Deepening Connections with American Allies
What are your feelings on NATO?
Ally Cooperation vs. Self-reliance
If you agree, as most Americans do, that adversaries like Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are trying to challenge or undermine American influence globally, then you probably agree that it helps America to have friends.
In a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, it makes sense that most American citizens and politicians are on board with strengthening alliances and friendships that protect and advance America's interests.
Take America’s European allies and partners as an example. With their support, we’ve built an incredible security network across much of the Northern Hemisphere, particularly through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which now includes 31 countries.
How NATO Counters Adversaries
NATO is premised on the idea of collective defense: if one member is attacked, it’s considered an attack on every member. That means when America is attacked—as we were on 9/11—NATO comes to our defense. NATO also makes adversaries think twice about violating the sovereignty of any NATO member because they know if they do, they’re picking a fight with 30 other countries.
In pursuit of its fundamental purpose to protect the freedom and security of all its members, NATO members collectively maintain an impressive arsenal. As of 2023, this includes approximately 20,800 military aircraft, 2,400 ships (including sixteen aircraft carriers), and 1.03 million combined ground combat vehicles (including 12,500 tanks).
Military Interests and Beyond
Beyond Europe, key U.S. allies like Japan, South Korea, Israel, and Australia have their own formidable firepower to defend our mutual interests. Those four countries alone provide 2,175,500 personnel, 4,000 aircraft, 420 ships, and 350,000 combined ground combat vehicles, helping defend the vital Indo-Pacific and Middle East regions.
These alliances are built on more than collective military strength—they’re about advancing our shared values, such as stability, lasting peace, and economic interests. Our allies and partners push back against powers like Russia and China that challenge the rules-based global order.
In every community across America, there are jobs and businesses selling American-made products and services all over the world. In 2022, U.S. exports to NATO countries plus Japan, South Korea, Israel, and Australia totaled nearly one trillion dollars. That equates to millions of American jobs in sectors ranging from manufacturing and construction to engineering and energy.
A Commonsense Solution
America is a sovereign country, and the commonsense majority wants our leaders to prioritize the interests of America. But in a world that is increasingly interconnected, the U.S. can’t afford to go it alone. Our alliances and partnerships aren’t just nice-to-haves; they are critical components of our national security, economic prosperity, and global leadership
Embracing these collaborations ensures access to crucial markets, promotes trade opportunities, and fosters job growth at home, solidifying America's position as a powerful player in the global arena.
In your opinion, how important are the U.S.'s alliances and transatlantic cooperation in addressing your security and economic concerns?
Our allies are everything. Without each other it would be very tough to hold our ground alone ... or for an ally to hold their ground alone. Look at the Ukraine as an example! In my humble opinion, as a NATO ally, Erdogan/Turkey made a big mistake today making the statement that Hamas was not a terrorist organization. He is inviting his country to be looked upon with doubt and suspicion in the case of a conflict requiring NATO support.
Unfortunately all nations' governments are not our friends but quite the opposite. While we can try to change minds diplomatically and through non violent methods such as sanctions, et al .... we must sustain our relationships with allies - especially those with democratically elected governments who are trying to improve their nations for their populations.
To me allies, begin with our close neighbors in North America - and then travel south where we can find rational governments. I'm no expert on Central and South America so I'll leave the identification to others.
Clearly NATO countries are important to us as we are important to them. The same goes for some countries in Asia including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand and some others.
I wish I could add India, Turkey, and some other Middle Eastern countries but I cannot based on what little I know today. Israel is an exception with its democratically elected government based on the UK parlamentary system - noisy but democratic.
Our alliances and cooperation with our allies is important for international economic stability and as much world peace as possible.
Kick Turkey out of NATO
I spent 12 years (3 four-year tours) of my 22 year USAF career in Germany supporting NATO while part of the Tactical Air Control Parties to the 2nd Armd Cav Regt, 2nd Armd Div (Fwd), and 1st Inf Div (Fwd). During that time I was able to tour both West AND East Berlin. I saw how the Soviet Union did things then and now Putin's new "Soviet Union" (Russia & Belarus) is doing the same thing. NATO needs to support Ukraine until Belarus & Russia leave ALL parts of Ukraine.
