I repeat: Article Five is not worth much under these people. Act accordingly. “Vance on Thursday night suggested that the Trump admin could reconsider its military presence in Germany, tying continued…defense commitments to Berlin’s stance on free speech” www.politico.eu/article/vanc... - ThreadSky

shashj.bsky.social • 1 day ago

I repeat: Article Five is not worth much under these people. Act accordingly. “Vance on Thursday night suggested that the Trump admin could reconsider its military presence in Germany, tying continued…defense commitments to Berlin’s stance on free speech” https://www.politico.eu/article/vance-floats-us-troop-withdrawal-from-germany-over-free-speech-concerns/

Comments

stevenmatheson.bsky.social•1 day ago

MUSK: Unless Germany allows the Nazi's back in power, we will pull our troops out of the country causing massive economic and geopolitical carnage and unwinding America's positive influence over the post WWII western world.

docmoulton.bsky.social•1 day ago

Nazi fucks

delec1.bsky.social•1 day ago

The usa can just hope it never get's into an armed conflict with china and it's allies, because Europe may just decide that it's not worth it to run all the way over there to help.

davehaterofracism.bsky.social•1 day ago

Firstly we need to stop helping the USA defend its genocidal partner Israel.

delec1.bsky.social•1 day ago

Absolutely!

It is absolutely disgusting what israel is doing and the usa is a complicent enabler with financing and weapons shipments.

noxah.bsky.social•1 day ago

Europe should act now as if the US isn't there anymore. Self create the urgency and own the problem so US will lose its power over Europe asap. Don't EVER lower our standards.

jnievele.bsky.social•1 day ago

Would be a shame if something happened to Ramstein AB, Like White noise jamming on the drone control bands, or 99 Luftballons in front of the runway...

andreashopf.bsky.social•1 day ago

America is now our enemy.

clintpup.bsky.social•1 day ago

This is pathetic. Love to end longstanding mutually beneficial alliances just to benefit the president’s biggest donor who also happens to be a drug-addled Nazi.

cdnhelp.bsky.social•23 hours ago

Awesome. They are just a waste of skin anyway

enki555.bsky.social•20 hours ago

Time for Europe to go its own way

galatians522.bsky.social•1 day ago

Everyone loves to work w a bully and asshole that tries to shake you down - I hope more countries take the approach of Canada and tell the Clown Team in the WH to screw off.

vegavannah.bsky.social•1 day ago

It’s cuz they booed the drunk.

mteague.bsky.social•1 day ago

Wondering how alienating 36k active duty works in Trump's favor.

rwclouseiii.bsky.social•17 hours ago

don’t link to politico atricles!

rwclouseiii.bsky.social•17 hours ago

what the fuck is this garbage article? did you guys read this?

shashj.bsky.social•1 day ago

One day the US is going to discover how difficult & expensive it is to project military power around the world without the benefit of enormous bases and logistical hubs in Germany.

groundloop.bsky.social•1 day ago

US bases are in the West of Germany. Close to the frontlines if Switzerland were to attack. Certainly not unimportant for NATO, but also a hub for operations in the Middle East. If the US wants to give that up, not sure who loses more.

hitchinmark24.bsky.social•1 day ago

I wonder if the Canadians will think that the DEW line / North Warning System is still viable when the USA is threatening occupation?

groundloop.bsky.social•1 day ago

Probably there are many others wondering at the moment, eg. all the countries in the PRC Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere (before all Taiwan, but also South Korea, Japan, Philippines, etc.). Saw this only today how Chinese warships have been shooting around between Australia and New Zealand.

marschallvonnafo.bsky.social•1 day ago

The US. The time to fly into the Pacific theatre is far longer from the US West coast than from Ramstein/Germany! Logistics is the key to every military operation.

groundloop.bsky.social•1 day ago

I remember such threats from the first term. That's why I knew where the bases are and why it is not in the interest of US either. Unfortunately, the second term is like "burn it all down," so I expect them to do the stupid this time around.

groundloop.bsky.social•1 day ago

The only good thing about it might be that it would jolt Germany out of its complacency.

stephenbln.bsky.social•12 hours ago

Oh dear. Nothing worse than a Russian bot that imagines it's winning. Germany possesses one thing that makes it superior to many others. Its minds, the thought process. How to do and build things. Russians only ever can destroy, never build anything worthwhile. Hence the poverty of its people.

marschallvonnafo.bsky.social•1 day ago

"Burn the bridges to light my way"... He wouldn't find his way if he lit whole New York City. But still dangerous for all citizens of the US and around the world. Doesn't understand the fundamentals of a deal. That is trust. He only knows extortion and betrayal.
Have to go afk. See you, cheers mate.

