alt Hacker News>Europe is not one country in a list. It's one trade union, that together is bigger than any other economy on your graph.
Wikipedia states the EU is only about 20% of our total trade. Recall that trade itself is a relatively small fraction of our economy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_largest_trading_pa...
So the statement "the US economy is mostly based on integration with the European economy" is astonishingly ignorant and arrogant. If you can't acknowledge that in your next reply, I don't think there is any point in me leaving more comments after this one.
>Every single dimension of American power is based on governments in Europe granting it. I would suggest you stop being so ungrateful before we stop doing so.
This is an extremely bold statement on your part, given Europe's extreme dependence on US weapon systems.
Regarding military bases, I'm evaluating relative to a counterfactual where the US recedes back into isolation. Prior to WW2 we had a policy of avoiding alliances in peacetime. From that perspective, why would we need to project power in Europe... if we weren't defending Europe? We have our own oil now. No need to be in the Middle East anymore. Again, it's Europeans telling me that they're doing me a favor by letting the US defend them for the past 8 decades. Just mind-blowing.
Maybe we should start arming Russia so we'd be competitive with China for status as your "boyfriend".
Here's a life hack. Learn to use Google. You claimed: "You do know American power projection is mostly based on bases on European soil?" Google search for: "What fraction of US military bases are in Europe?"
The answer? 4-5%. Is the claim that American power projection is "mostly" based on bases on European soil prima facie plausible if only 4-5% of our bases are on European soil? Doing a quick Google can help you understand the yawning delta between your beliefs and the facts.
And BTW, I think Trump is a terrible president and I'm quite upset about the whole Greenland thing. But Europeans are the most annoying people in the world, bar none. I'd honestly prefer an alliance with China over an alliance with Europe. Should be a good way to achieve world peace, if nothing else. I care more about peace than "winning" "global dominance".
You're confusing base survival and global dominance. Nobody's saying the US couldn't scrape by by itself, but to keep your current position, you cannot just abandon your allies.
For power projection, it's not just about fractions. Its about geography, it's about networks. Without those 5%, no convenient access to Africa or the Middle East, no global intelligence network, a crippled sanctions mechanism.
Speaking of the Middle East, most of us never wanted you to go there and create one mess after another for us to deal with. From the first time you went, it was always despite protests from Europe. The fact you're trying to frame your adventurism as some sort of favor to us is indicative of the hubris I'm talking about.
You already are conspiring with Russia, throwing fancy parties for our enemies on your soil. Don't think we haven't noticed the Alaskan schmooze-fest.
Finally, you're underestimating the economic ties by being so focused on goods (even though 20% is a huge fraction, imagine what it would mean for any companies revenue to go down by that much!) Think about the website you're on though! Services are not even included in these 20%. Think about the consequences for the tech industry if they lose Europe as customer base!
I don't think Googling some numbers makes up for a lack of systemic reasoning. You are treating your greatest asset as a burden and we do not appreciate it.