>>>Its not like you did that for our benefit, you did it for your own safety and security.
>>
>>Similarly it's not as if you did that for our benefit, you did it for your own safety and security.
>>(Backatcha)
>>
>
>Not disagreeing, I admit the US does things in its own interest. Saving your Butts and becoming a superpower in the world were just some of the results of that.
>
>>>AFAIK we are still protecting your butts with our missles and submarines.
>>
>>We do have 4 nuclear subs that, at present, are supposed to be undetectable. OTOH they are Trident subs and so, unlike France, we're reliant on you for supplies, parts and permission to use. But it's not free. We don't actually need enough nukes to destroy a planetary system, like you have - just enough to say "Hey - watch it!". Besides, who are you supposed to be "protecting" us from? Your missiles (Cruise was kicked out of Greenham Common in the 80s, by a bunch of peacenik women) don't stop dirty bombs on the Tube.
>
>4 Trident Subs could take out every major city on the planet

So we don't need your nuclear umbrella then?

>Last I heard we had about 70K troops based in Europe also, and bases, and hardware (Tanks, Guns, Etc)

Still don't trust those Ruskies and East Germans, eh?
I think we still do too, but probably cos there's nowhere to put them back home.
I don't know why any NATO troops are still based in Germany.
Materiel probably still there cos it's handier for Iraq than taking it across the Atlantic. Bit like leaving your stuff in your ex-missus' garage cos your flat isn't big enough, or the pick-up truck is being used in earnest elsewhere :-)
As you said, US is very self-serving.

>And no, we can't protect you from everything, nor can we protect ourselves.

>
>>To a large extent, yes I can. If it hadn't been for 2 crippling world wars, invasion of empire territory by aliens, reliance on debt to the USA, etc. (the points I already raised) who's to say that the Empire wopuldn't have lasted in a peaceful, stable world.
>
>Peaceful, Stable world, obviously we do not share the same planet!

I didn't say it was; if I'd I'd said "In a perfect world" would you have thought I though it was too?

>Your country made choices before, during , and after the war, and now you are living with them. Its easy to blame outsiders for our own problems, but alas, the burden is on us to anticipate and prepare for these things and if we don't the fault is ours.
>
>>
>>We're doing that in Iraq and Afghanistan! :-)
>
>OOH...13K troops combined, with 6K ready to pull out (if they haven't already)

See this bit of the line -> :-) ?

It means this is a joke. But typical yank gotta boast how big your stuff is cf. ours, how ours is inadequate.

And we DID deploy to Afghanistan to releave your guys, and we're stuck in heavy fighting that your guys aren't now having to do.

And we are taking care of the Basra area for you.

What more do you want? For us to invent an extra army out the blue? We're already spending a huge amount on this, and have done now since 2003 (and get tank buster cannon fire up the @ss as thanks) Talk about ungrateful!

Terry