"...Unfortunately, Europe no longer has a global perspective and sees defense and security as regional matters..."
You are right. The bitter truth -from the American point of view- is, that most European nations do not have enough own global interests to join into American objectives, witch are driven from a will to worldwide leadership. Only the French and the Brits think in global dimensions due to their colonial history. The vast majority of my compatriots, the Germans, have absolutely no intenion that our country should play a bigger international role. The new plans to restructure the German Army, the Bundeswehr, from a terriorial force into a more mobile intervention army, is seen extremly sceptical by most Germans. The "bonmot" of our secretary of defense Struck, that Germany is defended in the Hindukusch caused hours of laughter in all German comedy shows... Even the attempt to bring Germany into the SC of the UN is not supported by most of the informed political German class, because everybody knows, that this would cause much more involvement in unpopular actions. There would be absolutely no benefit. Since WWII Germans have no appetite in playing a strong millitary force anymore.
The other bitter truth will be that the gouvernment in Germany will change and the relationship with the US will get better soon, although there will be -exect of some lip-service- still no real contribution to the American WOT in the next few years. In the sight of all German politicians there is no necessity to spend a lot on millitary, as long they do not want to use it on foreign soil. Since there is no real threat in Europe anymore that would be a millitary problem to western Europeans, it is wasted money to invest too much in weapons and armys that are not needed. In fact it doesn't bother anybody in Europe, if we are politically more or less relevant to the US as long we can sell our goods throughout the world and keep our standart of living. This is going to be be the biggest challenge to the coming more conservative and America-friendly gouvernments in France and Germany. The WOT will be no issue to them.
Regretably, that is the case. It is germane to the US however, if Europe sells advanced technology and arms to our potential enemies. The WOT should be of concern to France and Germany with the growing population of Muslims in both countries combined with declining birthrates. At the very least, both countries could be havens for terrorists, as was the case with the Hamburg al-Qaeda cell and the attack of 9/11. At worst, the cultures of both countries will transformed and political power will be shifted more and more to Muslim elements, which resist assimilation.
It is unfortunate what has happened to German-American relations since the Schroeder government took over. Some of it could be predicted with a declining American presence and the end of the Cold War, but the SPD has been using anti-Americanism to push their domestic political agenda.
My wife is from Koln. I lived four years in Berlin (1983-87) before the wall came down. I hope the probable upcoming defeat of the SPD can change the tenor of our current relationship with Germany. The French are hopeless.