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massysett

> It does get you 11 carrier fleet strike groups, and 5,500 nuclear weapons, though.

Which protect the blanket of freedom under which the UK sleeps.

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Although the UK is one of those countries that:

1. Consistently maintains a >2% of GDP military budget, and

2. Is capable of acting independently (albeit less effectively than part of NATO).

It's also one of those countries reasonably able to defend itself without the US.

huh? even the official UK Forces News youtube channel dedicated an entire episode to how hollowed out UK defense spending is at present

when Queen Liz set out to sea, half of the planes on her deck were F35s from (and staffed by) the US Marines...afaik the UK cannot provide full air wings for their own carriers

Other NATO members are really smug about all of this while not spending their 3% obligation on defense, essentially free riding on the US.

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