Replies

"One of nationalism‘s benefits, something its evil pale cousin isolationism cannot claim, is in addition to promoting self-interest, it also promotes the concept of leaving other people alone."

Something the usual suspects here (and in media and government) either don't understand or purposely conflate. And given the track record, more likely the latter.

And I'll add: people like McConnell, Graham, Romney and most Democrats do not have the national interest at heart. IMHO, DC and its various apparati these days almost acts as a hostile foreign power with respect to the United States.

Great question: Why does the USA subsidize the defense of Europe while Europeans beat their proverbial swords into Multinational Corporations? Poland alone (or France, England, and Germany) is perfectly capable of defending Western Europe from any perceived Eastern Threat.

This argument works if one believes the story that Russia is so afraid of NATO that it would risk invading a good size country (going right for it’s capitol, and other large areas not even ethnically Russian, I might add) to push NATO back, with the predictable consequence of European NATO countries going on a defense spending spree and Finland and Sweden joining NATO (a VERY significant enhancement.)

That even though NATO as of 1/1/2022 was not structured or armed or anything else to present any serious offensive threat to Russia. Also, several major NATO members consistently started firm opposition to Ukraine joining NATO, nor were their populations remotely in favor of such — and it only takes one to block an admittance. Plus there are other NATO rules about not admitting nations in unstable situations.

The truth is that Russia’s invasion is about FAR more than fear of NATO. Some might say NATO is the tip of the iceberg. I view it as more like a wave on top of a current of deeper cultural, economic, sociological, and strategic forces and changes. Putin sometimes touches on the “current” a bit, but is generally dishonest about it.

Be that as it may, maybe nationalism or introspection on the part of the US could affect the wave a bit, but short of a breakup of NATO / Europe (incredibly dangerous!), the underlying current and Russia’s fear of it would not be altered.