Are you overly sensitive if you find the attitudes of NATO leaders repugnant? Several of them seemed to snicker and smirk when President Trump spoke recently in Brussels.
In other ways, they indicated they did not appreciate his message, which was that their countries are pikers. They don’t pay their fair share for their own defense. Meanwhile, they expect the U.S. to cough up more than its fair share — as it has since WWII.
Germany’s Angela Merkel spoke after Trump’s visit to Europe. She said, “The times in which we could completely depend on others are, to a certain extent, over. We Europeans truly have to take our fate into our own hands.” To which you might say, it’s about time.
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If Merkel is resentful, she should be ashamed. If she simply accepts reality, she should be commended.
That is because the reality is that the European Union (EU) would probably not exist if America had not defended Europe for the last 60 years. We have spent hundreds of billions for the defense of Europe. And, European countries spent meager amounts in comparison.
Yes, our strategy was meant to allow Europeans to focus on their recoveries after the war. But the idea was that once they were on their feet, they should pony up for their own defenses.
And today some of Europe’s leaders scoff at Trump’s suggestion? They smirk when he suggests they pay up?
They act like kids who have been on the Mom and Dad dole for too many years. They should be ashamed that they have promised and promised to live up to their responsibility. But they have again and again failed to do so.
Suppose the U.S. and Britain had not kept armies in Europe after the war. Along with missiles, tanks, and aircraft. The Soviets might easily have over-run and occupied several countries. Several more than those they did punish with ugly communism.
Merkel grew up in East Germany under Soviet oppression. She could have spent her entire life under communism — if America had not spent fortunes to help bring down the Soviet system.
Members of the EU often boast about the prosperity they have brought unto themselves. Seldom do they credit the U.S. for its role in helping them with its largesse to get them back on their feet after the war. America’s role was to defend them — in the years when they had no money for their defense.
In those years, we kept 250,000 troops in Europe. That was a heck of a lot of American tax money — to keep the Soviets from invading.
The U.S. presence also was intended to keep Europeans from fighting against each other, as they had for centuries. Some historians believe Europe would have continued its blood-letting ways were it not for the Americans being there. Do you suppose many Europeans today think of America as a friend that saved their backsides? Do many thank the U.S. for their peace and prosperity?
It was the U.S. role to bolster and pay for the United Nations (UN). Without the U.S. money, the UN would probably have failed. Do you think many people on this earth thank America for the UN? Meanwhile, many countries criticize us for cutting back our contributions to it.
If Russia decided to roll tanks into Europe tomorrow, the Europeans would face defeat within weeks. If not days. The Russians have about 1 million troops. Germany has 60,000. Who do you suppose Europeans would turn to in such a war? To help defend them.
You know the answer.
So maybe you don’t appreciate the snickering of some NATO leaders, when they are asked to pay more for their own defense. If you don’t, count me on your side.
From Tom…as in Morgan.
Tom Morgan writes about political, financial and other subjects from his home near Oneonta. Several upstate radio stations carry his daily commentary, Tom Morgan’s Money Talk. Contact him at tomasinmorgan@yahoo.com
