NATO Pledges 7,000 New Troops to Afghanistan

NATO is a huge disappointment. With the exception of the UK and lately France, Europeans count on us to do the heavy lifting while they devote their money to social entitlements. What bothers me the most is the European attitudes which are resentful if not hostile to our efforts to keep the world as safe as possible. We get criticized for a "go it alone" attitude, but that is forced on us by the Europeans who refuse to pull their fair share. We dedicate over 4% of our sizable GDP to defense, while the Euro average is a palty 1.7%. C'mon guys, get with the program. Islamic jihadists are a bigger threat to Europe than the US. Quit being such pansies.

I agree with you, copterdude! Europe need to understand that freedom is NOT free. I sense that the EU have not entirely forgive America for the invasion of Iraq. To think that had the U.S. only invaded Afghanistan, the outcome of the European view on this war would have been more positive. I don't know if that has anything to do with the EU interests in Iraq. Or maybe they do not want to be seen as warmongers for another war right after the Gulf war.

NATO, the UN and most of Europe are namby, pamby, elitist utopians. National security doesn't mean a thing to them. All of them hell bent on gaining control for a world government. May God Help Us.

Folks need to understand that europe views war far differently then Americans do. We haven't had entire cities completely leveled. We haven't had a foreign power occupy our national capital in almost two centuries. We haven't lost entire generations fighting for national causes. We haven't been the sheep sandwiched between the bear and the wolf. Europe is for the most part done with war. They have militaries to respond to disasters and to counter the distant possibility of russian ambition. They don't need war anymore.

Europe's concern today is stability. Stability requires political, social, and law enforcement solutions. A guided missile cruiser is little use in addressing a riot or in pacifying disgruntled immigrants. The EU isn't worried about Algeria invading the Rivera and forcing everyone to convert at the sword. So why pay billions to keep thousands of troops around to do nothing? Their police and national guards are sufficient.

This colors their attitudes. When we show up and tell them they have to fight, we're thinking of victory. They're thinking of Dresden and London and Paris. They know what living in a war is really like. We don't. We know about fighting a war, but our wars are far from home. They don't sweep in and devour our friends and family. 9/11 was a taste... a small one... of what Europeans endured for five years. War has nothing to offer them.

America should know not to depend on anyone to help us, if and, when we need it. Having allies is nice but when have they ever put forth the effort to do anything but profit from us whenever the opportunity came around. The 7,000 pledged troops is more than I expected. Maybe the only way to get through to them is not respond during a crisis in Europe. Maybe the Taliban or al-Qaeda has to actually destroy a city before they get the message.

When my father served in the military during the Korean War he said Europeans hated America then. What has changed since that time? America has to be its' own best friend and look out for its' self first, all others come next.

These Europeans MIGHT direct traffic! Hard to believe the Germans were so efficient in killing folks just 60 years ago! Wusses !