"Gig 601XL Builder" wrDOTgiaconaATsuddenlink.net wrote in message
...
Jay Honeck wrote:
The Western European welfare economies could only exist because they
lived under the umbrella of America's protection from the Soviet
Union.

Jeeze, Jay, you really ARE funny.

I wish it *were* funny. Do the math, and see what the US spent on
defense throughout the 1960s, '70s and '80s. Then take a look at what
Europe spent on its own defense.

Or did you think that the money to build your nice welfare state
simply grew on trees?

Sometimes I wish we had just let Europe rot in the 20th century. It's
hard to imagine what the wealth of our country would be today, had
that occurred.

You'd be speaking Russian, but I guess that's a small price to pay,
eh?

Jay I fully understand your feelings on this an somewhat agree with you.
BUT, had we not defended Europe in the last half of the 20th century yes
they would have been speaking Russian and we would have had a MUCH larger
and richer USSR to deal with and I doubt that would have been pretty.
I understand YOUR feeling and agree in part, but the idea that with Europe
in their pocket that the USSR would have been richer is absolutely silly.
MOF, it would have probably collapsed much sooner as they overextended
themselves even with their more limited empire.