Is defending Europe so easy that NATO can afford to demote that objective for a host of other real and imaginary threats?
Should we make NATO an alliance focused on defending the West globally?
Nearly a quarter of the way through the 21st century, member states must ask themselves: what is NATO’s purpose, and what must be done to fulfill it?
First and foremost, NATO must continue to defend its existing members successfully. However, To do that effectively requires repositioning to deal with threats that NATO’s founders never imagined. In addition to the Russian menace to European states like Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, NATO faces wider global concerns. From digital and economic hybrid warfare tactics to climate crises and terrorism, the dangers to NATO member states are increasingly borderless and not limited to kinetic threats from nation-states. While far from fully established, the “no limits” alliance of China and Russia declared by Xi Jinping is already underway and presents a serious risk.
To successfully defend the existing alliance against this proliferation of hybrid threats, NATO must open its doors to new members beyond Europe and North America.
One, China and Russia are frenemies. At best.
Even aside from the bait and switch aspect, this NATO expansion of red lines globally is a bad idea. Why on Earth should we want European allies to waste scarce military assets to project small amounts of military power--that will be militarily insignificant in that theater--rather than expanding the military power for missions in and near Europe as a priority?
European NATO allies being stronger in Europe will give America the confidence to redirect its power projection capabilities--based on confidence we have no major threats in North America--from Europe to Asia.
And don't even get me started on the notion that "climate crises" are a NATO problem. FFS. European states will end up shrinking their military power to develop and field electric airplanes to deploy a small amount of their ill-trained shrunken combat units around the globe. You know this is how it will play out.
I want NATO to be able
to defend Europe with America--more focused on Asia--mostly filling in gaps in European NATO capabilities. America can afford to do that. And a stronger European leg of NATO will make it easier.
For the world, NATO standardization can create a European force pool for a coalition of the willing beyond Europe. At most, America could use some European symbolic tripwire forces in Asia to remind China that what happens in Asia doesn't stay in Asia.
NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.