tavamamma69.bsky.social•11 hours ago

Too bad this day was not 9/12

pollytitian.bsky.social•1 day ago

The US talks about its defence spending as if it’s solely to defend Europe, when they have been the most interventionist military on earth for decades. Nothing to do with Europe. They spend what they want for their own power.

lovesdaryl.bsky.social•18 hours ago

Is there a breakdown of how much of this defense spending stays in the US, benefiting the US economy, by going to US defense contractors? All those planes tanks guns are developed and manufactured in the US.

pollytitian.bsky.social•4 hours ago

I think this is also what is driving Trump’s retreat from NATO. Europe will have to increase its defence spending & he assumes we’ll have to buy US arms. If there is a way for European manufacturers to fill the gap, we should boycott US suppliers.

lovesdaryl.bsky.social•4 hours ago

We absolutely should. The US is no longer an ally and needs to be treated accordingly. We wouldn’t buy arms from Russia or China either. An increase in European domestic defense spending would benefit our economy the way US defense spending has benefited theirs.

adriana1o5.bsky.social•20 hours ago

Repeat after me kids….

ALLIES ARE ASSETS

(these people are ignorant & dangerous)

happyrumrunner.bsky.social•1 day ago

That's what I keep saying. The counterpunch should be that without the US serving as a guarantor for European peace, Germany would reconsider the justifiability and purpose of US bases there. 1/2

happyrumrunner.bsky.social•1 day ago

That, of course, would carry way more weight if not only Germany took that stance but unison also Spain, Italy, Poland and in particular the UK where the US military has other footprints in Europe. 2/2

jasft.bsky.social•1 day ago

One day soon.

halfbrickmccurdy.bsky.social•1 day ago

Given the scale of Hegseth's proposed cuts to and the reorientation of US military spending, it's difficult to envisage the US military presence in the EU/UK not being significantly reduced, which makes Vance's threats kinda dumb.
https://www.npr.org/2025/02/20/nx-s1-5303947/hegseth-trump-defense-spending-cuts

erikdeh.bsky.social•1 day ago

And broader, in Europe. Or do Vance and Trump think about hubs in Russia and the Gazastrip🙃😵‍💫

technicalsquirrel.bsky.social•1 day ago

Bold of you to assume the US is going to learn anything.

volkr.bsky.social•1 day ago

And how many wounded/injured US military members will unnecessary die without Landstuhl hospital...

chrismwheeler.bsky.social•23 hours ago

And do you think that the President who considers them suckers for joining the military will care?

henryrpringle2.bsky.social•1 day ago

My thoughts, totally no evidence. That's what Trump wants to use the Gaza Strip for. USA sovereign base on the edge of Europe, great place for both sea and air base. Central for control of both Europe and Middle east, maybe even the Arabia.

julibluesky.bsky.social•1 day ago

US does not need Gaza for this, pink = US mil bases

henryrpringle2.bsky.social•1 day ago

True, But firstly we were talking about bases in Europe, UK Germany, Italy, maybe Turkey.. Second These other bases are not normally sovereign USA territory, which was my point. I'm fully aware of the reach of the USA armed forces.

gilliancarrin.bsky.social•1 day ago

Not quite on point from me - sorry - but there are a lot of German-engineered components in military hardware e.g. tanks/Robert Bosch.

rmcgil.bsky.social•1 day ago

But Shashank don’t worry we’ll just use rockets for everything /s

tomek-here.bsky.social•1 day ago

Rockets? Rockets are woke DEI bullshit! Only cheap (to make, not buy for the US military) drones made by Thiel & Luckey can successfully project US mil power

martinsaysmoin.bsky.social•1 day ago

Yes, very helpful to have a huge medical complex in Germany to evacuate injured soldiers to. Largest outside of the US.

stevehuntsman.bsky.social•1 day ago

On that day, the US (with a military in deeper disrepair and less adequately resourced than the Bundeswehr today) will apply for the EUAFs Partnership for Peace program and only the Hungarians will support it

Not sure if I am joking or not

locopells.bsky.social•1 day ago

Works for me...

billpark.bsky.social•1 day ago

The US is also seeking to cut defence spending. So maybe it is giving up on the global projection of military power - pretty much where it was until the Cold War, isolationism only interrupted by its reluctant and late entries into WW1 and WW2.

4one6ix.bsky.social•1 day ago

Can the USA maintain reserve currency status without that force projection?

bexone.bsky.social•19 hours ago

A) is anything ELSE they’re doing helpful for maintaining reserve currency status?

