(13c) NATO contributions and President de Gaulle

European countries NATO contribution
On Saturday I heard the start of a radio discussion. It was about the US that agreed after WWII to look after Europe's security (and founded the NATO whereby the UK as co-founder was the second largest contributor after the USA). But, already short after the end of WWII the USA complained that Europe contributed too little financially towards its own protection while it was one of the main critics of the USA's policies. Just as President Obama was not very happy with Europe'scontribution, now President Trump says it's enough and Europe must contribute more or lose its protection, one of the reasons why many Europeans hate President Trump as this policy will cost money. But, as before, Europe remains the USA's largest critic, even when Europe was the origin of the most evil periods in human history. Compare this with the US's civil war in which people died because Americans fought to abolish slavery.

President de Gaulle troubled relationship with the US and UK - felt today?
And then France's President de Gaulle's role was briefly discussed. Terrible his anti-everything-that-speaks-English rhetoric. Already in the 50s he ordered the liberators of France and Europe to leave the country. It seems an American general asked if that included also the Americans who died for the liberation of France. And indeed, before the 70s France did a Frexit by leaving the NATO (just as now part of the British (English) want to leave the EU, known as Brexit).
President de Gaulle, not only was there little empathy with US President Roosevelt during WWII, it seems he had also a bad relationship with Winston Churchill although both the US President and the British PM sacrificed many of their own countrymen to liberate France and the rest of Europe from Hitler's Nazi Germany.
Even after the war, President de Gaulle vetoed the UK's membership of the EU (yes, in those days the EU's name was European Economic Community (EEC) but now forgotten) and only after Mr de Gaulle was gone was the UK able to become an EU member. This dampened the relations between the EU and UK. 
If only President de Gaulle had been less anti British (and not only pro German although they destroyed his country) so that the UK, as it wished, would have been one of the founding states of the EEC and thus the EU, the current relationship between the EU and UK may have been less troublesome. Indeed, the now finds its origins in the past although the now should also have an eye for the future so good decisions can be made that benefit future generations.

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