I wouldn’t get too carried away. NATO’s a way for Europe to leech off Uncle Sam’s defense dime. What’s the alternative? They’re gonna up their defense spending to match Russia’s build-up? In an alternate universe, maybe...
Heh - what was it the Estonian President said about some book describing Americans as being from Mars, and Europeans from Venus: He said the Euros are from Pluto.
I think a valid question is, “What would the Euro’s need to spend to counter Russia’s buildup?” I think that if they all participated, an average of the oft quoted 2% of their GDP might get them there, as their economies in total far surpass Russia. The problem is that it’d take several years to catch up at that rate.
At least some of them are actually talking about it:
On the other side of the argument, though, long term there is great danger in a heavily armed Europe and an ineffectual U.S.
Even with the recent increases in Russian military spending, the EU still outspends them about 2-1. For the previous decade, It hunk they outspent them about 3 or 4 -1.