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1. Embed this notice
   Kevin Leecaster (greenfire@mstdn.social)'s status on Friday, 01-Nov-2024 22:23:02 JST Kevin Leecaster

   I find it amazing and sad that Poland is just now fortifying their border with Russia.
   https://mstdn.social/@noelreports/113406674653446870

   • Embed this notice
     HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴 (histopol@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 01-Nov-2024 22:23:01 JST HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴

     in reply to

     @GreenFire

     Why?
     Better late than never.

   • Embed this notice
     HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴 (histopol@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 01-Nov-2024 23:09:56 JST HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴

     in reply to

     @GreenFire

     #Polish #Defense spending

     (1/n)

     Ah, now I understand.

     I think you're not doing the #Poles justice, Kevin.

     They have seen the signs in contrast to most European and GQP party members as well:

     Among #NATO member states, #Poland is now outspending all others, even the #US, measured fairly, as a share of GDP. 1) (see screenshot)

     What is more, they're the only member state to have adjusted that target to 4.7% of GDP in...

     1)
     https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/2024/6/pdf/240617-def-exp-2024-en.pdf

     2)
     https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/poland-leads-nato-defence-spend-can-it-afford-it-2024-10-23/?origin=serp_auto

   • Embed this notice
     Kevin Leecaster (greenfire@mstdn.social)'s status on Friday, 01-Nov-2024 23:09:57 JST Kevin Leecaster

     in reply to

     • HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴

     @HistoPol
     It is sad to me that they have trusted the Kremlin until now since I would think that the Polish should know better is all.

   • Embed this notice
     HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴 (histopol@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 01-Nov-2024 23:18:10 JST HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴

     in reply to

     @GreenFire

     #Polish #Defense spending

     (2/n)

     ...2025 2) (apparently revised downwards from 5% of #Polish GDP as of July, 2024.

     You might reply that a budget dies not equal actual spending, however in a democracy, such huge building projects take time.

     IMO, the delay is chiefly to to the fact that the "Moscow friendly" #Polish version of the #GOP, the "Law and Jusice Party", was in power until the brave #Poles voted them out of office in December,...

     3)
     https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/poland-spend-5-gdp-defence-2025-says-foreign-minister-2024-07-13/?origin=serp_auto

   • Embed this notice
     HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴 (histopol@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 01-Nov-2024 23:29:39 JST HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴

     in reply to

     @GreenFire

     2023. 4)

     Let's hope American make the same decision when they head to the poles until Nov. 5th.

     //

     4)

     https://edition.cnn.com/2023/12/11/europe/poland-pis-confidence-vote-tusk-intl/index.html?origin=serp_auto

   • Embed this notice
     HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴 (histopol@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 01-Nov-2024 23:42:16 JST HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴

     in reply to

     @GreenFire

     #Polish #Defense spending

     (1/n)

     While the latter is true, you might look at the source:

     This is the way #NATO military 🪖 economists compare defense spending. 😉

     Besides, your assumption is incorrect:

     This is not spending for #Ukraine, but *total* military spending, as a share of GDP.

     This is the customary (and methodically) correct way for economists to compare national expenditures for FDI, education, you name it, across borders.

     The bottom line is:

     Even though US military..

   • Embed this notice
     Kevin Leecaster (greenfire@mstdn.social)'s status on Friday, 01-Nov-2024 23:42:18 JST Kevin Leecaster

     in reply to

     • HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴

     @HistoPol
     It is ridiculous to compare how much the USA has spent to help defend Europe in terms of spending on Ukraine as a proportion of GDP since America has to defend international rules and norms all around the globe.

     We are not able to just focus on one crisis the way most countries are able to.

   • Embed this notice
     HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴 (histopol@mastodon.social)'s status on Friday, 01-Nov-2024 23:59:10 JST HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴

     in reply to

     @GreenFire

     #Polish #Defense spending

     (2/n)

     ...spending has been ever more insane in comparison to other expenditures, in particular climate change* and healthcare, for instance, #Poland still spends even more than the US on defense (now.)

     So, clearly, they are, apart from the #Baltic states that have been warning ⚠️ of the #Kremlin threat for years, *the* country in Europe, that has started to prepare against an...

   • Embed this notice
     HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴 (histopol@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 02-Nov-2024 00:00:59 JST HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴

     in reply to

     • ItsDoctorNotMrs

     @GreenFire

     Yes, insane, like a #SciFi dystopia.

     @northernlights

   • Embed this notice
     Kevin Leecaster (greenfire@mstdn.social)'s status on Saturday, 02-Nov-2024 00:01:00 JST Kevin Leecaster

     in reply to

     • HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴
     • ItsDoctorNotMrs

     @HistoPol
     @northernlights And us Americans have been dealing with a pro-Putin Republican Party for eight years too.

   • Embed this notice
     HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴 (histopol@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 02-Nov-2024 00:01:33 JST HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴

     in reply to

     @GreenFire

     Me neither, so true!

     Did you see Nonilex's interesting analysis re/ this yesterday?

   • Embed this notice
     Kevin Leecaster (greenfire@mstdn.social)'s status on Saturday, 02-Nov-2024 00:01:34 JST Kevin Leecaster

     in reply to

     • HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴

     @HistoPol
     We will. I'm not sure how we're going to deal with our corrupt courts though if they decide to end democracy in the USA.

   • Embed this notice
     HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴 (histopol@mastodon.social)'s status on Saturday, 02-Nov-2024 00:03:18 JST HistoPol (#HP) 🥥 🌴

     in reply to

     @GreenFire

     #Polish #Defense spending

     (3/3)

     ...eventual #Russian invasion the most, apart from, obviously, #Ukraine.

     //

     *#Biden was the first POTUS to seriously tackle the #ClimateCrises. #TFG even withdrew from the Paris accords and Obama chiefly made pledges.

     //