OPINION:
On Wednesday, Poland announced it is increasing naval spending in order to counter Russian naval missile power in the Baltic Sea. The goal would be to develop a capability to bottle up the Russian navy from escaping its cold ports to attack the Baltic and Nordic states in any future conflict.
The Secretary of Defense of the United States, Gen. James Mattis, also today, told NATO members they need to increase their defense spending or America would “reduce” its commitment to the alliance. This while thousands of American armored vehicles are exercising on the Russian border.
Then-President Obama had removed all American armor from Europe. Mr. Obama decimated the American Navy, Air Force and Marines. He removed hard-fought American influence from the Middle East. He allowed China to expand in the South China Sea. Iran was allowed to get nuclear weapons. American power was severely weakened.
In short, Russia’s actions in Ukraine and the Middle East have spooked Europe. The buzzing of commercial aircraft and other behavior have awoken the NATO sleeping giant. Trump was elected partially on a promise to re-energize the NATO alliance.
The end result will be a Europe that steps up spending and an alliance that will be more credible, with troops and equipment on the ground in Eastern Europe to prove it. NATO will be an alliance on heightened alert, with modernized equipment. Mr. Putin’s actions have simply helped President Trump make NATO great again.
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