Quote:
Originally Posted by Zarley
Pretty crazy that we are nearing the 12th birthday of this thread. We could have designed and built a whole new plane in this time!
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I feel like if we'd done one of those old Top Gear challenges where you buy a complete Fighter Jet in a box I could have probably assembled a couple by now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by btimbit
The defense budget needs a committed increase much like Germany just did, they were kinda the biggest NATO freeloader and finally snapped out of it. I hope we follow suit
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Again though, I do find it odd that we single Germany out about this...its not as though they were 'freeloaders' per se, but rather they, nor most of Europe, really wanted a re-militarized Germany.
The have sat back and let most of the rest of Europe carry that load somewhat, but that has mostly been by design.
Realistically, its the fact that no other European nation has really stepped up to that plate that we're focusing again on Germany where the Germans are realizing that they, rather reluctantly, are going to have to step into this role again.
A major point of the EU was that Germany was supposed to largely be the primary Economic Engine of the EU and most of the rest of the European Nations were supposed to be essentially on equal military footing.