If we truly care about this, why are we continuing to do business with the countries outlined here? Is greed more important than international security? Why are we so focused on the eastern hemisphere? Why not develop our hemisphere first. Monterrey Mexico is becoming a powerhouse in manufacturing. If we spent more time on this hemispere's development we might also control illegal immigration.
What makes more common sense, attempting to access billions of consumers while their militaries grow stronger, or develop the security of our hemisphere?
From the time of the Revolutionary War to Present it has been neccesary to be a part of the world community. In the past when America developed policcies of isolationism, America for itself, let the rest of the world take care of itself, lead to major disastors and America being attacked, and drawn into World Wars as well as other conflicts.
NATO is neccesary to keeping and protecting peace in Europe and to keep us from being pulled into major conflicts that start in Europe after they beccome major disastors, ie WWI and WWII. The organization kept the cold war to largely diplomatic issues and minor scrimages in Europe. NATO also provides for trade, not restricted to military, and for humanitarian assistance in the event of disasters. It is not without its issues of participation, finances, and differing policies among members. These are things that do need diplomatic work and should be and is revisited on a regular basis by member nations. We do need to ask European countries for more participation and financal support, but maintain a balance that keeps it working. There is also receiving compensation for personal that are assigned to member countries. This is worked out in Satis of Forces Agreement with the organization and its members that request US personal. NATO works as can be seen with the conflict in Ukraine. Russia was not allowed to just roll into Ukraine and annex the Ukraine into Russia. Military equipment is being supplied to Ukraine from member countries, who are purchasing new replacements from the United States. Ukraine and Moldova need to be added to NATO. Ukraine has earned it with blood and courage. Moldova needs to be added so Europe and the USA do not revisit this conflict and as a move to keep peace. Ukraine also has the ability to partisipate with military, and finances. Moldova is very poor, but its annexation will put immediate stress on member nations most notably Romania. Russia has in the past used military force in Moldova to influence Moldova interest. To prevent Moldova from peacefully and diplomatically becoming part of Romania as it was historicly prior to a crusade conflict where Russia responded and annexed toe country. Turkey does have issues but is also neccesary. Strategically it controls the Black Sea and Adreatic Sea. Policy wise it is good to have an Islamic member to prevent knee jerk reactions with Islamic conflicts. It provides an additional philosophical and political view to conflicts that indirectly influence Europe, and the USA. Its membership has also restricted its activities aganst the Kerds. The Kerds have been very important to the USA and Europe in Eastern Asia. Kerdastan, not an existing country currently, would be located in Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. Without Turkey being in NATO, it would be much more difficult for USA, and Europe to influence how aggresive Turkey would be upon the Kerds.
NATO should be an example and goal in the Pacific where there are multiple treaties, ANZUS Austraila, New Zeland USA, Japan US securty treaty, USA Philippense mutual defense treaty, USA Republic of Korea mutural defense treaty, USA and Papua New Guinea defense agreement. It would be more efficent and a greater deturant to China and Russia and People Democratic Republic of Korea if diplomaticly we can join and expand thes treaties to a single treaty. SEATO needs to be reformed and redeveolped to incorportate these treates into one and add Thiland, Tiawan, Indoasia. Tiwan currently has us going to the rescue with only informal agreements, no formal treaty to obligate the defense or to get aid from other pacific countries to assist in the defense. The Treaty should be a Far East Asia Treaty Organization instead of South East Asia. It should provide for mutual defense, comerse, and humanitarian aid. Prior to WWII we allowwed Japan to rule the pacific and draw us into WWII. Curently we are repeating this mistake with China. If we do not respond and defend Tiwan we just encourage China to continue to build and become stronger and attack a country we are obliged to defend or a US teratory like Guam. Russia has naval bases and ports on the Pacific to assist China and Peoples Democratic Republic of Korea from. We need to develop this treaty alliance to keep the peace and to expand trade in the pacific. It will also discourage and make it more difficult for China to pirate and couterfit products and ideas that do not rightfully belong to China. Major conflict is very likely to brake out in the Pacific and we do not have an organization like NATO to deture it from happening.
