Subject: Re: Starmer chooses his side: Iran
I agree that there were benefits to the USA being Daddy Warbucks in regards to Europe and NATO. So Trump is slashing spending, cutting USA contributions to NATO. If that is so, why is Trump asking for the US Military budget to be increased to $1.5 Trillion, or whatever pie in the sky BS he is spewing ???? Shouldn't US Military spending decrease if we are no longer are backing Europe and NATO ??

I suppose the simple answer is that we haven't reduced NATO spending all that much yet - certainly not enough for a peace dividend.

The longer answer is that China hawks advocate shifting resources out of Europe not to reduce military spending, but because they need to be marshalled against China - which is the bigger threat to the U.S. than anything in the European theater.