Europeans don’t even want negotiations with Putin, because they’ve already decided Putin doesn’t want an end to the war.
In reality, they don’t want an end to the war themselves, because then they’d give Putin what he wants. Their analysis begins and ends with Putin.
Right, ending the war would be a disaster for the current political establishment in Europe. They sold the story that the war could be won easily, and that Russia was on its last legs with Ukraine being on the verge of victory. They told people that all the sacrifices they had to make over the past four years would be worth it because Russia would finally be defeated, and Europe would be triumphant. So, admitting that this was all a folly and that Russia won the war would be existential for these people.
Is this not just them being vassals?
They will invent stories to sell us their war but I don’t believe for a second they do not do anything the US wants.
Even if it destroys us all, economically now, or literally when these maniacs send us to the meat grinder like the ukro proxies.That plays a big part in it as well, but I don’t think they actually see themselves as being vassals. They look down on the US and see Europe as being superior even as Americans run circles around them geopolitically.
This might be true for the French, but I don’t think someone like the German chancellor who worked (kind of still works) for Black Rock looks down on the US. Rather, I think he looks down on Germans and Germany.
The way they let themselves be humiliated, the blowing up of Nordstream, sucking up the tarifs without a peep, and plenty more proves they’re vassals.
They can claim otherwise but they know their place very well. the rest is just theater from politicians, which is their job.
They are not dumb. I also do not believe the EU/US ‘row’ is genuine.
Another play to get us to pay for their war.Oh there’s no question that they are, but material reality rarely enters into the world of liberal politics. :)
That’s not necessarily my impression. Sure, Europe pushed out stories about how Russia is on its last legs, but there was also continuous hysteria around the notion that if Ukraine doesn’t win the war, Putin would go on to invade Europe. They frame this war as existential and that we ought to be very afraid.
Of course, this hysteria serves as propaganda for the profits of weapon manufacturers, so there’s a capitalist component to this as well.
That’s been what the narrative transitioned to over the past couple of years when it became clear that there wasn’t going to be an easy win. Initially they were all in a state of euphoria that they were finally going to take Russia down, then as the years past it turned more towards hysteria.
I honestly don’t remember the euphoria when the war began. Maybe because I’ve heard nothing but hysteria for so many years.
Recall Russia pulling chips out of washing machines, rouble being rubble, and all the other statements from the EU in the first year. They really thought that once the west put on maximum sanctions pressure then Russian economy would collapse. Nobody thought Ukraine would actually defeat Russia on the front lines, Ukraine was supposed to just hold on long enough for the sanctions to do their job, and for Russia to have a 90s style collapse.
not to mention Germany wants to make sure to replace their failed automotive sector with an arms sector, just like the US did in the 1980s
Except they’re not the US and can’t use military might to force everyone to use their currency. So they’ll just deindustrialize even faster than the US.
Good point
Which is also failing marvelously.
How’s it going Rheinmetall?
this meme could be 15 minutes or 15 years old
