...there's lots of things I can say about SCOTUS, but I am pretty sure all of them are unconstitutional. Although, I don't think they give a flying rat's arse about The Constitution..outside things that might serve their own best interests. 6-3, that is. /bleah
 
Iran war: Trump mulling reducing U.S. troop presence in Germany

Trump says that he's is weighing reducing American troop presence in Germany after Iran fued​


U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday leveled a new threat against NATO ally Germany, suggesting he could soon reduce the U.S. military presence there as he continues to feud with Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the U.S-Israel war against Iran.
Trump made the threat after Merz earlier this week said that the U.S. was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized Washington’s lack of strategy in the war. Trump has also repeatedly railed against NATO for the alliance’s refusal to assist the U.S. in its two-month-old war.
“The United States is studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time,” Trump said in a social media post.
Merz had said earlier Wednesday that his personal relationship with Trump remained “as good as ever,” but he had “had doubts from the very beginning about what was started there with the war in Iran.”
During his first term in the White House, Trump also moved to cut U.S. troops in Germany because he said the country spent too little on defense.
In June 2020, Trump announced he was going to pull out about 9,500 of the roughly 34,500 U.S. troops who were then stationed in Germany, but the process never actually started. Democratic President Joe Biden formally stopped the planned withdrawal soon after taking office in 2021.
The U.S. has several major military facilities in the country, including the headquarters for U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, Ramstein Air Base and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the largest American hospital outside the United States.
Merz met with Trump at the White House in March, just days after the U.S. and Israel began their bombardment of Iran. At the time, Merz told Trump that Germany was eager to work with the U.S. on a strategy for when the current Iranian government no longer exists. Merz also expressed concern that an extended conflict could do great damage to the global economy.
His concern, like many other European leaders, has only grown as the U.S. and Iran have yet to come to a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway through which about 20% of the world global oil supply had flowed prior to the start of the war. It has been effectively closed since the conflict began on Feb. 28.
“We are suffering considerably in Germany and in Europe from the consequences of, for example, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” Merz said Wednesday, hours before Trump posted his threat on social media. “And in that regard, I urge that this conflict be resolved.”
Merz added that his government was “on good speaking terms” with the Trump administration.
Trump, for his part, has hardly been containing his frustration with Merz.
On Tuesday, he wrote: “The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” Trump added that it was no surprise “that Germany is doing so poorly, both economically and in other respects!”



https://twitter.com/x/status/2049639012839698434
 
UtakataNoAnnex said:
...there's lots of things I can say about SCOTUS, but I am pretty sure all of them are unconstitutional. Although, I don't think they give a flying rat's arse about The Constitution..outside things that might serve their own best interests. 6-3, that is. /bleah
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In case anyone was wondering what I was rambling on about...

www.theguardian.com

US supreme court ‘demolishes’ Voting Rights Act, gutting provision that prevented racial discrimination

Justices rule in landmark decision Louisiana must redraw congressional map, largely killing major civil rights law
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

...tldr, the Supreme Court (6-3) errs on the side of racism when it comes to voting rights in the US. I can't begin to tell you how awful this is.
 
  • Angry
Reactions: PL1
thettctransitfanatic said:
Iran war: Trump mulling reducing U.S. troop presence in Germany

Trump says that he's is weighing reducing American troop presence in Germany after Iran fued​


U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday leveled a new threat against NATO ally Germany, suggesting he could soon reduce the U.S. military presence there as he continues to feud with Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the U.S-Israel war against Iran.
Trump made the threat after Merz earlier this week said that the U.S. was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized Washington’s lack of strategy in the war. Trump has also repeatedly railed against NATO for the alliance’s refusal to assist the U.S. in its two-month-old war.
“The United States is studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time,” Trump said in a social media post.
Merz had said earlier Wednesday that his personal relationship with Trump remained “as good as ever,” but he had “had doubts from the very beginning about what was started there with the war in Iran.”
During his first term in the White House, Trump also moved to cut U.S. troops in Germany because he said the country spent too little on defense.
In June 2020, Trump announced he was going to pull out about 9,500 of the roughly 34,500 U.S. troops who were then stationed in Germany, but the process never actually started. Democratic President Joe Biden formally stopped the planned withdrawal soon after taking office in 2021.
The U.S. has several major military facilities in the country, including the headquarters for U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, Ramstein Air Base and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the largest American hospital outside the United States.
Merz met with Trump at the White House in March, just days after the U.S. and Israel began their bombardment of Iran. At the time, Merz told Trump that Germany was eager to work with the U.S. on a strategy for when the current Iranian government no longer exists. Merz also expressed concern that an extended conflict could do great damage to the global economy.
His concern, like many other European leaders, has only grown as the U.S. and Iran have yet to come to a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the critical waterway through which about 20% of the world global oil supply had flowed prior to the start of the war. It has been effectively closed since the conflict began on Feb. 28.
“We are suffering considerably in Germany and in Europe from the consequences of, for example, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” Merz said Wednesday, hours before Trump posted his threat on social media. “And in that regard, I urge that this conflict be resolved.”
Merz added that his government was “on good speaking terms” with the Trump administration.
Trump, for his part, has hardly been containing his frustration with Merz.
On Tuesday, he wrote: “The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” Trump added that it was no surprise “that Germany is doing so poorly, both economically and in other respects!”



