The cost of the program to procure American F-35 fighter jets for Denmark turned out to be significantly higher than expected.According to a report by the country’s National Audit Office, […]
Corruption. It was so obvious that that whole deal was so massively manipulated to make it look good to make it go through.
They made budgets that would make an F-35 cost almost half here per flying hour compared to Norway.
What’s worse is that there’s a second batch ordered that could have been canceled but never was???
With claims that it’s logistically impossible to have 2 types of planes, despite Saab Gripen is way more flexible and cheaper to maintain, and spare parts are available right next door.
As a Dane I was so pissed about that obviously corrupt F-35 deal, that was originally entered as probably a favor to Obama.
Denmark was probably somewhat starstruck by USA, and honored to be in the 7 eyes where we also helped USA spy on European politicians.
I’m puking in disgust about how pro American our governments have been even after George Bush should have been a warning to depend more on EU than USA.
The population in Denmark is probably the least pro American in Europe now, because Greenland is part of Denmark, so USA in effect has threatened Denmark with invasion to take over Greenland.
Our government is also doing a lot to avoid American equipment and use European instead in all other areas, but for some reason they have failed to cancel the remaining F-35 fighter jets.
Keeping the deal is probably about having a door open in case USA makes yet another 180°?
Well, that strategy surely backfired. Same with Germany betting everything on importing gas and oil from Russia.
About the US making a U-turn, I sincerely think that that train has passed. Besides the frontal assault on European vallues, territories and governments, hey have proven again and again that they are not a trustworthy ally. I doubt any European country would ever again sign a blank check to them, except the UK I presume
IDK if it has exactly backfired, the extra cost must have been expected, nobody can be that stupid that they believed the original budget.
We are also working way closer with Swedish air defense bilaterally now, since about a year ago.
I think you are right that there is no way we can work with USA like we used to. But responsible politicians are not like “normal” people. They try to keep their options open, and to not fuck up for their country. But it will not be quickly forgotten that USA actively threatened to invade Denmark. So clearly any deals with USA will be transactional from our side too now, just the way Trump wanted it. And that will mean those deals will either not happen, or will be more expensive for USA, because USA has very little goodwill left.
As things are standing, USA is now a bigger threat to Europe than China! And as you point out USA is also unreliable, way more than China is.
Corruption. It was so obvious that that whole deal was so massively manipulated to make it look good to make it go through.
They made budgets that would make an F-35 cost almost half here per flying hour compared to Norway.
What’s worse is that there’s a second batch ordered that could have been canceled but never was???
With claims that it’s logistically impossible to have 2 types of planes, despite Saab Gripen is way more flexible and cheaper to maintain, and spare parts are available right next door.
As a Dane I was so pissed about that obviously corrupt F-35 deal, that was originally entered as probably a favor to Obama.
Denmark was probably somewhat starstruck by USA, and honored to be in the 7 eyes where we also helped USA spy on European politicians.
I’m puking in disgust about how pro American our governments have been even after George Bush should have been a warning to depend more on EU than USA.
The population in Denmark is probably the least pro American in Europe now, because Greenland is part of Denmark, so USA in effect has threatened Denmark with invasion to take over Greenland.
Our government is also doing a lot to avoid American equipment and use European instead in all other areas, but for some reason they have failed to cancel the remaining F-35 fighter jets.
Keeping the deal is probably about having a door open in case USA makes yet another 180°?
Well, that strategy surely backfired. Same with Germany betting everything on importing gas and oil from Russia.
About the US making a U-turn, I sincerely think that that train has passed. Besides the frontal assault on European vallues, territories and governments, hey have proven again and again that they are not a trustworthy ally. I doubt any European country would ever again sign a blank check to them, except the UK I presume
IDK if it has exactly backfired, the extra cost must have been expected, nobody can be that stupid that they believed the original budget.
We are also working way closer with Swedish air defense bilaterally now, since about a year ago.
I think you are right that there is no way we can work with USA like we used to. But responsible politicians are not like “normal” people. They try to keep their options open, and to not fuck up for their country. But it will not be quickly forgotten that USA actively threatened to invade Denmark. So clearly any deals with USA will be transactional from our side too now, just the way Trump wanted it. And that will mean those deals will either not happen, or will be more expensive for USA, because USA has very little goodwill left.
As things are standing, USA is now a bigger threat to Europe than China! And as you point out USA is also unreliable, way more than China is.