B) let’s find out!

tenitchyfingers.bsky.social•1 day ago

God I hope so. I really fucking hope the US is gonna start minding its own business and stop trying to control the rest of us. Fuck yeah. Oh my god I’m gonna pray so hard for that. 🙏

thesetimesride.bsky.social•14 hours ago

Subsidised too.

https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence/news/germany-spent-over-1-billion-to-cover-costs-linked-to-us-troops-presence/

2000manbelfast.bsky.social•1 day ago

Looking forward to them flying across the Atlantic and ... oops sorry - can't pit stop in Ireland

kashmiroutside.bsky.social•1 day ago

Manchurian Candidate: a person who is not loyal to, or who harms, their own country or political party because they are under the control or influence of another country or party
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/manchurian-candidate#google_vignette

stephaniemac.bsky.social•1 day ago

Or having an early warning system without Fylingdales and Menwith Hill, plus Alert in Canada

bafriedman.bsky.social•1 day ago

There are a lot of incoming admin folks that will view the inability to project military power around the world as a feature, not a bug.

jsaquella.bsky.social•1 day ago

That’s pretty much why Putin got Trump elected

4one6ix.bsky.social•1 day ago

I wonder what the Israel hawks will have to say about that.

4one6ix.bsky.social•1 day ago

Abandoning Europe means abandoning Israel.

davidjorgonson.bsky.social•1 day ago

I think Putin & his agents in the Trump admin are OK with that. Some Israelis might like Putin, but he's an Iranian ally.

pointlessmusings.bsky.social•1 day ago

Perhaps there friends in the Afd can facilitate.

rramjet.bsky.social•20 hours ago

They will find themselves rather alone except for maybe Russia.

mrsvsmegma.bsky.social•12 hours ago

Hopefully they will also learn how difficult and expensive it is to do that without bases in other ex-ally nations.

We should be giving them notice to leave the likes of Diego Garcia, Ascension Island, Lakenheath and Mildenhall.

jussijk.bsky.social•1 day ago

Israel might be a little bit worried too. In addition to logistical hubs in Europe you need permission to use the airspace of a lot of countries unless you want to fly around Gibraltar.

pollytitian.bsky.social•1 day ago

Trump won’t care about national airspace of sovereign European nations.

jussijk.bsky.social•1 day ago

What do you mean won't care? Entering the airspace of a sovereign nation is not something you can do without permission. Not even the US can do that.

pollytitian.bsky.social•23 hours ago

You think? I don’t believe there is any rule Trump will not be prepared to break. What would the country do? Shoot them down? If they did, Trump would claim it was unprovoked aggression, punish the country & use it as an excuse to get even closer to Putin.

jussijk.bsky.social•23 hours ago

I'm 100% certain a country like for instance France wouldn't hesitate to shoot them down.

mcgeo99.bsky.social•1 day ago

They can if you wager that nobody will have the balls to shoot them down. Which is probably a good bet, regrettably.

pollytitian.bsky.social•23 hours ago

Exactly.

s3rp86.bsky.social•1 day ago

Sure guys you're closing down your massive Hub Ramstein because we don't let our Nazi pedophile into government unlike what the US dipshits did.

s3rp86.bsky.social•1 day ago

A shitton of US drone operators are sitting in Germany for drone well not anywhere close to Europe. You wanna close that ? Sure be my guest.

humanity101.bsky.social•1 day ago

MAGA could care less. Once their Tangerine 🍊 leader passes away …. It’ll get interesting 🤔

birddecentralise.bsky.social•1 day ago

Trump is working for Putin. He knows but he must obey his master. Just like the cuck Republican Party has to obey their king.

oldhobbit.bsky.social•1 day ago

And the cost and hassle of the drawdown. It will take years and require so much air and sea and land transport. Afghanistan drawdown took 18 months even after Trump had halved troop numbers.

gstadt.bsky.social•23 hours ago

And that's the rub, do they appreciate they diminish themselves with every word they utter on this? Their power diminishes every day

standbyukraine.bsky.social•1 day ago

You think most likely security guarantee is an EU country having a small garrison in Kharkiv, Chernihiv, sumy, zaparozhia, and kramatorsk? Or farther back?

adamcain.bsky.social•1 day ago

*cough* Diego Garcia *cough*

justinhaugens.bsky.social•1 day ago

That is not the same at all.

justinhaugens.bsky.social•1 day ago

This insinuation of yours is even worse realizing it’s further southeast than I thought.

adamcain.bsky.social•1 day ago

I think you may be drawing the wrong insinuation here.

I’m not suggesting the USA could use Diego Garcia as an alternative to Germany.

