A.A.
that's a very naive and simplistic view. Had they had to fulfill their responsibility to NATO would they have had the money for all that? Of course not!
Maybe, but de Gaulle made it very clear where all those expensive "nukes" were pointing. (i.e. "East").
How many NATO countries "fulfilled" their obligations during those years? Denmark certainly didn't, freewheling on interesting basing options, hoping that U.S., British, Dutch and Belgian aircraft would get here in time.
...they can fly and speak English at the same time...
Somebody said the French
couldn't/wouldn't. Just correcting that.