is america losing its status as a superpower?

[Blazedtown]

He is right about most of NATO being freeloaders. Out of 28 member states, only 5 meet the required 2% of GDP defense spending. America, Great Britain, France, Turkey and Greece.

It doesn't matter though, because that 2% recommendation was created during the Cold War and currently NATO has no serious threats at all to respond to. Really, provided each member country has a standing force which can adequately assist in the defense of the organization, NATO should be satisfied in this day and age. Provided EU nations can contribute to humanitarian missions and assist in multinational missions where required, people should also be satisfied. Italy or Spain obtaining a blue water navy won't mean the UK or France will shrink their own capability as a result.

Besides Russia invading a country for thinking about joining NATO, you're right, the cold war is over and the world turned into a giant ball of sunshine, rainbows and free blowjobs.

[Keyboard Warriors]

It doesn't matter though, because that 2% recommendation was created during the Cold War and currently NATO has no serious threats at all to respond to. Really, provided each member country has a standing force which can adequately assist in the defense of the organization, NATO should be satisfied in this day and age. Provided EU nations can contribute to humanitarian missions and assist in multinational missions where required, people should also be satisfied. Italy or Spain obtaining a blue water navy won't mean the UK or France will shrink their own capability as a result.

Besides Russia invading a country for thinking about joining NATO, you're right, the cold war is over and the world turned into a giant ball of sunshine, rainbows and free blowjobs.

It's not like NATO isn't retaking the Crimea or purging Syria because they can't afford to so why you'd want a greater defense expenditure for anything other than a symbolic gesture is a little perplexing to say the least.

[Shilya]

It doesn't matter though, because that 2% recommendation was created during the Cold War and currently NATO has no serious threats at all to respond to. Really, provided each member country has a standing force which can adequately assist in the defense of the organization, NATO should be satisfied in this day and age. Provided EU nations can contribute to humanitarian missions and assist in multinational missions where required, people should also be satisfied. Italy or Spain obtaining a blue water navy won't mean the UK or France will shrink their own capability as a result.

Besides Russia invading a country for thinking about joining NATO, you're right, the cold war is over and the world turned into a giant ball of sunshine, rainbows and free blowjobs.

In all fairness, NATO has been kind of dicks towards Russia after the cold war, by constantly moving east. In Russias position, I'd be sort of worried, too.

[Trelso]

Besides Russia invading a country for thinking about joining NATO, you're right, the cold war is over and the world turned into a giant ball of sunshine, rainbows and free blowjobs.

In all fairness, NATO has been kind of dicks towards Russia after the cold war, by constantly moving east. In Russias position, I'd be sort of worried, too.

Russia should have just joined NATO to confuse the shit out of everyone.

[Blazedtown]

Besides Russia invading a country for thinking about joining NATO, you're right, the cold war is over and the world turned into a giant ball of sunshine, rainbows and free blowjobs.

It's not like NATO isn't retaking the Crimea or purging Syria because they can't afford to so why you'd want a greater defense expenditure for anything other than a symbolic gesture is a little perplexing to say the least.

Because Russia thinks we've gotten soft. They tested our resolve with their scuffle with Georgia, then by cockblocking our intervention in Syria. Showing them otherwise by every country in Europe basically doubling it military spending would send the message to back the fuck down.

[Keyboard Warriors]

It's not like NATO isn't retaking the Crimea or purging Syria because they can't afford to so why you'd want a greater defense expenditure for anything other than a symbolic gesture is a little perplexing to say the least.

Because Russia thinks we've gotten soft. They tested our resolve with their scuffle with Georgia, then by cockblocking our intervention in Syria. Showing them otherwise by every country in Europe basically doubling it military spending would send the message to back the fuck down.

Or they could screw with the Russian economy to let them know how powerless they really are in the scheme of things. Or they could start to buddy up with some of Russia's neglected exes in Central Asia, maybe even put a training base there for show. Russia's still no real threat to the west, why give them the satisfaction of treating them like one?

[Rio Cana]

Yes, superpower wise I could see the EU-North America as some kind of joint superpower in the future, but the Usa on its own? Na.

I believe national superpowers are going to start being replaced by continental superpowers in the coming decades.

