Is NATO outdated?
Yesterday NPR ran this piece. I don’t support Trump, but his stance raises some interesting issues. Is it right that the U.S. pays so much more than other NATO members? Is there any threat from Russia to Western Europe? Should we be prepared to defend Eastern European countries from an attack by Russia? Is Estonia worth going to war over?
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8 Answers
This is just my opinion, but NO. Putin’s behaviour toward the Ukraine is enough to justify the alliance. Dissolving NATO would surely open Europe to war once again by weakening her denfenses against outside aggressors. Hitler was able to take Czechoslovakia and Austria only because they were non-aligned in defense treaties with larger countries. Poland had defense treaties with both Britain and France who chose not to honor them and left the Poles to hang under the Nazi juggernaut—because Britain and France were too weak to defend the Poles after decades of isolationism and downsizing their militaries in reaction to the carnage of WWI. NATO is meant to prevent history from repeating itself, and thus far, has been successful.
NATO is a club the dues of which are adjusted to what a member can pay. American investment in NATO pays off in having stable trading partners, including (sadly) a ready-made weapons market. The Donald isn’t seeing the big picture, or he’s pandering again, or he’s just plain stupid. Take your pick.
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“Is it right that the U.S. pays so much more than other NATO members?”
Considering that NATO has been primarily used to further US interests, yes. Trump is a blowhard who has yet to give serious thought to any issue he runs his mouth about.
I think it has a role, and is a useful organization.
But it could use some work – it’s sort of like the EU – too many members and the leadership is not able to make rapid decisions. So it needs work.
To answer your question – Yes, there is a long term threat from Russia, and Yes, we need something like NATO to be prepared for it.
But i doubt we need a huge bureaucracy, which is what NATO has become.
No, I do not think it is outdated. In my view, the one candidate who keeps insisting that it is, a myopically-visioned man with dangerously low world stage political and dioplomatic experience, is himself outdated.
NATO might be a little outmoded, but at this time it’s what we have, and it plays a huge role in world stability.
All this wall-building, allegiance-defunding scares me.
The terrorists and thugs succeeding.
We’re constantly arguing over military spending yet we seem to be OK with massive spending for NATO. NATO is the primary defense mechanism for Europe. Of course we also maintain massive defense in S.Korea. Defending Korea, Japan, Taiwan, etc. If we are the primary defense mechanism for the world, we will continue to be the primary defense spender. We either reduce our support for all these countries or we have to accept our role and continue the massive spending. You don’t get one without the other.
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