WSJ is close on some points and way off base on others. Yes we do not have the production facilities to produce what Russia does. Thank Billy Jeff for that one when he consolidated and shutdown many of the facilities. Right now we only have one small arms production facility when we had them scattered all across the country back in the day. Now Putty is not going to invade Europe unless he is provoked. He took what he wanted from Ukraine for the warm water port and supply routes in and out back to Russia. Ukraine has strong ties to Russia regardless who the CIA installs as the marionette. Ukraine cannot get people to volunteer but they can conscript them which is not a great way to fight a war. You have a choice to go forward or get shot in the back.
The U.S. has historical unity with England. Yet we don't want to be ruled by the Parliament in London.
The West doesn’t just face Russia in Europe, it faces China as well and while the Russian threat has been neutered for awhile as they need years to rebuild their difficult and almost impossible to replace weapons such as ships, hi-tech aircraft, and armor and artillery, etc. while dealing with holding onto what they are fighting for and pacifying whatever they succeed in conquering, China is growing its global war machine and bases, and capabilities.
Some here are so passionate about making the case for Russia’s invasion and against the West and American military readiness that they have decided that China isn’t a threat either, and that none of this has anything to do with being prepared for China, or even how having Russia so tied up and weakened in its ability to fight first tier militaries hurts China’s ability to tie up NATO assets if we have to fight them, and also how those NATO assets have grown greatly and are growing now as the West is forced to rediscover and supply its war fighting needs.
The West and the Pacific allies and friends have grown closer and have increased military budgets, bases, cooperation, training and weapons manufacturing since Russia’s war launch, NATO is recognizing that it will not be left out of a China war and is taking steps to participate in the Pacific defenses and other areas if war with China breaks out.