come to the United States ?
“They value authoritarianism and do not value individual liberty or freedom”
And neither do “we”, at least institutionally, anymore. And furthermore, by now “we” effectively value it less than they do. Hence why they are growing and improving, while we are stagnating and failing.
Valuing the unrestricted “freedom” of ambulance chasers to drag everyone else into kangaroo courts, is not “valuing individual liberty or freedom” in any meaningful sense. Nor is it any different from valuing the “freedom” of apparatchiks to do the exact same thing.
Nor is having to pay regime sycophant “insurance” racketeers money to protect you from the ambulance chasers, any different from paying some some apparatchik bribes.
Wrapping dragging into kangaroo courts and being shaken down, by those privileged by a totalitarian regime to do so at will, in a flag which once used to symbolize individual liberty and freedom; does not magically make being dragged into kangaroo courts and shaken down, nor forking over to regime agents; any different from any other form of being dragged into kangaroo court and shaken down.
You should emigrate to China or Russia. I’m sure they would love immigrants. Lol
Things are worse in China and Russia then being portrayed. You must watch a lot of RT and CN. You do realize there is no free media in China or Russia. If america is such a terrible place and China and Russia are doing so great I’m sure you could easily get a one way ticket and seek asylum there.
It’s not about me. I’m personally not suffering much. I’m not being strangled by cops on a daily basis. Nor paying ususry rent to some leech for a falling down rat shack on top of people coughing blood and dying of transmittable diseases.
Like many/most posting here, I’m also way better off than most Americans. NOt typical at all. And besides, I can’t speak neither Chinese nor Russian…. Maduro not leaving Venezuela, is a poor argument for how great and well ran of a place that is.
Compare China vs America back in the former’s Mao era, vs today. In any area. From salaries to number of V8 Cadillacs in median American driveways, to moonlandings to jetliners to all else.
Those deltas are how you see the quality of a place’s current governance. That America may still be a comparative millionaire, is no great success when it started off as a billionaire 50 years ago.
In America’s first century plus or minus, it went from literally wilderness, to the greatest country on Earth. Then, progressivism and The Fed. And as a result of those, it spent the next century heading straight back down the drain again. That it may still have a few more seedcorn left to burn by the current clique of utter incompetent leeches who The Fed has handed ownership and control of it all to in exchange for no effort nor insight of their own, don’t provide much real consolation.
Supposedly a new Trump Tower will be built there.
More stories for low-info voters…
I hope people realize by now that the troops will never be ordered home, at least not willingly. If governments try to push us out the maximum we’re willing to do is shift them to neighboring regions or countries, like we’ve done in Iraq, Syria, and now Germany.
The MIC is far too set in its ways to change, only collapse will alter this course of American empire. Neither Trump nor Biden will even attempt a change, let alone succeed.