An unusually informative set of comments correcting the truncated chronology of Jake Lynch, who should also acquaint himself with the taboo concept, "imperialism". Leslie

While we are not forgetting all the points mentioned by OLO writers lets not forget the fact that Europe never repaid its financial obligations from WW II to the USA. If they would or did American tax payers could enjoy a tax holiday of approximately 10 years.

Lets also not gloss over the habit of duplicitous Europe basking in a security blanket the US military has provided for the last 60 years. One might also consider the trillions Europe saves by not having to fund a military to a level that would be required without the USA.

The premise that Europe is possessed of a higher state of enlightenment ignores the fact that they no longer posses the will to shed blood for freedom except as a token effort. This results from their blatant enactment of self interest which ensures that they will sit on the sidelines for another 60 years if they can get away with it.

The average American would dearly love to pull up stakes and let the rest of the world fester. But then they consider what would eventuate and once again conclude that America has more than most because it pays a higher cost than most.

Britain paid off it’s WW2 debt (plus interest) to the USA in 2006.

In most cases, the remainder of Europe’s debt was deliberately “forgiven” to allow the European bloc to rebuild enough to help stand against the Soviets.

An exception was West Germany but much of this debt was also written off. A more significant contribution to Europe was the Marshall Plan.

Meanwhile the widespread establishment of US military bases throughout all of Europe (for their own interests) may also be considered a significant form of repayment.

Like all other countries, America only acts in it's own self-interests - not out of some sense of benevolence.

Remember that Hitler’s personal rise to power was helped by deliberate funding from Wall Street and many American corporations (such as Ford. Standard Oil, Chase Bank) actively traded with the Nazis during the war and Churchill believed that the late entry of the USA actually extended the war's duration.

It is all about making money and power.Why spend billions on R&D and defence and get no return?The industrial military complex that JF Kennedy and others alluded to is alive and well.Th Global Reserve Banks provide the finance for the likes of Halliburton to sell arms.The US tax payer then foots the bill for both principal and interest.This is why so many in the US are so poor.

The war against terror is just a ruse to further perpetuate the industrial military complex aided and abetted by the banksters.Real suffering people are just pawns in the game of The Grand Chessboard of Zbigneiw Brzezinski.

...and a fair few months in the 1860s when they were at war with themselves. All rather Orwellian really.

The US has been at war in Korea since June 1950, there has been an armistice NOT a peace since 1953.