German Chancellor Angela Merkel has endorsed the idea of a joint European aircraft carrier.
The only way this German proposal is understandable is if France is desperate for help to replace their aging and somewhat troubled aircraft carrier, France asked Germany for help, and Germany--unwilling to step up to a leadership role in Europe--is desperate to dump the financial burden on the entire European Union instead.
Really, the idea is so dumb that another explanation doesn't come to mind.
Regardless, just don't let the Germans build the carrier.
UPDATE: Burden avoiding:
President Donald Trump has repeatedly accused the biggest EU economy of freeloading on US military might with defence spending far below the NATO member target of two percent of GDP.
Germany's finance ministry had Monday presented its budget planning for coming years, which signalled a drop.
It said defence spending would first rise to 1.37 percent of gross domestic product in 2020 but then likely fall back to 1.25 percent by 2023.
That's quite shocking. Germany has a military?
The Germans promised Obama in 2014 they'd increase defense spending to the NATO goal by 2024.
UPDATE: Seriously, what the Hell is wrong with the Germans?
The German government is poised to renege on its pledge to raise military spending, the latest gesture of defiance by Chancellor Angela Merkel toward President Donald Trump.
If confirmed at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the move would mark a fresh step in the gradual estrangement between the U.S. and its erstwhile loyal European ally and comes after Mr. Trump’s repeated attacks of North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders for not meeting a 2% military-spending target. ...
Berlin currently spends about €43 billion ($49 billion) or over 1.2% of GDP on defense. Under the new budget plan, unveiled by the finance ministry Monday, the spending would rise to 1.37% of GDP next year, but then decrease again to 1.33% in 2019, 1.29% in 2022 and 1.25% in 2023.
Estrangement from America? What about estrangement from all of their NATO allies who rely on Germany to carry their weight in defense of the continent.
What about estrangement with the EU which has no hope of a European-only defense without Germany.
