The strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must.It was true 2400 years ago and it’s true today. President Trump is about to remind our NATO “allies” of that truth. Freeriding is so over.
— Thucydides
Most NATO members have chosen to remain weak militarily and will suffer accordingly. Trump will coerce them into changing spending priorities by increasing their defense outlays.
Our Deal-Maker-in-Chief asks what’s in it for us, how are we getting a good deal carrying far more than our share of NATO? Is our being hegemon worth the price? Show us then some subservience, some obeisance.
Truthfully, the current NATO arrangement where we protect everybody else, is feudal. That makes us the lord and them the vassals. Except they expect to be treated as equals, and vassals don’t rate that respect, they’re supposed to tug the forelock or kowtow.
Prediction: Unhappy, resentful, possibly cringing ‘vassals.’
