Europe as a whole has also failed to hit NATO defense spending targets, for at least a decade. Look at this article from 2016. https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2016/07/nato-spending-two-c...

At some point a partnership isn't a partnership if people don't participate.

It's absolutely true that almost all of NATO was not doing their part and should have been. It's good that they're starting to. But the U.S. enjoyed and benefitted greatly from that command of soft power. The U.S. has now transitioned to being a transactional hegemon, which leads to the divestment of that power. This is dangerous for us all because Americans will either have to accept their lesser position in the world, or will double down on using violence and aggression to maintain their status. The latter is almost exclusively what we've been enduring over the past years.

Well, then it's time for the USA to pack it up from all bases in Europe and go back home, if it isn't a partnership there's no need to be loitering around for this long, no?

> At some point a partnership isn't a partnership if people don't participate.

Similarly, at some point people should wonder what else might come out of a partnership aside from raw spending dollars and whether there is value there, instead of simply parroting stupid domestic bumper stickers as if they have value or add insight.

That may be true, but in the history of NATO how many countries have invoked Article 5, and which countries answered that call?

What does America failing have to do with geriatric Russia not posing a threat to anyone? Do you believe America has been keeping the lid on some seal and protecting people?

They plus NATO have played a part in restraining Russia from doing its expanding thing since WW2.

It's still #1 in nukes and close to the top in belligerence.

Do you believe the recent incursion into Ukraine was because of an expansionist goal on the part of Russia? Do you earnestly think Russia wants to control Europe politically?