Tom Kratman@TKratman
From Martin Iles, reposted:
Having lived in the USA for nearly two years, I've realised something.
The USA and the remainder of the Western world are no longer aligned.
We all laugh and mock when the Americans say, "Freedom!" because we truly think we're as free as they are.
Wrong. We're not. Not even close. The laws, the mindset, and the behaviour, is totally different in this regard.
Most of all, the governments are totally different. The USA's convictions around core freedoms are on a scale we do not share.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump wins the popular vote, the electoral college, the House, and the Senate... a man who, in every other Western country, is held in open derision, if not contempt.
For these and other reasons, we are not the same.
Yet the West, including Australia, fully expect to rely on the USA for our very survival.
If the world turns bad (which will happen - only a question of time), then the whole West, without America, is toast.
So, you may ask - if we're not very aligned ideologically, then it must be that we bring something to the party militarily?
Well, no... actually... we don't matter that much militarily.
The USA has about 470 ships in its navy, including 11 aircraft carriers, 69 submarines, 75 destroyers... plus 110 new ships in the pipeline.
Australia has about 30, including 3 destroyers, 7 frigates and 7 outdated submarines. The UK does a little better, with about 60.
Meanwhile, the US has over 14,000 military aircraft. A staggering number.
Australia has 252 military aircraft. The UK has 556.
The US army has just shy of 1,000,000 uniformed personnel in its military. Australia has about 45,000.
The USA spends 3.4% ($968 billion) of its GDP on defence. Australia spends 2% ($36.4 billion). The US spends as much as the next 15 largest military-spending countries (including China) combined.
The USA has a fighting culture. The men shoot things (a lot) and hunt things, the veterans get favoured in everything from parking spots to boarding planes. A uniformed young man is thanked in the street a dozen times a day.
"Oh, the Americans and their guns!" we say, in our smug way. Yes, they have a warrior culture. We do not. We don't have to, because we're a leech on theirs.
How many young British men are willing to fight for their country? Now ask the same regarding young American men. The difference is about as wide as it could be.
Militarily, we don't offer squat.
Meanwhile, look at the way Australia works against America's interests by loving on China. China made us rich and we stay close. This is a Marxist regime with expansionist aims.
Again, you have to spend time in the USA to realise just how vast a gulf there is between us on China.
Europe, too. They let China have their way everywhere from Germany to Greenland, all the while importing Islam and sending their own people to court for saying hurty words.
Somehow, we have landed the deal of a lifetime with the USA that says, "when the baddies come, you'll save us ok?" Because we can't save ourselves.
And we live in peace. But we keep gnawing away at freedoms, keep enabling China, and get flabby and disinterested about our military because Uncle Sam's got it.
And, let's be honest, Americans are widely looked down on. To add insult to injury, we don't think that highly of our protectors.
So, the USA is finally saying "enough." I am here, I can tell you what the vibe is, and that's it. Trump is doing what people want in this regard. They're over it.
And we come across all shocked and hard done by. We behave like people with no self-insight at all.
Yes, the global alliance system is all over the place now. From America's perspective, it's about time.
And I must say, though I be a proud Australian, I am forced to agree. Something has to change.
