The flag of NATO

Image from Wikipedia Commons

The flag of the European Union

Image from Wikipedia Commons

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Through our struggle for independence, a civil war, first steps onto the lunar surface and exploration of the solar system, victories against tyranny, disease, famine and major advances in science and technology, the United States established itself as a true beacon of enlightenment for all humanity. 

History, though, has shown that great powers can quickly fall when diabolical forces seeking to disrupt the status quo to materialize their own power. Sadly, an autocrat, enabled by his political, media and business benefactors, capitalizes on a national consciousness that equates success with money, erroneously associating intelligence with the accumulation of wealth, and never looking carefully to see who or what they are worshiping are a complete fallacy. 

It is unimaginable at this moment that Europe is considering a future without an Atlantic Partnership with the US. Through constant bloody struggles following the collapse of Rome for well over millennia that culminated in two World Wars, Europe has become a powerful equivalent economic, technological, and military force to the US. 

I revere in the heritage given by my English, German and Russian ancestors who came here from 1636 to 1927, spanning almost three centuries altogether. As citizens of the US, they were blessed as this New World gave them the opportunities that are the foundations of our lives and our dreams of a better tomorrow for generations to come. 

Europe today with a powerful economic bloc—the European Union (EU) and militarily, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as strategic alliances from the Indo-Pacific, Africa and the Americas—has the capacity to flourish economically, plus dominate any military threat if necessary without its most trusted friend the United States. 

Today, the EU has a GDP of about $20.29T, which ranks it second with the PRC (China), third at $14.72T with our nation-leading at just under $29.2T. In terms of percentage, that makes the EU third with 15.2% of the global economy; our nation at 15.5%; and the PRC leading at 18.9%. It is very important to remember that our economic sector is the largest contributor to our GDP. In other words, today the United States lacks the manufacturing infrastructure that it once dominated globally as we are forced without modern factories and a skilled workforce to be a more import-centric nation. 

If the United States, through the congressional mechanisms, resigns from NATO, the alliance will go forth. It will remain very powerful militarily, in every aspect, to respond firmly to any aggression against it. Plus Europe can project power globally with allies like India, Japan, South Korea and Australia to name a few. 

Trump’s threats to potentially not respond to Article 5, which is the charter clause that states, “if one member is attacked, it’s an attack on the alliance,” plus comments about acquiring Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, a NATO member,”‘in any way possible,” signals a potentially serious strategic mistake for the US. 

Absent the United States, Europe, through NATO, stands at over 1,000,000 troops and has the most modern weaponry in its arsenal from the 31 nations who would remain in the alliance. Plus it has the economic vitality in the EU, nearly on par with our GDP and contribution to the global economy.

Germany equals our nation's contribution to NATO at about 16% overall budget comprised of military, civil, and a security investment program. The UK (11%) and France (10%) follow. It then translates that should the United States choose to leave the alliance, it would take little time to make up that loss while maintaining a very potent conventional and nuclear deterrent to utilize against any aggressors, particularly Russia as it realigns. 

Nearly 80 years of this unmatched alliance that has brought the US and Europe closer may have now become history as Trump disrespectfully tosses aside as 13 presidents before him have unconditionally committed us to NATO, which has guaranteed our national security and prosperity. Over the period of weeks, it has now started to resonate that the alliance might be better off without the troublesome problems Trump is now causing. 

No longer do members fully trust the United States under Trump, as NATO is accelerating its contingency planning to shore up its capabilities without our support. Europe is now believing it can dominate any economic and military confrontation with Russia, or any other potential threat. 

Additionally, the advantage NATO retains is that—with a US withdrawal from the continent—all current infrastructure remaining is extremely substantial. Over 30 modern bases provide everything from air, ground, and naval, plus the most advanced command and control capabilities to the nations in which they are located, exponentially increasing the alliance's capabilities. 

Finally, one must also consider the nuclear deterrent as both the UK and France have more than enough capabilities to make any country contemplating a release of such weapons suffer unimaginable consequences from a decimating retaliatory response. France is now considering extending its deterrent to the entire continent, and a very powerful rising member in Poland has begun to contemplate adding a nuclear deterrent to its arsenal. 

Russia is very aware that most NATO nations have capabilities for deployment on the sea, land, air and space. Additionally, the EU is economically suffocating Putin, his oligarchs and is fully supporting Ukraine. Trump has now suspended all aid and intelligence in a treasonous placation to Putin after he attempted to extort sovereign wealth from Ukraine as Russia continues its attack without pause. Meanwhile, the EU has proposed a plan that could end the conflict utilizing the best practices of diplomacy which Trump has refused to accept. 

I believe in the Atlantic Partnership, which is powerfully represented by NATO and that the United States should remain a leading member maximizing such a strategic advantage to protect our national security. Additionally, remaining with NATO will continue the world's largest bilateral trade and investment relationship which we share with the EU, helping our economy for decades to come. 

We shall see.

Ned Sader has more than two decades of public affairs experience working for corporations and nonprofits, with a specialty in the development of public/private partnerships. He has served on numerous regional boards and is a lifelong resident of Wayne County, PA.  You can find more of his writing here.