European Defense

Mar 1 2025

So, if it already wasn’t obvious before, it is now; Europe cannot rely on the US on defence matters anymore.

Now is the time to re-build the armies of Europe, and while you are at it, make NATO more European.

European countries need to spend more on defense, and build an industrial base that can produce military materiel in quantities needed for a prolonged war. And not just production of existing tech used today on the battlefields. Research and development of new technologies is vital to this effort, so Europe can produce tech that will help it prevent, and if needed, win the wars of the future.

Drone warfare is the obvious example here, Ukrainians are using drones to great effect, and they have changed the way wars will be fought in the future.

So, what Europe needs to do is to invest in research and development, and build an industrial base which can build existing and new weapons at scale. To paraphrase General Pershing; Tactics win battles, but logistics win wars. And the basis for war-winning-logistics, is a well functioning industrial base.

Yes, it takes a lot of money and time and resources, but what exactly is the option?

George Orwell said this about pacifists during WWII: Pacifism is objectively pro-fascist. This is elementary common sense. If you hamper the war effort of one side, you automatically help out that of the other.

I have said the following before, but it is worth mentioning again: government is basically an insurance company with a military. Government gives people social security, takes care of infrastructure, funds basic research, provides education, and does numerous other things that benefit the people and the society at large.

If you are one of those people who think that money and resources would be better spent on the things mentioned above, rather than on military stuff designed to kill people, maybe you should look at the issue from a slightly different angle as well.

If the government is an insurance company with a military, then the military, as part of the government, acts as the insurance for all the positive things the government does.

Unfortunately we do not live in a perfect world, and until we do, we will need a military to protect our homes, schools, hospitals, power grids, factories, cities, roads, and all the things that make our societies livable. A strong and reputable military, purely by existing, will make most aggressors think twice about starting a war with your country.

And you do not have to join the military, just fund them and let them do their work, there will be plenty of other people willing to serve, especially in countries under threat.