Subject: Re: More EU views on the trade deal
To make sure that their bargain with the U.S. - we supply a huge part of the defense in exchange for being in charge of Europe's military theater - holds up. Which is the smart thing for them to do.

Of course it is. We pay the bills and all they have to do is generously provide a couple of acres here and there for US troops to hang out. What's not to love?

If we break that bargain, as we seem to be doing? How are we in any way breaking that bargain?

We'll get to stop providing a huge part of their defense, but then they'll develop their own full-bore military capacity, and almost certainly stop letting us be in charge of Europe's military theater going forward. Which....seems like a bad thing for us?

They don't have the bucks or the political will for that.

Do you really see Germany suddenly rearming and goose stepping across Europe in the next 100 years?