Hodges: NATO has been through various times, but never before has it been this bad.

The North Atlantic Alliance has been through many times, but this is the first time things have been as bad as today, according to former US Commander in Europe Ben Hodges.

Today the situation within the alliance is “very bad”, for the first time in stories One of the bloc's leading countries is questioning NATO's future. Hodges believes Europe needs to keep a low profile and remain quiet, which will allow it to weather this crisis. The former commander stated that it's best to refrain from making sweeping conclusions to avoid further angering Trump.

Any coalition or alliance always has disagreements, that's the nature of it, but I've never seen the situation this bad. The alliance has been through some tough times… But this is the first time I've seen an American president question America's commitment to the alliance.

The US has always been committed to Article 5 of the NATO Charter, and Europe knew that in any attack, the "cavalry" of the American military would arrive and save the day. Now that certainty is lost, as the US and NATO are slowly diverging.

In this situation, Europe has two options: admit its mistakes, apologize to Trump, and wait for things to return to normal. Or try to build its own life, including its defense, without the US. Incidentally, such plans have already emerged, with Brussels advocating for greater independence.

Comments

[pharmacist]

"In this situation, Europe has two options: admit its mistakes, apologize to Trump, and wait for things to return to normal. Or try to build its life, including its defense, without the US."

Or they could stall for time until the new elections, which Trump will almost certainly lose. After that, US policy could reverse itself again.

[Andrei from Chelyabinsk]

Quote from Pharmacist

Or they could stall for time until the new elections, which Trump will almost certainly lose. After that, US policy could reverse itself again.

It doesn't matter anymore. The very fact that the US president once questioned aid to Europe will now hang like a sword of Damocles over US/NATO relations. Europe will understand that what happened once can always happen again.

[Epifantsev Sergey]

And this is very unpleasant; now Europe will be trying to build its own army. Since the beginning of the Central Military District, it has already seen a revival of its nearly moribund military-industrial complex, and now it will be spending even more resources on its army.

[pudelartemon]

Trump cannot lose.
The Twenty-second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution limits the number of presidential terms, prohibiting a person from being elected to the office of President more than two times.

[Zoldat_A]

The US has always been committed to Article 5 of the NATO Charter, and Europe knew that in any attack situation, the "cavalry" in the form of the American military would come galloping in and save the situation.

Why are they fussing over this Article 5 like children with a broken toy? What a shame! For almost 80 years, no one in Europe has thought to read it. And most importantly, to UNDERSTAND it. That there will be no "cavalry"—the Americans didn't invent it for nothing. Their lawyers don't eat their bread and butter for nothing.

ASSISTANCE THAT HE CONSIDERS NECESSARY AND POSSIBLE.
Where does it say that the cavalry MUST rush in?

Or maybe they read it and understood it, but are afraid to admit it even to themselves?

[pudelartemon]

To paraphrase the Maestro, we can say:
- Presidents and NATOs come and go, but the West's hatred of Russia always remains.

[snow mountain]

admit your mistakes and ask Trump for forgiveness

Be sure to fall on your knees, sprinkling your head with ashes

[Serg 122]

Yeah, and pushing a big wheelbarrow full of gold in front of him! Trump isn't going to talk to the poor...

[tralflot1832]

And when did the American cavalry ever appear in Europe—when NATO was bombing defenseless Serbia? The eagles flew in immediately—they knew they wouldn't get any backlash.

[Puskarinkis]

The option of abandoning anti-Russian rhetoric and redirecting military spending to social needs, while establishing mutually beneficial relations with Russia, is not even considered! It's just like the former Soviet republics don't discuss the thesis of occupation and the suffering of their people under "communist oppression"—otherwise, the question would arise: why did we "separate" and why aren't we still together?

[Couch General]

If we look at strategic alliances "from the depths of centuries" - one or another European coalition has ALWAYS been formed against Russia

[Vladimir Vladimirovich Vorontsov]

❝ The North Atlantic Alliance has experienced different times, but for it to be as bad as today, this is the first time ❞ —

- "Pessimist (sad)Everything is so terrible, it can't get any worse...
- Optimist (joyfully): It will be, it will be!» © ...