In the end NATO knows that America - whether it's Republicans or Democrats will be there to be a deterrent to Russia and others.

Because American politicians are either sympathetic to colonizer Europe, AND OR on the Defense Payroll.

Spain will get away with all of it.

Very likely.

But an example needs to be made of someone. If we didn't use Rota, Spain as a large Naval base there would be zero reason for Spain to be in NATO other than geography. Perhaps another location can be found for the Sixth Fleet, maybe Italy or along the African coast.

The French are the French. They pulled this same sh1t when Reagan needed to strike Libya after Qaddafi bombed a nightclub in Berlin - France denied use of their airspace then also. I still recall a mid 80's US News and World Report article about NATO that featured an interview with a US Army Infrantry Officer. He said, when asked about the usefulness and contribution level of some of our NATO partners that

"I'd rather have the Poles than the French". <--- bear in mind Poland was in the Warsaw Pact at this time.

The Europeans are coming to grips with the fact that they're no longer free nations. They're now dependents to their self-imposed bureaucratic strangulation that's baked in the worst of green and de-industrialist policies. Plus they're all going to be praying 5 times a day from now on.