The Dutch company ASML, as basically the only company in the world that makes the lithography machines used to produce the most complex microchips, has again become a geopolitical pawn. The United States government is preparing to force the Netherlands to ban ASML from selling almost any chip-making machines to China, NU.nl reports.
Europeans: We are not vassal states.
Also Europeans:
At this stage, it’s chosing between the old global power that you know will die soon but is still strong enough to hurt you, the most likely new global power that’s rising fast, or putting in enough me money, effort and discomfort into becoming an independent power and explain that to a population that likes to vote for more purchasing power and pensions, not less.
That’s actually an excellent summary of the whole situation.