Dremor

Sound more like you learned the hard way what "abusing the system" mean.

But, think about the capital...

Your argument cannot be considered as an "reductio ad absurdum”, as it didn't show any absurdity in your opponent arguments. Your argument could be considered as either an "argumentum ad lapidem" (dismissing a claim as absurd without demonstrating proof for its absurdity), but more realistically it is indeed a strawman, as you try exaggerate you opponent argument in order to weaken it (avoid because Israeli != avoid because of possible link to Israeli intelligence ties).

Still, you are right to doubt some of your opponent proofs. I too have my doubt on that claim, but don't have the time right now to fact check it.
Feel free to link your own research here, if you find more reliable sources.

Idk, I still see 256GB Emtec ones for 10€ in my local supermarket.

That a shitty analogy... But a good one.

You are right. But I didn't mean that as "doing one thing well", but rather "focussing on a long term objective".

So do I.

But if I have to defend my country (or the EU), I'll make sure to remind the Russian why during WW2 most of the Nazi soldiers where more afraid of the French than the US army 😈.

Depends on the juridictions. Some countries make pedaling mandatory (mine does), other don't.

Wouldn't say GOAT, but I sure try to do my work the best I can.

France has a lot of spy satellites. Part of why they didn't follow the US in Irak.

I think there is multiple factors here.

First, Europe wasn't a major weapon producer, and ramping up production takes time. You have to recruit people, teach them, and buy heavy machinery, which also take time to produce.

Secondly, Europe isn't as unified as the US. It formed around the idea of preventing future wars, and on that aspect it worked spectacularly well. There was no war between EU countries since WW2. But cultural differences are still there, and its institutions require a consensus, not a majority. So it is hard to take immediate decision. Ironically, USA withdrawal is what made the consensus easier to reach, because major countries that were reticent became aware that they had to act now or fold to Putin.

Unfortunately one of the advantages of dictatures is that it move fast in one direction. The main problem being if the leader is intelligent enough to chose the right direction, which they rarely do.

On the other hand, democracies moves slowly, but the damages done by bad leaders are often counterbalanced by the good made by better leaders.