Have you looked at the TOE's of the nations that want to join? They are a shambles militarily. The Baltic states that are recent members of NATO are an even worse shambles. Estonia has no fixed wing combat aircraft, not even ground attack planes like the SU-25 (operated by Georgia). New NATO members immediately ditch their expensive defense establishments after joining. Why pay for an effective military when Uncle Sam has your back?
That does not mark them as “welfare cases”. Especially in light of your open calling for them to be reabsorbed by the New USSR aka the Eurasian Union. The new imperialism will lead down a very dark road.
That's a trick to keep any NATO permanent presence in the Baltics as others are doing then air policing duties... but overall you are right, they should be buying a damn load of anti-tank missiles, MANPADS etc. they have some but far not enough.
“Adding welfare cases makes NATO weaker. The combination of expanded obligations and additional votes in an organization that requires unanimity is turning NATO into an expensive bull session rather than an alliance with teeth.”
Exactly.