This is a complete capitulation:
- 15% tariffs on EU goods, 0% on US goods
- EU to buy 750 billion dollars in LNG over the next 3 years (US LNG is more expensive than alternatives)
- 600 billion EU investment in the US
- 50% tariff on steel and aluminum to the US stays in place
- A commitment to purchase huge amounts of US armaments
Japan has similarly capitulated, after previously standing firm.
Pathetic.
Ironically this leaves Canada as one of the only holdouts among America’s vassals. China, of course, has told the US to take a long flying leap off a short pier.
As I have noted before, the US has been cannibalizing its allies as it declines. This was true under Biden. Trump is only super-charging it. This cannibalization won’t change the trajectory, the US is DONE, but other countries accepting it means they will go down with the US
The EU was always in a hard place: it does export much more to the US than vice-versa. But it did have options, it just refused to take them. Cheaper energy from Russia is available, even during the war, Putin has been clear about that and it would mean much slower de-industrialization. Germany’s loss of industry has been, in particular, driven by high energy prices since the Ukraine war and the destruction of Nord Stream. German businesses which shut down in Germany have often moved to the US for the cheaper oil prices.
The way to strike back against the US was to hit America services: internet companies and break various copyright and patent laws. Hit the tax havens and take the money. (Ireland will squeal, but so what). This is where America really makes its money and it’s completely vulnerable. Meanwhile cut a deal with China, they’re the rising power.
The same is true for Japan, as it happens.
As Trump has shown, no deal is final. When politics change in Europe (and they will) this deal can be repudiated as the garbage it is. If that doesn’t happen soon, Europe’s decline will be much faster than it has to be.
What’s particularly interesting to me is the psychology of this. European elites are just so used to being vassals, and so completely without any pride (though they have plenty of vanity) that they are unable to stand up to America no matter what the humiliation. Russia was able to withstand far worse than what the US was doing, and even flourish, but Europeans can think of no way out but to capitulate. (To be sure, Russia had certain advantages the EU doesn’t have, but the reverse is true as well. The real issue is a lack of imagination and guts.)
Europe needs to get rid of its elite class, entirely, and find new leadership. Unfortunately it seems likely that they’re going to choose the idiot right, who will simply overcharge decline. After those morons fail, they may finally turn to decent leaders, but by then it will be too late to “save the garden” in most nations.
This capitulation has closed off one option: the third bloc. What could have happened is Europe, Canada, Mexico, Japan and other affected nations forming a unified trade bloc of their own, and taking unified steps against America. Such a coalition would have won the ensuing trade war and could have cannibalized the US rather than the other way around.
It is a pity, but unlike many historical vassals who resent their status, our current leadership seems to enjoy being house slaves. So all of this will be done the hard and ugly way.
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Feral Finster
The EU rulers are willing to pay any price to get the United States to go to war with Russia on their behalf.
Keeping the Americans sweet (and thus willing to fight europe’s wars for them) is their sole policy. There is no other policy.
Feral Finster
“What’s particularly interesting to me is the psychology of this. European elites are just so used to being vassals, and so completely without any pride (though they have plenty of vanity) that they are unable to stand up to America no matter what the humiliation. Russia was able to withstand far worse than what the US was doing, and even flourish, but Europeans can think of no way out but to capitulate. (To be sure, Russia had certain advantages the EU doesn’t have, but the reverse is true as well. The real issue is a lack of imagination and guts.”
Take away the United States, and europe goes from America’s Special Sidekick to a rather backward continent full of flavor-challenged geriatric metrosexuals, the biggest wimps on the planet.
KT Chong
History repeats itself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcyWi75cajc
bruce wilder
Stupid is as stupid does.
Neoliberal ideology rots brains.
The actual process within which elites “think” (seems a misnomer) is completely eclipsed by the imperatives of top-down manipulative “control of the narrative” to such an extent that realistic assessments and deliberation are inconceivable.
The complete absence of a genuine Left in the discourse is remarkable. I watch the Corbyn party emerging in England, expecting a giant nothing-burger in the end.
Mark Level
Until the EUro-plebs revolt against their masters, the decline will be rapid. Likely even moreso than that of the US under A Bad Don. (I just saw some mystic pointing out that in the Bible Abbadon is a powerful demon bringing universal destruction, seems to fit DJT pretty well.) In either case, it is now a race to the bottom in “the West” until somebody revolts . . . Who? Where? My crystal ball yields no answer at this point.
The psychology of the EUro Overseer Class like Van der Lyin’ is just as Ian said, without pride but full of vanity. They are like the officers on the Titanic, expect that the plebs will die quietly in the self-made disaster, they will be fine. I kind of doubt it, but will live long enough to see the outcome, I believe.
Feral Finster’s points are entirely valid. However, Trump (despite what happened to his Atlantic City Taj Mahal) doesn’t understand the Sunk Cost Fallacy, pretty basic. I think his approach of just profiteering the Death Merchants, Raytheon etc. he imagines (& may be) “good for the economy”, I suspect the US under Trump will NOT get drawn in, boots on the ground, etc.
The real question to me as his popularity (now gone) and physical and mental health sink is if he will get drawn into attacking Iran again? A Clintonian “Wag the Dog” moment that he imagines will win back popularity (it will with the Media, initially of course) will distract from Epstein, Ghislaine and other self-inflicted wounds? It would backfire horribly, of course.
