Perhaps a little causation could be added to each point.

How does kicking out the US army improve GDP?

Which sanctions are causing the problem?

Which US wars are impeding growth?

The economy seems to be a black box. Understanding how to turn the knobs is so much guesswork. At least it appears that way.

> Which sanctions are causing the problem?

Sanctions on Russia and the US refusal to allow Europe to buy cheap energy from Russia.

> Which US wars are impeding growth?

The US proxy war in Ukraine. The upcoming proxy war in Taiwan.

Europe has largely been behind the US economically ever since being decimated by the World Wars. Allowing Russia to freely expand without penalty is undoubtedly the worse economic decision.

That is if you believe the threats in the news that Russia is an enemy of Europe, which is of course not. Any claim that Russia would plan to invade the EU is just propaganda. A little knowledge of history suffices to recognise that.

Russia is, and will always be an enemy. They will never drop their imperialist ideals until possibly beaten in Ukraine. If they have a chance they'll take the Baltic countries and maybe Poland. A little knowledge of history suffices to recognise that.

the main reason they wont do it is because the economies and populations facing them in that case would be worth over 40 trillion have almost a billion people.

Like the time it was propaganda that Russia was going to invade ukraine?

Defending free Ukranian land from Russian invasion is important to keep American influence across the globe. Your comment about Taiwan is just a complete conjecture, but we would absolutely respond the same way w/ Taiwan as we are with Ukraine. More USA influence over the world = a freer, richer, more democratic, happier world. Of course you should want as much of it as possible.

I think he covered your comment in

> - Emancipate both politically and economically

Conjecture? https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/us-air-fo...

Is Ukraine free when the US is meddling in its internal politics and orchestrating coups to protect ‘American influence’? Where is the freedom and riches you promise in all the countries the US has bombed over the past 60 years?

Protecting ‘American influence’ = an unending payday for the corrupt military-industrial complex monopolies and nothing more.

> ... mportant to keep American influence across the globe ... More USA influence over the world = a freer, richer, more democratic, happier world

You just proved my point about US imperialism and "protecting its interest" around the globe is the main economic hindrance for both Europe, and the rest of the world.

You can't be rich if you are under the control of an evil empire. Even if you claim that being colonized is for their own good, the US is still an evil empire, since all empires are evil by definition.

The USA has not colonized either Ukraine or Taiwan, nor are US troops stationed or even probably present in either country.

The US organized the coup in Ukraine, overthrew the legally elected president, installed a puppet government, and started preparing it for the full on war against Russia. And the country is full of US and vassal military equipment and staff coordinating the war effort.

Taiwan is too far away from the place I live, so I didn't bother to check, but it may as well be the same, except for the coup part.

> The US organized the coup in Ukraine, overthrew the legally elected president, installed a puppet government

That is a narrative that is majorly rejected outside of Russia. Inside Russia, this is taken on faith, because, well, its Russia.

Of course, invading and occupying parts of a country isn't considered as imperialism in Russia itself if its the one doing it, because..well..its Russia.

There was nothing wrong with organizing a coup in Ukraine and getting rid of pro Russian president and government. I have no idea why you think that narrative is rejected outside of Russia.

Shouldn't you be directing your anger at Russia and China?

> US refusal to allow Europe to buy cheap energy from Russia

Europeans passed laws to cut it off. Nothing American did. Europeans don't want to fund the guns that will be used by Russians when they decide who to invade next.

Violence is the ultimate judiciary of power and henceforth $$.

You kick out US army to gain independence, to grow up, to sit down as a major player.

I don’t think pissing off the largest military power in the world is a good idea for Europe when there’s currently a hot war going on there. That spreads and who do you think Europe will be asking for help?

God, you don't kick out US army in one shot. You build your army up to the task and then elbow the others out.

I mean, it's going to be a lot of expenses, but it's the crucial first step if EU wants its own independent policies.

