Ryan Jervis

Committed Shrewsbury Town supporter, win or lose (which is just as well) retired teacher and very proud grandad

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

My very best wishes to you Frankie in whatever you chose to do in the future. You will be a massive loss to BBC News and I will now be forced to watch my news on Midlands instead of tuning in to BBC London.

[Frankie McCamley @Frankie_Mack]

A snaps of my final day at the BBC. My final commute into London. What a whirlwind. The end of an era. One I’ll never forget ❤️

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

Lived in Shrewsbury for 55 years and never spotted these before.

[Gandalv @Microinteracti1]

If America Leaves NATO, the Bill Lands in Washington

“NATO wasn’t there for us. We send billions of dollars to them every year to protect them. We would have always been there for them. But based on their actions, I guess we don’t have to be, do we? Why would we be there for them if they’re not there for us?”

That argument sounds airtight. It also gets almost everything backwards.
The Industrial Logic No One Wants to Say Out Loud.

For decades, NATO membership has functioned as the world’s most effective arms sales platform. When a country joins the alliance, it buys American. F-35s, Patriot batteries, HIMARS, Javelins. It becomes structurally dependent on American spare parts, software updates, and maintenance contracts. It is the most sophisticated captive market in military history.

Poland alone devotes 4.7 percent of its GDP to defense. These are not abstract trade figures. They are jobs in Fort Worth, Orlando, and East Hartford. They are the economic foundation of entire congressional districts.
A US exit from NATO does not preserve this arrangement. It ends it.

Canada and Portugal have already signaled reservations about F-35 commitments worth up to $19 billion, citing political unpredictability in Washington. When two countries walk away from an American platform, others begin running the same calculation.

EU member states spent 343 billion euros on defense in 2024, a 19 percent rise from the year before. The political momentum behind “Buy European” is real and growing. The market will remain.

NATO gives the United States something no defense budget line can purchase: forward positioning, intelligence integration, and political legitimacy across 30 countries. These are the operating system of American global influence.Without them, the United States becomes alone.

The Indo-Pacific pivot is not wrong on its merits. But forward positioning in Europe is not a drain on Pacific readiness. It is the network that makes global power projection coherent. Cut one node and the whole system degrades.

The Quiet Withdrawal Already Underway. A formal exit has not happened. But the functional retreat is well advanced. The Trump administration has told European allies the US will no longer serve as NATO’s primary conventional defense provider after 2027. Joint force commands are being transferred to European generals. Intelligence-sharing arrangements built over decades are being quietly renegotiated.
Each move is individually defensible. Collectively, they produce the same outcome as a formal withdrawal, without the legal fight or the Senate vote.

The irony is considerable. The administration that views NATO as a bad deal for America is dismantling the mechanism that made American arms exports dominant in global defense markets. The alliance was never just a security arrangement. It was the most durable commercial advantage in the history of the defense industry.

So back to the question. Why would America be there for allies who aren’t there for America?

Because “there for us” included $343 billion in European defense spending flowing toward American suppliers. It included 30 countries hosting American bases and intelligence networks. It included the political architecture that let Washington call itself the leader of the free world and have other governments agree.

Not a subsidy to Europe. A return on investment that took 75 years to build.
The bill for dismantling it will not arrive in Brussels. It will arrive in Fort Worth.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Stay connected,
Follow Gandalv @Microinteracti1

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

How much was spent coming to that conclusion?

[Sam Aiston @SAiston]

The least surprising thing you will hear this week.

[EFL @EFL]

Five of the day’s best #EFL goals! 👏⚽️

[FootballRates.com @fbrates]

Longest current winning run in the top four tiers of English football (league games)

1️⃣Shrewsbury Town - 5
2️⃣Manchester City - 3
3️⃣Plymouth Argyle - 3

🔗Full list: https://t.co/tJmAftjXi4

#salop #mancity #mcfc #pafc

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

#salop five consecutive wins, Joe Hart goalkeeper coach, two away wins and 17th in the league table. I’ve just pinched myself until my arms blue and I’ve still not woken up.

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

@shrewsburytown brilliant interview Stuart Dunn with Dave Edwards provides superb insight into Gavin the man and coach which helps to explain the significant turnaround on the pitch. Dave’s experience, knowledge and outstanding communication skills are and will be critical to us.

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

@HighwayWDS long, long queue two miles northbound in Bayston Hill. Southbound backing into ring road. Can we ask operator to allow more vehicles through on light change.

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

@ShropCouncil very long queue at Bayston Hill especially northbound on A49. Can operator be advised to allow more traffic through on light change. No work taking place!

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

Breaking away from the usual cycle of tried and tested, yet not always successful, league managers feels like a bold and refreshing move. These are local men, proven in both football and business, with a genuine passion for the club and a clear investment in Town’s future success

[BBC Sport Shropshire @BBCShropSport]

🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨

Shrewsbury announce Gavin Cowan as their new head coach

Salop legend and @BBCShropshire football summariser Dave Edwards is his assistant!

@BBCShropSport 96fm more throughout the day

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

@RuytonShrew @studunn21 @FootieNick And very impressive you were Chris. Excellent co-commentary.

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

Are these the first of the year, Lea Cross, Shropshire today?

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

@TheBarmyArmy Seen this, laughed my.….off

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

Perhaps the Chairman would have been best advised to keep the matter to himself. But as the man who ultimately has to find the cash to keep us viable, and has dipped into his own resources multiple times to do so I for one do not begrudge him this moment of exasperation.

[Chris H @RuytonShrew]

@rjervis Twitter doesn't allow enough space for me to express my views on ticket prices, but I'd happily have that discussion with you! I accept it is a tough thing for the club to balance, but I think RW is wrong to publicly be complaining that Wolves should be making us pay more.

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

Chris, we don’t want to pay exorbitant prices, I agree. But you would be the first to complain when we can’t afford decent players and spend money on improving facilities. I believe many of our fans accept that even if they aren’t especially happy having to fork out.

[Chris H @RuytonShrew]

@buntycow @JamieDowley It is indeed low, but as a supporter I'm not going to complain about getting a good deal! Prices for League 2 football are too high, by the way. The Cheltenham prices are appalling, and our own matchday prices are pretty steep these days.

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

@WMidShowground West Mid Showground Car Boot tomorrow morning Sunday 14th December. Weather set fine at the moment but indoors available if required.

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

@SAiston I blame the teachers 🫣

[Ryan Jervis @rjervis]

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