Originally Posted by Excargodog

major NATO Allie’s have underfunded their military for 35 years. Which is one of the reasons that NATO deterrence failed to deter Russia from invading Ukraine. 35 years of underinvestment simply can’t be made up quickly. Even given more resources - a lot more resources - it takes time. Time to recruit and train, time to procure modern equipment, time ti get training guides and OPLANS up to date, Time to repair and renew long ignored and now dilapidated installations. Doing that while simultaneously giving equipment and funding to a country already fighting a war just makes it that much harder.

Harder still is to sell it to the public. Those in Western Europe who still remember a major Europe are now few, and even fewer every day. And the young have been raised in a culture where re#ponding to Greta Thunberg’s tantrums had more priority than responding to US administrations - Dem and Repub - urging them to do more for their own defense. Changing that mindset - getting the young to take this seriously and volunteering to defend their country may be hardest of all.