But will the US lose some interest in Europe and look more South. After all, with the Hispanic population increasingly acquiring political and economic power in the US, they will be most interested in increasing both economic and possibly military ties with there Latin American and Caribbean neighbors. There family tree has roots in those places and not really in Europe.


Does anyone think the world will be divided into three or four economic and military blocks like in 1984 and the Mutant Chronicles.

This from the Mutant Chronicles

Year 2707, all the earth's resources have been consumed by humans and power in the hands of four big companies control the entire world. The four companies are always at war with each other to fight over territory.

[Olivaero]

Besides Russia invading a country for thinking about joining NATO, you're right, the cold war is over and the world turned into a giant ball of sunshine, rainbows and free blowjobs.

In all fairness, NATO has been kind of dicks towards Russia after the cold war, by constantly moving east. In Russias position, I'd be sort of worried, too.

Maybe if Russia stopped being a massive authoritarian, Nationalist-come-Ultra Nationalist, Irredentist shit then maybe NATO wouldn't need to push east or get requests from former Warsaw Pact members to join? The only way of stopping people with a big stick is with an even bigger stick, and NATO is our stick right now. So in short Russia should sit down shut the fuck up and accept they are going to be reviled by the west and receive hostility from us until they quieten the fuck down and accept they aren't a superpower any more and get on the western band wagon. Because although we may not be perfect (we aren't in any way) we sure as hell are better than the "East".

[Shilya]

It's not like NATO isn't retaking the Crimea or purging Syria because they can't afford to so why you'd want a greater defense expenditure for anything other than a symbolic gesture is a little perplexing to say the least.

Because Russia thinks we've gotten soft. They tested our resolve with their scuffle with Georgia, then by cockblocking our intervention in Syria. Showing them otherwise by every country in Europe basically doubling it military spending would send the message to back the fuck down.

Georgia? They had that one coming, from what I remember.
Syria was mainly a diplomatic blunder. No one really wanted a war there in the first place. Putin capitalized on that.

No, Russia is mainly panicking. They're losing friends and influence fast. A pretty short time ago, Ukraine was still considered Russias backyard and a secure ally. Now they just lost most of it and barely managed to secure their bases. NATO and EU are moving futher east every couple years.

Putin is playing his cards well, but he doesn't have particulary good ones and he knows it.

[The Matthew Islands]

In all fairness, NATO has been kind of dicks towards Russia after the cold war, by constantly moving east. In Russias position, I'd be sort of worried, too.

Maybe if Russia stopped being a massive authoritarian, Nationalist-come-Ultra Nationalist, Irredentist shit then maybe NATO wouldn't need to push east or get requests from former Warsaw Pact members to join? The only way of stopping people with a big stick is with an even bigger stick, and NATO is our stick right now. So in short Russia should sit down shut the fuck up and accept they are going to be reviled by the west and receive hostility from us until they quieten the fuck down and accept they aren't a superpower any more and get on the western band wagon. Because although we may not be perfect (we aren't in any way) we sure as hell are better than the "East".

This.

Who decided that Russia has a 'right' to anything? I don't recall NATO sending in soldiers to Eastern Europe after the Cold War to force Poland etc. to join NATO. They abandoned Russia willingly, and they decided to join NATO because they didn't like Russia.

Russia responded with threats and shit accusations about 'our area of influence.'

[Andreoville]

From what I have seen, America has certainly lost it's power since the end of the Cold War and the 'American Dream' has all but become about having 1 dollar and renting a crummy flat. America, in my opinion, is the last great empire, but like every empire (Roman, British etc) it is starting to fall, and year by year it is losing it's grip on the rest of the west. America is a shell of what it once was, and it never shall be the same again.

[Shilya]

Maybe if Russia stopped being a massive authoritarian, Nationalist-come-Ultra Nationalist, Irredentist shit then maybe NATO wouldn't need to push east or get requests from former Warsaw Pact members to join? The only way of stopping people with a big stick is with an even bigger stick, and NATO is our stick right now. So in short Russia should sit down shut the fuck up and accept they are going to be reviled by the west and receive hostility from us until they quieten the fuck down and accept they aren't a superpower any more and get on the western band wagon. Because although we may not be perfect (we aren't in any way) we sure as hell are better than the "East".

This.

Who decided that Russia has a 'right' to anything? I don't recall NATO sending in soldiers to Eastern Europe after the Cold War to force Poland etc. to join NATO. They abandoned Russia willingly, and they decided to join NATO because they didn't like Russia.

