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A comment on Why the decline of US power has been greatly exaggerated. Parent comment

Re:Why the decline of US power has been greatly exaggerated by willcipriano on Sunday December 03, 2023 @08:15AM (#38506827)
> When you get defense for “free” from an overstretched US military, you obviously have more budget to develop your own country.

I have been saying for decades, they need to pay tribute. Never before in history has a super power defended smaller nations and expected nothing in return. The US taxpayer should enjoy some relief from foreign governments who want to be defended.

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Re:Why the decline of US power has been greatly exaggerated by atlantic on Sunday December 03, 2023 @08:29AM (#38506898)
The US is offering as much protection as the New York mafia offers local shopkeepers - protection from themselves. Sure, we need to pay tribute, but that's because we're vassal states, not because we get anything in return.
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Re:Why the decline of US power has been greatly exaggerated by fatherzine on Sunday December 03, 2023 @08:33AM (#38506931)
They do pay tribute. Slightly obfuscated behind the financial order that comes with that 'protection'. Look up debt levels, or how ownership of strategic assets changed hands in the historical blink of eye since eg Eastern Europe joined NATO / EU.
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Re:Why the decline of US power has been greatly exaggerated by willcipriano on Sunday December 03, 2023 @08:40AM (#38506971)
It they had paid enough the US wouldn't have trillions in debt from spending on defense.
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Re:Why the decline of US power has been greatly exaggerated by vetinari on Sunday December 03, 2023 @09:57AM (#38507488)
That's entirely different problem, and US-internal one: privatization of the profits and socializing of the losses.
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