Excellent synopsis of the situation. Why is it so difficult for Germans/Europeans to see how the U.S.A. is totally "setting them up" and "using" them? It´s as plain as day...
Why can't Europeans see how the USA is using them? Well, the answer is complected. In general informed European observers do understand the dynamics of the Master/Slave relationship between the US/Europe. From a European point of view American hegemony has both costs and benefits. If you are a nationalist like Viktor Orbán you think that the benefits are over rated. If you are someone like Emmanuel Macron or Rishi Sunak you understand that the humiliation of being an American protectorate is worth the price.
During the Cold War it was easy for European elites and ordinary Europeans to calculate the costs and benefits of US hegemony and conclude that the benefits mostly outweigh the cost of attenuated sovereignty. This is changing slowly as the gap between European elites and European populists grows.
Because of history, Germany is a special case. Europeans fear Germany and the Germans fear themselves. America is the 'devil you know'. A Germany that would replace the American hegemon is the 'devil you once knew and don't want to know again'. This is why the USA can blow up Germany's crown jewel gas pipeline and get away with it.
So yes, the Europeans know they are being used. They just don't like talking about it in public because doing so would not change the situation. European politicians and other elites fear the loss of prestige from such frank public discussions.
In Germany left leaning Greens fear loss of prestige and political power to local populists. Greens and similar groupings see American woke imperialism as an ally in their struggle against populism in general and specifically the AFD. For many Europeans on the left American woke imperialism is a stabilizing force. In France, the long tradition of Gaullist skepticism toward the USA is tempered with the aforementioned fear of German influence, so for reasons like these the Europeans are mostly OK with American hegemony.
Excellent synopsis of the situation. Why is it so difficult for Germans/Europeans to see how the U.S.A. is totally "setting them up" and "using" them? It´s as plain as day...
Why can't Europeans see how the USA is using them? Well, the answer is complected. In general informed European observers do understand the dynamics of the Master/Slave relationship between the US/Europe. From a European point of view American hegemony has both costs and benefits. If you are a nationalist like Viktor Orbán you think that the benefits are over rated. If you are someone like Emmanuel Macron or Rishi Sunak you understand that the humiliation of being an American protectorate is worth the price.
During the Cold War it was easy for European elites and ordinary Europeans to calculate the costs and benefits of US hegemony and conclude that the benefits mostly outweigh the cost of attenuated sovereignty. This is changing slowly as the gap between European elites and European populists grows.
Because of history, Germany is a special case. Europeans fear Germany and the Germans fear themselves. America is the 'devil you know'. A Germany that would replace the American hegemon is the 'devil you once knew and don't want to know again'. This is why the USA can blow up Germany's crown jewel gas pipeline and get away with it.
So yes, the Europeans know they are being used. They just don't like talking about it in public because doing so would not change the situation. European politicians and other elites fear the loss of prestige from such frank public discussions.
In Germany left leaning Greens fear loss of prestige and political power to local populists. Greens and similar groupings see American woke imperialism as an ally in their struggle against populism in general and specifically the AFD. For many Europeans on the left American woke imperialism is a stabilizing force. In France, the long tradition of Gaullist skepticism toward the USA is tempered with the aforementioned fear of German influence, so for reasons like these the Europeans are mostly OK with American hegemony.