There are going to be a lot of Reds in German jails this weekend!
I do wonder whether the US needs to establish a āsecond republicā as the current checks and balances appear to be in tatters.
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Does the EU have enough people of age for an increase of armed force to be really viable ?
Especially when the countries there do not seem to agree with each other at all.
Brexit spelt the death of the EU as well too. Itās just on artificial ventilation now.
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I donāt doubt that the EU (and their constituent states) have the technology for modern warfare. Ahead than Russia at any rate.
But warfare is still about manpower. Do they have that manpower ?
I for one think that more people should call Trumpās bluff. If more countries do show that gumption and solidarity instead of bending over one by one for petty scraps , it will make the US climb down.
I donāt know how easy it is for countries in EU to establish relations with China considering that the equation between Russia and China has essentially flipped. Itās China that Russia needs more. Whether itās access to semiconductors or other mass manufactured weapons.
The EU engaging with BRICS countries knowing that Russia is a part of that isnāt going to be easy negotiation for the European countries. Even if it is to oppose US.
In this sense , the EU find themselves in no manās land. They have spent so much of time embedding themselves into the US stratosphere that for them to start dealing with other countries like China require some time. Time that the EU doesnāt have.
Look at Ukraine. Itās a European country of roughly 40m inhabitants. How long have they already resisted to the Russian invasion on themselves, just with some armament coming from the US, and some little scraps coming from the EU?
There you have your answer. Manpower will be there if needed.
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Plenty of unemployed and apparently migrants to fill open spaces. The question is are they willing to work?
I would disagree. The EU faces some huge challenges, not least from an atavist right wing nationalism (which for now is represented only by Hungary), but fundamental interests are there. Getting rid of Britainās centrifugal effect has shifted the balance away from the Atlantic focus, I would suggest Trump just finished the job.
In terms of manpower, Russia is far worse off. They are in full blown demographic crisis. Their loss of male population as casualties during the war with Ukraine has exceeded all male births. That is staggering.
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Sure. Valid point.
But Ukraineās population as of now is 28m. It was 40m before the Russian war. How long are the guns manned when there are no people left to man them ?
A routine inspection of Ukraineās demographics shows that there arenāt enough men in the 22-42 age bracket anymore. Thatās what war does.
How do the EUās demographics w.r.t age look like now ? And it will be quite difficult for people living in Spain for example to be mobilized to fighting an enemy in Ukranian Lands.
What about Switzerland? Staying neutral again?
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I would agree with this. Russia has lost a significant chunk of its male population.
I donāt think these latest posts are related to this thread enough. Wouldnāt this discussion be better carried out in the EU thread?
@mods?
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Just stating that the EU might find themselves not war ready in terms of manpower and would be forced to accede to the US demands.
Am alright for this to be taken over to the EU thread , but one of Trumpās demands is that the NATO countries spend more on defense. How are they going to do what without substantially increasing their troop size ?
I would love for blue states to secede from the USA, and become an independent union/entity, but the problem is that there is not a contiguous group of blue states that include California and New York. Those two would have to included in any break off plan between blue and red states.
Also, this regime (call it what it is) would never stand for that, as Cali and NY contribute the bulk of the federal budget. A large group of red states left to their own devices would collapse economically.
As much as Iād love to see it, that would certainly trigger another civil war. We may be headed towards civil war anyway.
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European buying of American military equipment. Iām guessing this slows.
https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1891278860714430540?s=46&t=o3XUPKxiqJH7KZYdWMCtqg
There are a few cities in the South, Louisville and Birmingham really spring to mind from my experience, that really show the limitation of thinking about the Blue/Red division occurring at the state level. Just as much as spending time in Orange County CA does in the other direction. Create a Federation of Liberal States and its population would still be 40% MAGA.
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I was thinking more about revisiting the constitution, in a similar way to how France has when it was failing politically.
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Unpossible, Jesus gave the Constitution to George Washington. What else do you want? To eliminate one of the 10 commandments?
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