https://twitter.com/x/status/2049639012839698434
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@kEiThZ I'll defer to your expertise but I don't see this as a bad thing.

Europe can defend itself. This isn't the cold war where they need to defend West Berlin or worry about the iron curtain
 
Richard White said:
Europe can defend itself. This isn't the cold war where they need to defend West Berlin or worry about the iron curtain
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Russia couldn't even take on 2022's Ukraine, let alone the fighting powerhouse Ukraine is today. With dramatic increases in military spending in Poland, Germany, the Baltic Reps, etc.

I think Europe is safe without America, and in fact the military collapse of Russia and the moral collapse of America presents Europe with a once in a century opportunity to ask the USA to leave entirely.
 
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Admiral Beez said:
Russia couldn't even take on 2022's Ukraine, let alone the fighting powerhouse Ukraine is today. With dramatic increases in military spending in Poland, Germany, the Baltic Reps, etc.

I think Europe is safe without America, and in fact the military collapse of Russia and the moral collapse of America presents Europe with a once in a century opportunity to ask the USA to leave entirely.
Click to expand...
So Trump may not be the only one to end NATO?
 
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Admiral Beez said:
Russia couldn't even take on 2022's Ukraine, let alone the fighting powerhouse Ukraine is today. With dramatic increases in military spending in Poland, Germany, the Baltic Reps, etc.

I think Europe is safe without America, and in fact the military collapse of Russia and the moral collapse of America presents Europe with a once in a century opportunity to ask the USA to leave entirely.
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Trump may not end NATO but I can see it transitioning into an EU defence force. I can see it leading to more of a Warsaw Pact situation.

Countries around the world are seeing the headaches involved with the US at the moment and likely want out. It is more hassle than it is worth getting involved with them and easier to send them packing.

Don't be surprised if the US Miltary has a much smaller global footprint moving forward.
 
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thettctransitfanatic said:
View attachment 733054
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I highly doubt that any of the arab states would be ok with that.

The Gulf states like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, etc have power and influence. This is not like the Gulf of Mexico where a large chunk is bordered by the US.

If Trump tried to pull a stunt like that it would backfire on him in a second.
 
Richard White said:
I highly doubt that any of the arab states would be ok with that.

The Gulf states like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, etc have power and influence. This is not like the Gulf of Mexico where a large chunk is bordered by the US.

If Trump tried to pull a stunt like that it would backfire on him in a second.
Click to expand...
It's a troll, for domestic consumption. Only Americans have changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico.
 
hw621 said:
So Trump may not be the only one to end NATO?
Click to expand...
NATO was founded as a counter to the USSR and what would later become the Warsaw Pact (USSR + Poland, East Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia). The USSR is gone, and the rest of the former Warsaw Pact are now EU and NATO members. Russia itself is in economic, demographic and now military collapse. Meanwhile there are no assurances that the USA will abide by Article 5 of the NATO treaty to come to any member's aid. So, what's the point of NATO? A European defence pact, likely including Canada may have more legs.
 

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Admiral Beez said:
NATO was founded as a counter to the USSR and what would later become the Warsaw Pact (USSR + Poland, East Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Czechoslovakia). The USSR is gone, and the rest of the former Warsaw Pact are now EU and NATO members. Russia itself is in economic, demographic and now military collapse. Meanwhile there are no assurances that the USA will abide by Article 5 of the NATO treaty to come to any member's aid. So, what's the point of NATO? A European defence pact, likely including Canada may have more legs.
Click to expand...
On the flip side, Canada needs to be in a defense pact. Obviously, on our own, we can defend ourselves from anyone...
 
Richard White said:
I highly doubt that any of the arab states would be ok with that.

The Gulf states like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, etc have power and influence. This is not like the Gulf of Mexico where a large chunk is bordered by the US.

If Trump tried to pull a stunt like that it would backfire on him in a second.
Click to expand...
Trump (and the US) can name whatever they want. The rest of the world will ignore them.
 
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