They great thing about Trump as Military “Commander in Chief” per Larry Johnson, Col. McGregor, Brian Berletic, Ray McGovern, etc. is he has “no strategy, no tactics, no clear goals” etc. etc. ad infinitum. It’s like his spectacular “Deals”, just a scream to “Pay Attention to Meeeeee!!” Sad and pathetic. But just what USA deserves.
A Bad Don will Bring it Down.
vmsmith
Well, from what I can tell, the deal with Japan has very few, if any, teeth. Japan agreed to invest $550 billion, but there are no real details, only some vague aspirations. It could easily turn out to be something like the Foxconn investment in Wisconsin that went down under Trump I. Originally touted at a $10 billion package that would create 13,000+ jobs, when last I looked Foxconn had invested $25 million locally and created 1,100 full time jobs. I’m thinking that the deals with Japan and EU could be on similar tracks.
What many people don’t understand is that Trump is desperate. He’s desperate to claim he’s made the kind of deals that he promised, and desperate to distract from Epstein. He’ll say anything, and the people across the table from him undoubtedly know that and will bob their heads up and down in agreement . . . knowing full well that there’s way more wiggle room in those deals than anyone would guess.
Like & Subscribe
Despite Trump’s buffoonery, my guess is Canada will always be the weak little sister to America.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9j6DE6RnSk
Will there be a white wedding? Will Canada, the weak little sister, betroth itself to China? We’ll see.
If only Kennedy didn’t meddle in Canada’s elections, Diefenbaker and the conservatives may have prevailed in breaking out of America’s shadows and/or coattails 65 years prior.
Kennedy, like Trump, interfered in Canada’s elections and helped elect a liberal. The difference is, Kennedy intended it and Trump the buffoon didn’t intend it.
The following is an interesting short read. Diefenbaker was a lot like Trump sans the real estate credentials. If Nixon was POTUS, per Diefenbaker’s wishes, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the world would be no more and in a parallel universe that is exactly what transpired. Guaranteed.
https://aristotlefoundation.org/columns/diefenbaker-was-a-prime-minister-who-knew-how-to-stand-up-to-the-u-s/
That aptly describes Trump, don’t you think? To a T.
Ian Welsh
You really go out of your way to be offensive L&S.
Feral Finster
@Mark Level:
“They great thing about Trump as Military “Commander in Chief” per Larry Johnson, Col. McGregor, Brian Berletic, Ray McGovern, etc. is he has “no strategy, no tactics, no clear goals” etc. etc. ad infinitum.”
I can summarize the US/europe strategy very succinctly: nuclear war is survivable for the rulers, and besides, Russia does not have the stones.
https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/nuclear-threats-are-back
Ever seen “Don’t Look Up!”?
Mark Level
Yes Feral, I loved “Don’t Look Up” even got my in-laws to watch it. Klippenstein is smart, those people are psycho, you could very well be right. How many of them have New Zealand bunkers? Many I believe.
I appreciate vmsmith’s point, also. “Don’t bullshit a bullshitter” isn’t true, quite the opposite. My dad was a great salesman, and after he got his business bought out & retired in his mid-50s he got sucked into all kind of obvious scam get-rich-quick crap, lost probably half his fortune. It was textbook stuff, the first one (of 3 major ones I knew of) was the famous “Spanish Prisoner” grift. A safe-deposit box, if you invested enough to get access you’d get triple the investment; well no, he had 45% of his principle investment stolen, pulled out with the other 55%.
To Ian, yes, I don’t know the Canadian politics wrinkle, but L&S works hard to be very offensive. Tallifer would run away, L&S just doubles down. Funny he doesn’t like Trump, who came up as an insult comedian. They have a bit in common, communications-wise.
Oh, and great minds think alike (especially when it’s hugely obvious). The EU just signed a suicide pact, the Duran gents agree. But Ursula doesn’t want that “Russian gas coming in the back door!!” I’m sure Ursula knows about some back doors, but only the ones she’s grifting from. Her texts during Covid paying Pfizer billions for the shot “disappeared” into the Space Aether, and she narrowly avoided being ousted as the EU head, something she earned without winning even one election ever.
Von der Lyin’, Blackrock Mertz, Sir Keir Starmer (& his rent boys). The US is led by only one Lunatic fascist, the Euro-states have teams full of them. Donald said “Ursula’s done a great job for THEM, not for us!!” Incredible.
Christoforou’s take: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKXiYoSIG6E
mago
The Art of the Deal! Yessiree Donny showed them by god. Don’t you doubt his ability to negotiate, deflect (from Epstein) and swagger while the Euro elites take the swag and piss on the plebes, thinking let them die, not my problem. Oh, the stupidity, the ignorance. Wake me up when it’s over. Just call me Rip van Winkle.
Gotta disagree with my man Mark Level. We have a stable full of loony tune fascists. Trump’s just the louder larger than life betrayer in chief.
We’re on a racetrack from hell. See you there . . .
joey_n
And if the EU took those options, how would the US have reacted? Sanctions? Regime change a la Gough Whitlam? Any other dirty tricks up USrael’s sleeve?
Before the US initiated the conflict in Ukraine in 2014, what issues were there between Russia and Europe (Germany in particular)?