That said, just my personal opinion. I could be wrong. Maybe it's perfectly fine to have someone else's army on your soil. Maybe you already have independent policies but just happen to agree to the other side more or less. I'm not of EU or US citizen so I could be wrong.

You forgot the two most important ones. Stop buying US treasuries/bonds and stop using USD for international transactions.

Sure, but that would also eventually lead to a war between the US and EU, whose long-tail concequence is to wipe out all those gains.

The EU makes the explicit choice to live under the US security umbrella, not form a competitor power to the US, and gradually get rich.

Get rich quick schemes, as ever, lead to disaster.

Can't expect people to hand $$ over peacefully.

> Sure, but that would also eventually lead to a war between the US and EU

Do you really think that the US will wage war against Europe if they refuse to keep the US army on its soil and pay for protection? You mean they won't just leave peacefully and let the Europeans take care of themselves?

I don't think so, US is a democracy. That would be illegal.

Or maybe, just maybe, US will find a passing explanation why it is a good idea to start a war against Europe.

I'd argue that at some point in the past the empire understood that a strong Europe is in its interest, right now it's just devouring its vassal though. That cannot end well ...

As a US taxpayer, I would love if Europe started carrying it's own weight militarily rather than having our taxes pay for European security. The Ukraine conflict at least seems to have woken some Europeans up to the fact that they need to contribute equally to NATO instead of just relying on the US. But there doesn't seem to be much of an appetite in Europe for trading social spending for defense spending. It's more fun to dunk on American healthcare and pretend that Putin just really wants to be buddies.

Maybe, but US hegemony is sort of important. It keeps our dollar the currency of choice and allows us to print money. A mainly obedient and docile EU makes a perfect platform for power projection. It’s a good deal for the US and makes treasuries even more in demand.

Now, how we spend it is up for debate. But I’d be careful about throwing the baby out with the bath water.

> As a US taxpayer, I would love if Europe started carrying it's own weight militarily rather than having our taxes pay for European security.

Why does your government push Europe to pay more for the military? Why would that interest you? Why don't you just move out your army and stop caring about Europe?

> The Ukraine conflict at least seems to have woken some Europeans up to the fact that they need to contribute equally to NATO instead of just relying on the US.

So the Ukraine conflict pushed Europeans to do more of what the USA wants them to do? It looks like it was beneficial to the US, after all. Pure luck that it started so suddenly :)

> But there doesn't seem to be much of an appetite in Europe for trading social spending for defense spending. It's more fun to dunk on American healthcare and pretend that Putin just really wants to be buddies.

I think your army should just stop "protecting" those evil and condescending Europeans. Just leave Europe and let them suffer for their choices.

Not your continent, not your damn business.

I'm all for this personally, but it would inevitably lead to a repeat of early 20th century Europe

Hey, I want to disband NATO too. There was another guy that wanted to do that as well but we all hated him for it for some reason.

...for some reason. Yeah ok

I think you missed the very obvious sarcasm from that statement.

If EU wants american military bases out, then I'm all for it. Why do you people want so much killing?

Then, you turn around and say " look at how much killing religion/ideology/etc has done" but at the end of the day it pales in comparison to the kills the military industrial complex has racked up and you defend because a guy with the opposite political affiliation than you can't ever be right. But hey, think of the GDP.

Are you making the assumption that I am American with the "you people" comment? Well when will you please realise not everyone on here is necessarily American ;)

Also the EU countries don't get to be part of NATO I guess without an American base or two there. When shit starts rocking...who are those EU countries going to come ah knocking to? and oh its ah rocking!

No, 'you people' = new lovers of the military industrial complex purely because someone you don't like said they don't like it.

Why are you making the assumption that I somehow like "military industrial complex" based on my comment? Talk about jumping to conclusions! Please point out where? Cool thanks, that's what I thought.

I doubt it. Our socialist politicians and overzealous bureaucrats will make sure we never get to “Profit”, or rather that they profit on our expense.