German defense minister to Macron: EU depends on US security guarantee

[Berkut]

I am wondering when someone will say "Does the US REALLY need 12 carriers???"

Well, the plan says that the US can't afford 12 carriers (long-term, it plans for 9-10 depending on the specific year) and you really don't want your ships driven so hard that they come back from 208 days straight at sea and looking like this:

Seems like 9 would be good. That would allow 6 to be at sea consistently, right?

[Threviel]

3 at sea, 3 training or preparing or whatever and 3 in refit.

So 9 would allow 3 constantly at sea, with the possibility to surge a few more in a crisis.

[grumbler]

It's not really "3 at sea" but, rather, "3 deployable."  As Threviel notes, 1/3 are in the yards, just back from deployment, while 1/3 are working up for deployment after having come out of the yards.

[Threviel]

For example, one carrier is needed to train carrier capable pilots, there are AFAIK no pure training carrier, so one of nukes have to do it.

[Sheilbh]

Benjamin Haddad - a French thinktanker has been fairly scathing on this noting that the country in Europe with the closest current defence relationship and cooperation with the US is actually France.  I broadly agree with this tweet: "Rebranding European free riding and lackluster defense spending as a love declaration to America, "the only security provider of Europe" is political and marketing genius. Many American policymakers are so terrified of the long-term effects of Trump that they're ready to buy it."

[Sheilbh]

Not sure where else to put this but this is bonkers polling NATO members on whether their neighbouring countries have territory that really belongs to them:


I mean Hungary and Greece are not that surprising. Presumably Spain is Gibraltar? I like that Italy is more or less evenly balanced on whether it has any territorial claims - and what are they, Albania?!

The French number I understand because France should be 130 Departments. The UK presumably has an irredentist lot who either want Ireland or Calais back.

Surprised at the number of Canadians and Americans though. I mean with Canada that can only be the US who is illegitimately holding your territory, right?

Edit: Incidentally could get behind UK irredentism for Aquitane

[Duque de Bragança]

That's Aquitaine or Guyenne, not Aquitane (sic). 

As for 130 départements. 

PS: otoh, parts of Normandy are still occupied by the UK. 

[Richard Hakluyt]

Perhaps the Italians want Dalmatia back.

UK figure is a bit strange, people not reconciled to Irish independence  ?

[The Brain]

What's the deal with Sweden? They seem low-energy.

[Duque de Bragança]

Perhaps the Italians want Dalmatia back.

UK figure is a bit strange, people not reconciled to Irish independence  ?

If it were Corsica, lots of French people would agree.  Not so for Nice.
Istria before Dalmatia, though even the latter is unlikely.

[Duque de Bragança]

What's the deal with Sweden? They seem low-energy.

Scania (not the lorries) taken away from Denmark is already too much for them.

[Syt]

I'm guessing for Germany it's the parts that are now Polish or Russian. Still surprised at how many think Germany has claims on neighbors.

[Solmyr]

I'm guessing for Germany it's the parts that are now Polish or Russian. Still surprised at how many think Germany has claims on neighbors.

Cores expire after 150 years, so Germany still has them in those areas until 2095.

[Grey Fox]

Surprised at the number of Canadians and Americans though. I mean with Canada that can only be the US who is illegitimately holding your territory, right?

Don't forget Denmark. Those treacherous bastards.

[Tonitrus]

The Canadians must still be remembering the the Pig War.