Hi, Shrewd!        Login  
Shrewd'm.com 
A merry & shrewd investing community
Best Of PoliticsBest OfAll BoardsThe Shrewd’m WeeklyLearn to InvestHow to Become Shrewd
Search
Shrewd'm.com Merry shrewd investors
Search
Best Of PoliticsBest OfAll BoardsThe Shrewd’m WeeklyLearn to InvestHow to Become Shrewd


The week's question
In March 2025, in the thread "Re: OT, out", Umm asked the members: "Do you think it is because America is made up of magical soil that makes businesses based in America magically profitable?" This week it is put to everyone again. The button below opens the small thread re-asking it - read what others have said so far, then give your own answer as an ordinary reply.
Answer this questionContinue to Shrewd'mThis note won't appear again
Halls of Shrewd'm / US Policy
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (140) |
Author: albaby1 ✶❂🐝 GOLD
SHREWD
  😊 😞

Number: of 86258 
Subject: Re: Canada is seeking new friends
Date: 09/16/26 1:49 PM
Post New | Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
No. of Recommendations: 13
Because they do. I'm sorry, your statements are simply false and badly so.

They don't, and you haven't countered my statements. The UK has about 150,000 active-duty service members, 120 vessels in their navy, more than 750 military aircraft, and more than a hundred tanks. Moreover, they have one of the more technologically advanced militaries in the world (which is part of why their spend is so high) - they've got technological superiority over many other nations. That's why, for example, there's literally no threat to the Falklands from Argentina - because the UK built up an airbase there that has sufficient air superiority over Argentina and detection capabilities and surface to surface missile capacity that they'd never be able to mount an assault on the Islands without being blown out of the water, and because their air resources are sufficient that they can move a platoon or more of troops from the UK to Mount Pleasant within about 15 hours.

They're one of the stronger military powers in the world. You're simply wrong.

And as *I* pointed out upthread, they're significantly under-gunned in proportion.

But proportion isn't relevant. Military forces aren't graded on a curve. The combined military forces of the three large rich states are massive compared to those of Poland. The fact that the latter is smaller and poorer does not change that.

Who's going to send support ships for the HMS Prince of Wales? France?

Yep - France has more than enough capacity to support the ship. As do other European nations, acting either alone or in concert. And obviously the US, if what you're concerned about is whether the UK brings anything to the table in a "all hands" joint NATO operation.

Once again: you're simply incorrect about the strength and size of the military forces of the non-US NATO members. They may not be where you want them to be, but they are significant and substantial.

And even more importantly, going back to the subject of this thread, their military capacity isn't determinative of whether it's smart or dumb of the President to be unnecessarily aggressive, confrontational, or even just insulting to those allies. He's bad at conducting international relations, and it's led to severe strains in our relations with allies whose help we will need in containing China and other threats - and not just military help, but diplomatic and economic cooperation.
Post New | Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
Print the post
Members reply directly to albaby1 here — and replies get answered. Reading is free; so is joining the conversation. Join Shrewd'm »
This community has written 86,214 posts about US Policy. The article-length ones it recommended most:
It's going to get worse · 33 recs · 2025
G’day Donny · 30 recs · 2026
Old Related Story · 28 recs · 2026
HCR is a national treasure · 27 recs · 2025
Fascism in America · 27 recs · 2025
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (140) |


Announcements
US Policy FAQ
Contact Shrewd'm
Contact the developer of these message boards.

Best Of Politics | Best Of | Favourites & Replies | All Boards | Followed Shrewds | Open Questions | Moving a community