US ambassador slams 'Made in Europe’ defence push as ‘self-interest'
With something like this, we know we are on the right track.
https://www.euronews.com/2026/09/30/us-ambassador-slams-eus-buy-european-weapons-push-as-self-interestOpen linkView original on lemmy.world
46 replies
I don't believe for a second the man fails to see the hypocrisy - he and his masters exercise hypocrisy like a muscle.
If I read this comment last year I would have responded that they are fucking with us, saying insane bullshit to draw attention. Nowadays I am just convinced that they are idiots, somehow western institutions of all stripes have managed to draw in the most inane people possible. I don't think this man or Trump can be hypocritical, they just lack the cognitive capacity to be consistent.
I've learned to split my assessment between followers and authoritarians. The followers tend to be like that, good at compartmentalizing and kinda just plain dumb, but the authoritarians follow a more dark triad pattern. Fairly normal intelligence, on the low end - but definitely smart enough to know they're getting away with something.
The followers are also authoritarians, that's why they follow.
The leaders aren't just authoritarian, they're also high on social dominance. That why they seek leadership.
theauthoritarians.org
I wasn't using the right word - but I've read the book. We're on the same page
What's that?
The meme?
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/its-afraid
Yep, thanks.
I mean yeah it is ‘self-interest’, that’s not a gotcha. This is what the US wanted, Europe taking more control over their defence. Maybe if they hadn’t been so aggressive and stupid in their approach, countries would have continued buying US weapons.
Absolutly a self own by Trump
Buying more US weapons, not developing their own... Read the fine prints for hell's sake 😜
The problem is that Republicans have demonstrated that they are perfectly fine having a leader who will just whip out sanctions left and right, often for no readily apparent reason. Continuing to rely on US manufactured weapons constitutes an unacceptable national security risk, because at any point support for those weapon systems maybe withdrawn.
They should have maybe thought about this before letting the international skid mark loose.
Defending oneself is one of the most basic forms of self-interest. It's in the fucking name.
"Spend more on defense!"
...
"Wait, not like that!"
Exactly. Spend more mantra was so transparent from the get go.
hahahahahahahaaaa
Weren't they just bitching about Europe not having their own defense and relying too much on the US?
Yes, but they don't actually want Europe to be able to defend itself, they want European money to buy American weapons
Um... yes?
Well yeah. That's how it's supposed to work isn't it, capitalism?
It's protectionism, and it doesn't work.
Protecting against hostile actions taken by the US United States?
Protectionism doesn't work whoever applies it. America has tried this before. The EU's single market is protectionist as well.
Free market capitalism doesn't work either, because the invisible hand doesn't work. So regulated capitalism, which you seem to be conflating with protectionism, mitigate the downsides of capitalism and isolationism to give something that isn't as bad as either.
True. But free trade works. Tariffs like the US is using and non tariff barriers like the EU use doesn't.
It's made even worse when you add austerity because that reduces your internal single market trade as well.
Free trade is not the same thing as free market capitalism. Canada and the US had a free trade deal for decades, but there were still limits on what or how much could be traded, and still had tariffs on some things (mainly agricultural products) even when they had a free trade agreement.
That was my point. Protectionism reduces comparative advantage.
Well, surely he is an expert on the topic of self-interest.
Left hand - right hand, meet.
LOL, "how dare you MEGA!"
Ohhh man, thats too good. Our hats are made in the EU, not "chyna"
This makes me so happy!
They fucked around and now they’re finding out. I mean what did Americans think electing the „America first!!1“ guy as president would look to the rest of the world anyway?
I guess many of them weren‘t really aware there was a whole world out there but still. Deep down they know other countries do exist and can see what‘s happening in the USofA.
Countries and Unions acting in self interest is pretty much the default anyway but the current US administration built their entire propaganda machine on that premise. The world watched and drew their conclusions. Especially after the orange turd got the middle east all clogged up.
I'm stealing that.
Other countries were also supposed to put America first. No fair!!!
You mean like with the "made in america" push and the aggressive taxing?
Ah, yes, the duality of USA's foreign policy w.r.t to the EU: We want you to pay (us) more and take on more responsibility for your own defense, but only in such a way that we still get to keep all our soft and hard power over you.
This may have become more obvious under Trump, but this is nothing new to anyone paying attention since the late 90s / early 00s.
It's really something, them talking about "self-interest"
What the US is exhibiting is 'billionaire interest' to be frank. It's certainly not what is in the best interests of the whole or even the vast majority of the country. Sigh. Please bear with us as we get rid of this fascist infection. And remember fascism doesn't respect borders.
"slams"?
We need to start writing these articles in a different tone. Instead of "slams" say stuff like "US ambassador compliments the EU for getting more independent" etc
First Usa has sailed further and further away from it's allies and from the whole "western" world.
Now they look at us and recognize that we are far away?
[nasal voice over intercom] Has patient number 13 reveived his sedatives yet?