I’m noting that US projection depends on use of lots of facilities owned by other sovereign nations, quite a few of whom they are currently insulting publicly.

justinhaugens.bsky.social•1 day ago

Ok I take that back. They think they, by default, are superior so they may taunt anybody and everybody for “leverage.” Then again maybe they don’t want to project military power and this is their way out.

clarenafo.bsky.social•1 day ago

At some point, too, the US will have alienated all of its true allies. But it will be too late by then.

julesrocks64.bsky.social•15 hours ago

That’s now.

jazminoideez.bsky.social•1 day ago

And their international naval bases, it looks like there's one in Canada :-).

thechemist.bsky.social•1 day ago

Unfortunately, Trump is a narcissistic sociopath (medical definition), so he can’t really plan ahead in the normal sense. And those around him are pre-selected to be willing to follow all orders.

funkytramp.bsky.social•1 day ago

The USA needs the base. For Germany it is just a welcoming employer that creates jobs.

elmtree213.bsky.social•1 day ago

I wonder if they make similar "free speech" demands for those bases in, say... Saudi Arabia?

realworldrj.bsky.social•1 day ago

The couchfucker is complaining because nazis and nazi-talk are outlawed in Germany while they are flourishing here.

davehaterofracism.bsky.social•1 day ago

Yes both Bannon and Musk would get arrested in Germany for doing Nazi salutes.

jean-salvati.bsky.social•1 day ago

Agreed (FWIW)

https://bsky.app/profile/jean-salvati.bsky.social/post/3liowzpdsy22y

nato-enthusiast.bsky.social•1 day ago

Trump has gone far beyond 'transactional'. He's actively extortionate

jean-salvati.bsky.social•1 day ago

True

jerommeke.bsky.social•8 hours ago

Just get them back then. I'd rather have clarity then this half assed threats. Let's be honest: nobody in Europe is counting on the USA at this time. Just make it official.

midshipnews.bsky.social•23 hours ago

All the gears no Ideas!!
Never been so true

davesmithskvn.bsky.social•1 day ago

Has anyone in Denmark suggested that their approach to free speech means the US must immediately leave Thule?

ter-angreal.bsky.social•18 hours ago

They seem to think that usa will survive on its own if something happens. Usa does not need help from other Nato countries either. Well, now that all the files are open, all security staff is kicked out and cheetos has pissed of half of the world there might be a chance of test the theory.

thesetimesride.bsky.social•14 hours ago

Germany spends millions on US military bases. Better to get them out if they use it to blackmail.

The Trump administration’s most overt anti-press freedom moves have been direct threats and restrictions against journalists and their outlets.

https://rsf.org/en/one-month-trump-press-freedom-under-siege

sababausa.bsky.social•1 day ago

“Withdrawal over free speech concerns” sure is a funny way of saying “exploiting our military capabilities in direct support of local fascist partisans”

ennagroningen.bsky.social•1 day ago

Lots of dicks swinging over there..

tenitchyfingers.bsky.social•1 day ago

The US military empire can’t fall apart fast enough. Fuck yeah man

davehaterofracism.bsky.social•1 day ago

President Musk is planning to cut the Pentagon budget by 40% over *5 years

* yes FIVE they have no intention on relinquishing power in 4 years time.

danielhaknsson.bsky.social•1 day ago

He's not the one passing the budgets though.. We are going to see the limits of impoundment quite soon.

gregden.bsky.social•21 hours ago

But X Æ A-Xii told the idiot to shush his mouth?

phleveilley.bsky.social•1 day ago

US withdrawing troops from Germany would be excellent news for Europe. A wake-up call with iced water

davidjwbailey.bsky.social•1 day ago

Mob shakedown

-

Once you see that, the rest makes sense

thetrevelyan.bsky.social•1 day ago

NATO relied on cooperation and trust so it's essentially dead, this is a historical moment and Russia's greatest victory since WW2.

Unbelievable.

Hopefully some new European alliance spurts out of this. If not then it's over completely

heepst.bsky.social•1 day ago

Dear Germany, don't give an inch. Not one centimeter.

You don't really have their support now either. They have no leverage.

diphda.bsky.social•22 hours ago

USA is not a reliable partner or even friend.

When white supremacist is vice-president free speech does not count, when he is able to attack his own Justice department and court systems.

theangelofhistory.bsky.social•1 day ago

They may try to make the commitment conditional on payments

everythingistolong.bsky.social•16 hours ago

oleichristensen.bsky.social•1 day ago

JD Vance is too stupid to understand the seriousness of the situation.

If just America had an adult as vicepresident…

adamcain.bsky.social•1 day ago

“Free speech"

Latest RSF Index on press freedom. Top 10 all in Europe, Germany at 10. 17 of top 20 in Europe. Highest non-European entry: Canada at 14, then New Zealand at 19 and Timor Leeste (East Timor) 20.

USA at 55 (down from 44 previous year.)

https://rsf.org/en/index

baxtermack.bsky.social•1 day ago

Vance is fine with the NSA verboten list of words, including "feminism" and "women".

eiribu.bsky.social•1 day ago

#VanceIsAShit

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply