It does require continuous readiness to launch nuclear ballistic missiles from a surprise location, otherwise the “mutual” part of mutually assured destruction is less assured:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine-launched_ballistic... https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_strike

Also, the US essentially controls the world’s oceans, and that comes with a whole bunch of benefits, wartime or peacetime.

I think you’ve made an honest error here, confusing the power plant of the subs with their payload. SSN’s are attack subs, not armed with nuclear SLBMs like an SSBN.

Well... yes. Maybe it shouldn't, but that decision isn't up to people actually in that branch.

Yes, at least for SSBNs -- the subs that have nuclear ballistic missiles. An "undetectable" nuclear launch platform that could be anywhere in the world [ocean-wise] at any given time is part of the "nuclear deterrent". Sure, lay waste to the continental US and all of it's farm-based missile installations; the floating, traveling, launch pad will still strike back, 24 missiles each with multiple payloads each on board. That's not including the UK's fleet.

They’re mostly reconnaissance, intelligence gathering and defensive. Occasionally might fire cruise missiles if necessary.

Helps keep the bad guys and gals from trying too much.

Sounds like a lot of enemies. I wonder how 'the good guys' ended up being hated by so many.

Where bad people means enemies of the US.

No, enemies of the western world and those who have the same values as us such as Korea, Japan, Chile, Brazil, Botswana, etc.

Clearly the US and the EU have different positions on Iran - the US considers it an enemy and imposed new sanctions, the EU haven't followed the suit.

So, no, even traditional clientele have left the US

Sure we don’t agree on everything— our agendas can diverge. The EU still gets gas from Russia, clearly we differ with them on Russia.

Exactly, you don't agree on who the enemies are and 'bad guys' mean the enemies the US, not of all the countries you lumped together.

That’s to be expected, we’re not a ‘bloc’ ala USSR and its satellites.

Except you claimed the opposite, saying that the objects of the US military's attention - 'bad guys' - are the enemies of the whole bunch of countries including the EU.

Looking at how the US tries to bully Turkey - a NATO member - into cancelling the S-400 deal with Russia, by saying the US is not going protect it despite the NATO article, you are not as different from Warsaw pact as you claim.