A credible European deterrent – one that could prevent, for instance, a rapid Russian incursion in the Baltics – would need a minimum of 1,400 tanks, 2,000 infantry fighting vehicles, and 700 artillery pieces. This is more combat power than currently exists in the combined French, German, Italian, and British land forces.
Good! I’m a US citizen who was raised in US military bases in foreign countries. Allies of the USA need to spend a lot more on their military.
USA people don’t realize that military spending doubly impacts society. Not only did your tax money go to getting a new bomber airplane that a civilian has no use for but the energy and effort that might have been used to create improved railway infrastructure (for example) never happened. After enough generations in relative isolation from other global societies, the populace doesn’t even realize what they are missing out on.