Russia responded with threats and shit accusations about 'our area of influence.'

That's a point that is contested these days. Some say in '90 Gorbachev was assured NATO would not move east. Other say that never happened and frankly, I don't see any trustworthy side here.

[Angleter]

America is still a superpower, still the world's only superpower, and though China and Russia are growing in power, they're nowhere near being the rival(s) to America that the USSR was. It's worth remembering that pretty much all of America's 'failures' since 2000 have been attempts to expand its sphere of influence. Iraq was America's sworn enemy and vaguely friendly towards Russia; Taliban-run Afghanistan was another sworn enemy of America and was recognised only by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE; Syria was (is) a strong Russian ally; even the recent Ukrainian crisis is the result of a pro-Russian government being overthrown and replaced by a pro-Western one. And none of these situations are as dire for the US as they were beforehand. Only very rarely (Venezuela, perhaps Bolivia) has America actually lost an ally that's gone over and found a new best friend.

[The Re-Frisivisiaing]

America is still the world's sole superpower.

[Darwinish Brentsylvania]

America is still the world's sole superpower.

Exactly.

[Margno]

America is nowhere near losing its status as a superpower.

[Priory Academy USSR]

America is still a superpower, still the world's only superpower, and though China and Russia are growing in power, they're nowhere near being the rival(s) to America that the USSR was.

In China's case, that's really more because they don't want to be the opposing superpower: history shows that it's just not worth it, and they wouldn't gain anything important either that they don't gain from the status quo. Russia, conversely, is pretty much declining in relative power while it wants to be the opposing superpower. Ukraine could have easily ended up being Russia's Suez, if the West had cared enough.

[The Re-Frisivisiaing]

America is still a superpower, still the world's only superpower, and though China and Russia are growing in power, they're nowhere near being the rival(s) to America that the USSR was.

In China's case, that's really more because they don't want to be the opposing superpower: history shows that it's just not worth it, and they wouldn't gain anything important either that they don't gain from the status quo. Russia, conversely, is pretty much declining in relative power while it wants to be the opposing superpower. Ukraine could have easily ended up being Russia's Suez, if the West had cared enough.

China's economy is based on lies and Russia has difficulty just maintaining its sphere of influence.

[United Prefectures of Appia]

I suppose the United States does fill the criteria as a world super power seeing that to some extent they can exert some influence and power internationally. Take a look at the U.S. navy, it literally accounts for 50% of the world's global navy power alone.

[Rio Cana]

In China's case, that's really more because they don't want to be the opposing superpower: history shows that it's just not worth it, and they wouldn't gain anything important either that they don't gain from the status quo. Russia, conversely, is pretty much declining in relative power while it wants to be the opposing superpower. Ukraine could have easily ended up being Russia's Suez, if the West had cared enough.

China's economy is based on lies and Russia has difficulty just maintaining its sphere of influence.

Base on lies, I do not think so. Just check the things around you. How many things are made in China.

[The Re-Frisivisiaing]

China's economy is based on lies and Russia has difficulty just maintaining its sphere of influence.

Base on lies, I do not think so. Just check the things around you. How many things are made in China.

Don't fuck with me, China's economy is built on currency manipulation and borderline slave labor. Those are things that cannot persist in a superpower.

[Rio Cana]

America is nowhere near losing its status as a superpower.

Two requirements for Superpower status.

1. A Strong military with many new high tec. weapons in development. The military does not even have to be large in troops if they have the high quality tech.

2. Money. No money means you cannot even think about having a strong military with high tech. Which means you better continue having a strong economy to pay for it. In the end, why good is a strong military if you go bankrupt. Once bankrupt you will not even be able to keep that large military.

[Rio Cana]

Base on lies, I do not think so. Just check the things around you. How many things are made in China.

Don't fuck with me, China's economy is built on currency manipulation and borderline slave labor. Those are things that cannot persist in a superpower.

Very crude language. Get real, so you have nothing made in China. Your PC keyboard is most likely made there. China says thank you and buy again.

You want to know China then watch this report from a Norwegian student who was in China.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXQOBM37MH0

[Viritica]

Yes.

[The Sotoan Union]

America is still a superpower, and it will still be throughout this century. No other country comes close.