JD Vance says Europe should have done more to stop Iraq War – DW – 04/15/2025
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US Vice President JD Vance has called on European states to show greater independence, urging them not to be US "vassals." He also said EU governments could have done more to oppose Washington over the Iraq War.

US Vice President JD Vance has called on European states to show greater independence, urging them not to be US “vassals.” He also said EU governments could have done more to oppose Washington over the Iraq War.

  • stoy@lemmy.zipEnglish
    1·
    9 days ago

    This is interesting, today we know that a conflict in the middle east will cause a large spike in refugees/migrants to the EU, back when the Iraq war started, was that not the case?

    • The Octonaut@mander.xyzEnglish
      6·
      9 days ago

      Until 2004, the EU was a western European entity, with Greece alone possible to describe as being anywhere near the Middle East, and lacking a land border with the rest of the EU.

      The Iraq war did not cause and international migration crisis. People were primarily moved internally and to other (unfriendly) ME countries.

      What really started the migration crisis was ISIS and the Syrian war, 10 years later. Where a Russian ally fought the byproduct of American misrule in the Middle East, and Russian allies directed migrants into Eastern European countries unready for them financially or culturally.

      Quite what the EU, a non-military force that primarily overlaps with NATO, was supposed to do differently there I don’t know. Should it have predicted that the US would essentially lose to Assad, to the Taliban, and that they would then switch sides and ally with Russia while still in NATO?

      • NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io
        3·
        9 days ago

        What really started the migration crisis was ISIS and the Syrian war, 10 years later.

        You’ll find that ISIS, in fact, grew out of the anti-American insurgency in Iraq. They actually weren’t ISIS at first; they were Al Qaeda in Iraq.

        Quite what the EU, a non-military force that primarily overlaps with NATO, was supposed to do differently there I don’t know.

        Divest from US weapons would’ve been one simple way to make America reconsider their crusade in Iraq.

        • The Octonaut@mander.xyzEnglish
          2·
          9 days ago

          Yes. I specifically mentioned ISIS came from American misrule in Iraq. The people aligned with ISIS were on America’s side during the Iraq war.

          I can picture the pitch to an EU that has just accepted a massive long term project of trying to lift Eastern Europe out of post-Soviet destitution. OK bro, divest bro because obviously the techbros are going to turn America fascist once the boomers implode the world economy in a few years. Just do it bro. Match American military spending bro. You need it bro.