I know this is a bold thesis. It is meant to provoke thought and encourage debate. Here are some of the considerations that led me to it:

  • Europe depends on US military protection, and the US uses this “alliance” as leverage -> NATO gives Washington structural influence over European security choices.

  • US tech firms dominate Europe’s cloud and software stack, creating digital dependency. Also, European data often sits under infrastructure exposed to US legal and corporate power.

  • Russian energy dependence was a problem for Europe when the Ukraine war started. The US were quite eager when it came to “help” by replacing the Russian energy dependence with American energy dependence.

  • US sanctions policy often forces Europe to absorb costs for Washington’s geopolitical priorities.

  • American platforms shape European speech, commerce, administration, and most importantly: public debate.

  • “Strategic autonomy” exists as a slogan because dependency is already the default.

  • Zwuzelmaus@feddit.orgEnglish
    27·
    13 days ago

    Europe depends on US military protection,

    At least Usa people looove to think so :)

    And they also love NOT to think about what would their own situation look like, if all these countries in the NATO were NOT their allies.

    US tech firms dominate Europe’s cloud and software stack, creating digital dependency. Also, European data often sits under infrastructure exposed to US legal and corporate power.

    True

    The US were quite eager when it came to “help” by replacing the Russian energy dependence with American energy dependence.

    That’s quite an overestimation. Not much has actually changed.

    US sanctions policy often forces Europe to absorb costs

    Same as above. Europe doesn’t just swallow it all. Maybe these things aren’t reported usually in your news?

    •“Strategic autonomy” exists as a slogan because dependency is already the default.

    Agree, but the trend to change it has started.

    • idiomaddict@lemmy.worldEnglish
      17·
      13 days ago

      At least Usa people looove to think so :)

      And they also love NOT to think about what would their own situation look like, if all these countries in the NATO were NOT their allies.

      I think the USA is in a sort of teenager phase where they think they’re invincible. They haven’t ever lost much as a nation and it doesn’t occur to them that they could. I say that as an American emigrant in Germany.

        • Zwuzelmaus@feddit.orgEnglish
          43·
          13 days ago

          petulant toddlers

          Nah that just the orange clown and some of his figurines around him.

          But there are others too! Seriously dark and strong ones in the background.

          • FistingEnthusiast@lemmy.worldEnglish
            5·
            13 days ago

            Sure

            Everyone knows that the real power is in the background

            But the average 'Murican isn’t an edgy teen, they’re an idiot toddler finger-painting with their own shit

            It’s going to get worse when the edgy-teen phase kicks in because the destruction won’t be wanton, it’ll be wilful

              • zeroConnection@programming.devEnglish
                4·
                13 days ago

                So what???

                If those people thought a petulant toddler was their best leader to lead, TWICE, just what does it make those people?

                Do you think smart people would have elected him twice?

                • Zwuzelmaus@feddit.orgEnglish
                  2·
                  13 days ago

                  just what does it make those people?

                  I don’t know. I’m not trying anymore to understand them.

  • username_1@programming.devEnglish
    252·
    13 days ago

    Yes, for the last century or so. But without success, and recently their grip is weakening because of a series of astonishingly stupid decisions.

    • stoicEuropean@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
      43·
      13 days ago

      Interesting point. My gut feeling tells me the opposite, since the tone of the discourse between the blocs changed to the worse. And Europe still likes to appease the US. But I see your point. US soft power slowly erodes away.

      • ZkhqrD5o@lemmy.worldEnglish
        8·
        13 days ago

        IMHO: the change has been neck-breakingly fast. It’s only a year since the annoying orange has taken power and the Europeans have realised that the structures with the Americans only take one malevolent cunt to damage the entire continent. Remember, before Trump, the EU was beyond friendly with the Americans. And in one year the MAGA cult and Trump completely destroyed more than 70 years of the transatlantic relationship. That’s an accomplishment, he managed to do something that no other European could for the past 70 years. And there’s no going back to the US dependence after this spectacular failure.

  • ComradePenguin@lemmy.mlEnglish
    7·
    13 days ago

    The sentiment towards the US have changed significantly the last couple of years, the last year accelerated like hell. We prefer US support through NATO for safety, and we need to arm up. Something we have started doing at a huge tempo. Same goes for tech. What value does the US still provide us compared to before? They don’t produce many things that are completely vital. We will treat them like a untrustworthy trade partner, and gradually grow closer ties with China. The trade partner that we actually heavily depend on, and that have yet to heavily fuck us over with tariffs as punishment

  • encelado748@feddit.orgEnglish
    4·
    13 days ago

    I would argue that Europe is much less dependent now then during the cold war. From the 1990, thanks to the EU, europe began a process of equalization, capable of dealing with the US as peers. While the economic interdependency is still high, and the military collaboration in NATO is undeniable, Europe is growing less and less dependent from the US. The fact that Europe depends on the US for military protection is fantasy. Is the economical interdependency that gives the US leverage, not NATO. The US already abandoned europe defence in Ukraine and is actively damaging Europe with his illegal aggressive war in Iran. The idea that Europe wants to maintain good relationship with the US because of military protection is laughable. Europe want to protect one of the biggest export market for european economies.

    • stoicEuropean@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
      1·
      13 days ago

      True. I don’t usually do this mistake. It just happened that EU fit better into the meme template. My bad!

  • Tudsamfa@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3·
    13 days ago

    I guess it’s a European privilege that we even get a “nice” version of colonization. Now to be fair, you can read

    "For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
    "For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: "

    in the US declaration of independence and draw some comparisons (Anne Sacoolas/Christopher Van Goethem), but come on, get a new name for this.

    • nosuchanon@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      13 days ago

      That’s the post-war design. Tied to American policy via UN veto powers, NATO military hardware, and US finalization.

      The US exports weapons, policy, and finance and Europe has to buy it and do what it’s told.

      That was always the design.