Soon US Predisdent Donald Trump is heading to a NATO summit where many expect him to once again complain about NATO members' military spending. A recent article in the New York Times contains interesting excerpts from a letter from President Trump to German Chancellor Angela Merkel. " As we discussed during your visit in April, there is growing frustration in the United States that some allies have not stepped up as promised. The United States continues to devote more resources to the defense of Europe when the Continent’s economy, including Germany’s, are doing well and security challenges abound. This is no longer sustainable for us. Growing frustration, is not confined to our executive branch. The United States Congress is concerned, as well."
While I understand that the US wants its allies to take responsibility for their own security it seems short-sighted to encourage the powerful states in Europe to develop stronger militaries. If Iceland or Slovakia don't contribute their fair share then it makes sense for the US to pressure them into spending more on defence. The same cannot be said for the major states like the UK, France, and especially Germany. It wasn't that long ago in the grand scheme of things that half of Europe was under the boot of Germany, either in its Nazi or Imperial form. German remilitarisation might very well be inevitable but to me it seems encouraging it is a catastrophic decision if one wants lasting peace in Europe. Honestly, this policy seems very short sighted. Wouldn't it force Germany's neighbours to arm themselves in response leading to a security dilemma and German fears about encirclement again? At the moment NATO is only active in Afghanistan and Kosovo plus some air and sea policing missions. Are the forces that a strong Germany could provide to those missions worth the fear and instability that a remilitarised Germnay would bring? Could the European institutions survive a geo-political reality where Germany is a military Great Power once again? I don't think so and while I think that's where we're heading in the long term anyway it doesn't seem to be in anyone's interest to encourage it.
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