[unclesams-uncle]

Because unfortunately, the combination of a US absence from the global stage under the previous administration and the pandemic showed how unable Europe is to run its business.

I say this as a US expat who has lived in various parts Europe long enough to have an EU citizenship. I wish it wasn't the case, but it's the sad reality.

[Bayart]

>showed how unable Europe is to run its business

Who do you think we are ? Some 19th c. African colony ? Qing China ?

For the most part we don't want you here, and we don't need you here.

[unclesams-uncle]

a) I have EU nationality so I'm here to stay.

b) Like it or not, the US military still guarantees European security. An EU-wide military force could change that dynamic.

c) Have you not watched Europe as a whole completely shoot themselves in the foot with an artillery rifle during this pandemic?

The continent completely closed in on itself, falling back to national borders while the EU flubbed response after response.

It took months to get a bloc-wide recovery bill which still hasn't been deployed (meanwhile the US have done three rounds, including one within weeks of the pandemic starting).

The vaccine roll-out has been a debacle, starting with Brussels' decision to make group-wide purchases then waste months haggling over a few billion EUR.

We're in June and there still isn't a common policy on inter-EU travel. This vaccine passport might roll out in a month, but even then there's no guarantee it will work.

In many ways, Europe's inability to effectively govern got the worst of both worlds of the pandemic. We had strict lockdowns like in parts of APAC but w/o the contact tracing (didn't want to sacrifice GDPR for that), while at the same time, it didn't invest seriously in vaccines.

The result? All of the deaths of the United States, with the economic carnage of strict lockdowns, while still lagging other parts of the developed world.

There's a large disconnect here with many people trying to still hold onto an outdated and nationalistic way of thinking. That mentality conflicts with the modern reality of a global world where capital and innovation flows freely and competitively with little regard towards nationalist quirks.

The only response to American tech superiority is to "tax and regulate it," yet policymakers here are still stunned as to why the continents most talented people and startups flock to the United States.

I really hope this continent gets it together because there is too much potential and pressing issues to continue on the current trajectory.

[rscho]

Rangers, lead the way! :-p