NATO: debating and defending Europe

[novelist]

I would also like to point out that the instruments of national power are four, not one: D (diplomatic), I (information), M (military), and E (economic). We cannot maintain the force you are talking about without destroying our economy. You have a myopic view of how to influence others, which in this case, should be easy enough to see. It is the economic power that Russia holds over Western Europe via the sale of cheap Natural Gas that will keep Russia safe, not their tank divisions.

Right now as we speak Zimbabweans are learning Mandarin, not English. Any guess why? So while we put our national budget into defense in order to keep the shipping ways free for world trade, those involved in world trade (like the Chinese) take advantage of our funding. We are losing not because we have a weaker military, but because we have no real economic influence to wield in comparison to others like Russia or China.

You need to update your thinking

The fact that Zimbabweans are learning Mandarin is interesting. It is something of a testament to the rise of Communist Chinese economic and military power. But I think America's economic woes come from the facts that: (1) Colombia and North Korea have been counterfeiting U.S. curreny for many decades now; (2) We owe the ChiComs over a trillion dollars in foreign debt, and; (3) U.S. corporations taking their manufacturing abroad hurts the national GDP. These problems significantly contribute to the drawdown of the Armed Forces and adversely affects the National Defense. This carries over to U.S. 7th Army. That is my explanation on economic. As for "information," I see that in terms of National Intelligence. In terms of Diplomatic and Military, it was Carl Von Clausewitz who stated that "military force is an extension of political policy." My point is simply this... Our government is imposing economic sanctions on Russia yet, Putin continues to support Separatist aggression in the Ukraine. Do you think it illogical that the "policy of sanctions" would carry over to military confrontation with Russia if those sanctions do not deter Putin from his current course of action? This is why I made mention of the state of readiness of U.S. 7th Army and the number of Russian divisions.

Thank you for your input...