This is the most important comment I have heard this week — Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk:
“500 million Europeans are asking 300 million Americans to defend them against 140 million Russians […] Europe, if there is something we lack today, it is not economic or demographic power, but the belief that we are truly a global force.”
I think Tusk hits the bullseye here. Those 140 million Russians are already fully occupied by fighting Ukraine, and our leaders act like we are Liechtenstein.
Also, lingering trauma from WW II, perhaps, where American troops did swoop in and rescue many.
If Europeans are behaving like trauma victims with unresolved fear, might be helpful to help them re-learn to fight back.
@randahl @northernlights I think the trauma of the US joining WW2 so late and only when Pearl Harbour forced their hand (as opposed to joining the fight against fascism on principle) - together with the permanent jingoism of the simplistic ‘we saved your ass’ line makes many in Europe, with any sense of history, feel deeply sceptical about US involvement. It’s deeply disrespectful to those who did fight in WW2 as well - US and others.
Europe needs to wake up now
@JimmyB @randahl @northernlights
WW2 was fought and won by the USSR.
@Wouter_Pieterse @JimmyB @randahl @northernlights WW2 was NOT fought and won by the USSR. It was fought and won with American industry *first and foremost* and with Soviet blood (with significant resources supplied by the US). By far the most effective Soviets were Ukrainians.
@samueljohnson @Wouter_Pieterse @JimmyB @randahl @northernlights
WW2 was won with Soviet soldiers, American industry, and British intelligence. (And also Congolese uranium, but nobody cares about Africa for some reason)
@burnoutqueen @samueljohnson @Wouter_Pieterse @JimmyB @randahl @northernlights More Ukrainian soldiers died fighting the Nazis in WW2 than US, French and English put together.
@mok0 @samueljohnson @Wouter_Pieterse @JimmyB @randahl @northernlights
Ukrainians fought as part of the Red Army, and it was a constituent republic of the USSR.
@burnoutqueen @samueljohnson @Wouter_Pieterse @JimmyB @randahl @northernlights Yep, Ukrainians paid the price on behalf of USSR, even though Stalin had starved 5 million of their family members to death in 1932-33.