Mr Trump Can't Shut This War Down........

petra

sixandahalf
The bbc lost what credibility it did have with the Martin Bashir interview.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-57163815

In which case why did everyone make such a hue and cry about the Panorama edit of the Trump speech? So much wailing about the BBC fatally losing its credibility when clearly it irredeemably lost it 30 years ago 🤔

There really are some champion grudge holders on Gnet😂

I don’t agree with that petra. The BBC makes mistakes, as do all broadcasters. That doesn’t mean that all their output is not credible thereafter. The important thing is to get a rounded picture by watching a range of different outlets.

sixandahalf
The bbc lost what credibility it did have with the Martin Bashir interview.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-57163815

Basgetti

I’m beginning to wonder whether I am suffering from the dementia that has afflicted my mum, or whether I’m possibly suffering an episode of some other sort?

I’m watching a credible news source, BBC. It’s telling me that the world’s oil prices and economies are being severely impacted by the whims of an unstable old man. Yet this obviously unstable old man is being supported by millions of voters and a whole government machine.

Am I mad/delusional or is he?

Somebody will be along any minute to tell you the BBC is not credible and The Guardian is for woke lefties.

Then possibly a few glib comments about up coming holidays and the latest offer at Waitrose.

You and me both then. He’s obviously deranged delusional and unstable.

I’m beginning to wonder whether I am suffering from the dementia that has afflicted my mum, or whether I’m possibly suffering an episode of some other sort?

I’m watching a credible news source, BBC. It’s telling me that the world’s oil prices and economies are being severely impacted by the whims of an unstable old man. Yet this obviously unstable old man is being supported by millions of voters and a whole government machine.

Am I mad/delusional or is he?

I don't think I am hiding anything, from myself or from anyone else. I said above "The US is a big rich country, and a great power for good or for evil."

Their GDP is high, but so is their population, so if attacked they have more people to protect, so it is only reasonable that they have (so far) contributed more than (some) other countries. Mr Trump doesn't have the cognitive power to work that out, or to work out the correlation between numbers of casualties and size of population and see that the relative impacts on all countries are much the same, which is why he complains bitterly that others don't pull their weight.

Th other members of NATO are well aware that without the US a heavier burden would fall on them. However, without the current administration they would be more likely to stay in the organisation and be proper allies. I suspect that a change will be in the air after the mid-terms. Whatever happens then, we and the rest of Nato (and the world) will be a lot more prepared.

fancythat

^It demonstrates very clearly that despite the US funding a massive proportion of the cost, there are six countries which spent an equal or greater percentage of their GDP,^

Their GDP s are non comparable

Why do so many people try and hide this?

The comparisons are valid, but they are not mine, they are in a NATO database.

A country with a high GDP has more money in circulation than one with a low GDP, and more trade leading to more received by the government in taxes of various kinds.

A country with a high population has more people contributing to those taxes, than one with a low population, and more people who need protecting if attacked..

fancythat

It is all very odd.

It’s not. It’s that some of us see a bigger picture, where the USA is not at the centre. We are no more wrong, or hiding from truths than you are yourself, we simply see the world through different eyes.

I give in.

If you need to be frightened, be frightened.
If it alarms anyone, be alarmed
If it makes you feel small, feel small.

etc etc

Accept truths.

Hiding doesnt get people anywhere

It is all very odd.

It demonstrates very clearly that despite the US funding a massive proportion of the cost, there are six countries which spent an equal or greater percentage of their GDP,

Their GDP s are non comparable

Why do so many people try and hide this?

It's GDP

It is 1/4 of the entire world.

Allira

fancythat

I really dont think most people living in Europe still have a grasp of how big the US is compared to them.

Even now.

Or perhaps they do, thinking about it.
And just dont like to admit it to themselves.
It makes them feel so uncomfortable to do so.

fancythat

I really dont think most people living in Europe still have a grasp of how big the US is compared to them.
🤔

Do you mean land mass or population?

Land mass of both areas is comparable.

The population of Europe, including the UK, is over twice that of the USA.

Neither

Thanks petra and Elegran for your posts.

Europeans can't imagine that the US is literally larger than Europe
Apparently labelled as "Sh*t Americans Say* - because it's not.

I feel as if I've joined Alice down the rabbit hole. 🐰

fancythat

I really dont think most people living in Europe still have a grasp of how big the US is compared to them.

Even now.

Or perhaps they do, thinking about it.
And just dont like to admit it to themselves.
It makes them feel so uncomfortable to do so.

fancythat

I really dont think most people living in Europe still have a grasp of how big the US is compared to them.
🤔

Do you mean land mass or population?

Land mass of both areas is comparable.

The population of Europe, including the UK, is over twice that of the USA.

There is an interesting chart at worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/nato-spending-by-country which shows the NATO spending in 2025 by each country ranked as a percentage of their GDP and by how much per head of the population, as well as the total spend.

It demonstrates very clearly that despite the US funding a massive proportion of the cost, there are six countries which spent an equal or greater percentage of their GDP, (and Norway also spent a great deal more per head of their population than did the US.) It is also clear which other countries devoted almost as much proportionately to their population numbers and wealth as the US did. The US is a big rich country, and a great power for good or for evil.

The US spent 3.22% of its GDP on NATO in 2025,
but so did Denmark. Norway spent 3.35%,
Estonia 3.38% and Latvia 3.73%.
Lithuania spent 4% and Poland 4.48%
Other nations spent a smaller percentage of their GDP, from Greece at 2.85%, Finland 2.77%, Sweden 2.51%, Netherlands 2.49%, UK 2.4%, etc, with 2% being the lowest.

The highest amount spent on NATO per head of the population in each country in 2025 was by Norway, at $3,191, more than the US, which spent $2,469. Next was Denmark at $2,400, then Luxembourg $1780, Netherlands $1570, Sweden £1553, Finland $1478, UK $1164 and so on down the list, down to Albania at $159

fancythat

Up to date figures from AI

AI Overview
The United States is the largest defense spender in NATO, with estimated expenditures of roughly $980 billion in 2025, which accounts for approximately 62% of the total defense spending by all NATO members.
BBC
BBC
+1
Here is a breakdown of U.S. spending on NATO based on 2024–2025 data:
1. Total Defense Spending (The 62% Share)

largest defence spender
You’re confused with the difference between contributing and spending.
The reason they spend so much is because they have for years been involving themselves in other countries business.
What you need to understand is: the eye watering amount of money arms manufacturers make out of the mayhem the US creates.
I suggest you stop relying on AI for such important information.

In reality, I am hardly trying to get all regular posters to agree with me!
Well, they wouldnt openly.

Other people are free to reach their own conclusions.

People can bury their heads, or find no end of stats if they want to.

Up to date figures from AI

AI Overview
The United States is the largest defense spender in NATO, with estimated expenditures of roughly $980 billion in 2025, which accounts for approximately 62% of the total defense spending by all NATO members.
BBC
BBC
+1
Here is a breakdown of U.S. spending on NATO based on 2024–2025 data:
1. Total Defense Spending (The 62% Share)

fancythat

It may not do.

But it's GDP is vast!

And contirubtes 70% of all NATO funds!

I did wonder if you would try and word things in that way.

Wrong!!!
The US *spends 70% of the NATO budget.
This might, just might, explain how and why.

www.csis.org/analysis/nato-and-claim-us-bears-70-burden-false-and-dysfunctional-approach-burdensharing