WaPo: Germans wonder why Trump keeps lashing out at them and not Russia/Saudi

[ApatheticAustrian]

 Germans wonder why Trump keeps lashing out at them and not Russia or Saudi Arabia
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/05/30/germans-wonder-why-trump-keeps-lashing-out-at-them-and-not-russia-or-saudi-arabia/?tid=pm_pop&utm_term=.00cafc31e5d4

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[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Remember when he lashed out at China for their ''currency manipulation'' and ''trade scams''

This too shall pass

It's just brain-damaged Trump throwing his monthly temper tantrum

I'd be less concerned (but still very concerned) if it didn't appear that Trump's tantrum's always seem to work generally against US interests, and generally in favor of Russian interests.

[Hindsight was 2020]

Easy because Merkel allowed the most refugees in an became public enemy #1 of the alt-right

[Hermit For Peace]

Welcome to the "who can understand the bumbling orange clown's reasoning for anything" club.

[I Won - Get Over It]

Obama "taped" Merkel's phone, sold weapons for $40 bln to KSA, deported 3 mln illegals, tried to 'reset' relations with Russians and humiliated Hillary.

Trump = Obama 2.0 ❤ ♡ ♥

[ProudModerate2]

trump is just an idiot.
What I would tell the Germans and Europe, is to just hold-on and be patient, and this nightmarish joke-of-a-USA-administration will be over in 3-1/2 years.

[Cashew]

Is 150,000 active duty really acurate for Britain? I had assumed their military had shrink more significantly.

[ApatheticAustrian]

Is 150,000 active duty really acurate for Britain? I had assumed their military had shrink more significantly.

i am quite intrigued by the numbers myself (especially italy) but...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3581019/The-number-active-duty-soldiers-Army-lowest-pre-World-War-II.html

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Obama "taped" Merkel's phone, sold weapons for $40 bln to KSA, deported 3 mln illegals, tried to 'reset' relations with Russians and humiliated Hillary.

Trump = Obama 2.0 ❤ ♡ ♥

So true! This is why they are the two best ever!!

[Sumner 1868]

Funny how everybody has forgotten Merkel is a rigid right-winger just because she had a small clash with Drumpf.

more willing to criticize their country than nations with questionable human rights records.

I found that bit extremely amusing in a dark way.

[Middle-aged Europe]

It does fit a certain pattern... Donald Trump disdains "establishment" politicians (like Angela Merkel), while at the same he has a serious fetish for strongmen like Putin, Duterte, Erdogan etc. Deep down he desires to be a strongman himself.

[ApatheticAustrian]

Funny how everybody has forgotten Merkel is a rigid right-winger

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[Bismarck]

The map is interesting but pretty pointless for the discusion. Merkel is just trying to use anti Trump to help secure her reelection. Same with Macron and his legislative races.

[ApatheticAustrian]

The map is interesting but pretty pointless for the discusion. Merkel is just trying to use anti Trump to help secure her reelection. Same with Macron and his legislative races.

they don't need it, they are both crushing their local opponents anyway.

[Sumner 1868]

Funny how everybody has forgotten Merkel is a rigid right-winger

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Letting some non-white people in doesn't make her "left-wing" or even a centrist.

[ApatheticAustrian]

Letting some non-white people in doesn't make her "left-wing" or even a centrist.

merkel was the most left-wing chancellor germany has ever had before assads's war on his own people even started.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Letting some non-white people in doesn't make her "left-wing" or even a centrist.

merkel was the most left-wing chancellor germany has ever had before assads's war on his own people even started.

Angela Merkel is more left-wing than Willy Brandt?? Mhm...

[ApatheticAustrian]

Angela Merkel is more left-wing than Willy Brandt?? Mhm...

in many ways, ofc but i am going to concede, it depends on the question, which elements of leftism/progressivism you prefer.

[EnglishPete]

Is 150,000 active duty really acurate for Britain? I had assumed their military had shrink more significantly.

Good grief. Isn't that low enough?!

[SoLongAtlas]

Those numbers don't tell the whole picture. Most European forces have become essentially one step above active reservists and have grown accustomed to the US taking point on most defense issues. The UK a few months ago had a debate between MPs over if the defense budget was actually 2% or 1.9%. I watched it it was insane. With the exception of a few good SOF units (UK SAS, SBS, German Kommando units, Intel groups and UK/French air power (primarily those two)) the US is the sole big player in Europe. This needs to change and they need to keep pushing for expanded funding and extensive training so we can stand down some forces. Unfortunately they won't and that is why we are still there and expanding with the new battalions in Poland to hold the line with Russia. Also, the EuroFor is a joke and nowhere near a consolidated European force.

[Cashew]

Is 150,000 active duty really acurate for Britain? I had assumed their military had shrink more significantly.

Good grief. Isn't that low enough?!

I was just asking because I saw some articles say that it had fallen to 80,000 or something similar.

[Simfan34]

Is 150,000 active duty really acurate for Britain? I had assumed their military had shrink more significantly.

i am quite intrigued by the numbers myself (especially italy) but...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3581019/The-number-active-duty-soldiers-Army-lowest-pre-World-War-II.html

Italy's numbers are likely inflated by the inclusion of the Carabineri and the Financial Police. I imagine the same applies to Spain with the Guardia Civil.

But yes, it's a shame that May has not committed to reversing the defence cuts when that would play well with the public aside from making good sense in its own right. I bet she could openly raise defence spending to 3% of GDP. Even Corbyn is slamming her for cutting defence and police spending-- boy, are British politics in a very different place than ours. Brexit should be seen as both motivation and justification for Britain asserting itself more in defence issues and increasing its capacity, making itself indispensable; the goal should be to restore the military to its 1997 levels.

The size of "peace dividend" was overestimated, full stop.

[SoLongAtlas]

Is 150,000 active duty really acurate for Britain? I had assumed their military had shrink more significantly.

Good grief. Isn't that low enough?!

I was just asking because I saw some articles say that it had fallen to 80,000 or something similar.

The British Army had 83, 560 regular soldiers and 29,940 reservists as of 1 April this year. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/597051/Monthly_service_personnel_statistics-_February_2017.pdf

So 113,500 total force. It isn't that bad due to British lack of engagement but it is lower than the 2010 142,000 total force figure.

[Simfan34]

Is 150,000 active duty really acurate for Britain? I had assumed their military had shrink more significantly.

Good grief. Isn't that low enough?!

I was just asking because I saw some articles say that it had fallen to 80,000 or something similar.

The British Army had 83, 560 regular soldiers and 29,940 reservists as of 1 April this year. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/597051/Monthly_service_personnel_statistics-_February_2017.pdf

So 113,500 total force. It isn't that bad due to British lack of engagement but it is lower than the 2010 142,000 total force figure.

That's just the Army. In 2014 the total for all three branches was 159,630. In 2010 it was 191,660 and in 1997 210,800.

[SoLongAtlas]

Sim, the total force numbers would refer in this case to just the Army land forces but spot on with the overall numbers, UK defines overall force (Regular+reserve components) as "UK Service Personnel."