Originally Posted by
exhorder
Yes, that is why I wrote "It's not like the German defense spending malaise hasn't been addressed time and time again over the years". In fact, we have been increase defense spending by quite a lot since 2014, with the largest surge actually happening in 2019.
To be absolutely clear, there is still a lot to do, not the least improving spending efficiency - meaning that currently, a lot of funds are wasted for bureaucratic calamities, but then again, this is not an exclusive problem on this side of the pond. However, the manner in which the sitting president addresses the issue is counterproductive, to put it mildly, because it provides certain German political factions a perfect excuse to sabotage the defense budget strategy that had been agreed upon earlier. The end result is a growing rift between the US and the Europeans, which goes against both sides' interests, and which only diminishes the effectiveness of "the Western world" vis-à-vis Russia and China.
You can only ask, plead, cajole, lay down lines in the sand for so long before it’s time to act. Now is that time. I’ve heard German politicians throw out the talking point that this plays to Putin’s desires. If they’ve known full well this is the truth, shame on them for not acting. Germany has become too comfortable with the status quo. Time for a new status quo.