In addition to strengthing our defense and having treaties and strong allies in Europe and building it in the Pacific we need to have a strong State department. Peace should always begin and be maintained through a strong state department. It is needed in Europe and the Far East to diplomatically maintain peace, provide for comerse, and to provide and assist in humanitarian aid in time of disaster. There are other areas we also need to concern ourselves with. Western Asia where our allies are Israel and Turkey. We have diplomatic relations with many of the other countries and military bases. But Israel and Turkey are our allies. It is these diplomatic relations that allowed us to build the temporary agreements for the freedom of Kwait. It is also the State department that is allowing us to work for the freedom of hostages in Guaza. Africa is a hot bed for issues today and the major ability for us to help shape and semicontrol these issues is the State Department. South America, we now have 3 countries that are Communist Dictatorships that Russia and China are very willing to use to attack and interfear with the USA. There is undergraund communist influence in even more. There is also issues with organized crime in human trafficing, drug trade, among other things. These Organizations also use the communist and legitament governments agenst each other. Again it is the state department that provides us he eyes and ears of these problems and control of what is happening.
We also need to rebuild our relations with Mexico, and Canada. We can relocate and put all the military forces and Border personal you could immagine, plus build all the walls you wish. It will not close or bring control to our borders. Sure it will keep honest people honest, but it will not keep human trafficing, terrorist, or drugs out. For the organized crime, and terrorist networks will just find ways around the addition troops, border patrol, and physical blockaids. The great wall of China did not work for China, and these steps may appear impressive but are not going to work. They do not stop tunneling, flying below radar, use of water crafts desinged not to need major ports, or people coming over by regular commercial means with falsified and countertitted ID, or bringing nondeleared items with them. Having been asgined to military units that provided additional power to border control on the Mexican border is relations in military, and law with Mexico. They would let us know when drugs or humman trafficer were coming and we were able to channel them into areas we designed and prepared to interceed. No it was not perfect, but it did provide control on our border. This inteligence was effective and prevented a large amount of drugs from being available on the streets, and saved many lives of people being trafficed. What really brings control to the borders and agreements with both Mexico and Canada to control the border. To provide inreligence with agreed US inteligence personel on the Mexican and Canadian side of the border, plus insentives for Mexicans and Canadians to provide inteligence. We need to allow Mexico and Canada the same privlidge. This is not perfect, but is much more difficult to get around. We also need to stop lying to the American people about wanting to close the borders. MEGA is likely the only group that really wants the borders closed. The Republicans want cheep labor for jobs that Americans refuse to do, and if did will drive up inflation to pay the labor to get Americans to willingly perform. Democrats do not want the border open for family issues visiting or reuniting. They are interested in a power grab to get more people voting in our elections, they beleive will vote Democrat. Both Democrats and Republicans know that building bariers, adding military sites and increasing Border Patrols it is just big on looks and will not keep drugs, humman trafficing, terrorist or or other organized crime out. The only way to influnce these activities are diplomatic agreements and development of inteligence to be able to intercceed.
NATO is necessary because the US cannot combat China, Russia and Iran alone. However, there are problems with NATO, namely Turkey, which supports Hamas. Turkey should not be getting support (i.e. F-16s) from the US and should not be part of NATO unless they stop flirting with Islamofascism. There are also problems with the huge influx of Muslims that want to export their religion to Europe "by any means necessary" (their words).
Like the UN, NATO provides a structure for cooperation and mutual support.
Our foreign policy and military decisions should be based on the fundamental principle: "What is in the best interest of the United States?".
As such, having a strong, mutually beneficial alliance with each Country, that shares our values of democracy, freedom and the rule-of-law, is required for our future success.
NATO is extremely important for containing Putin and protecting our European allies from attack.
NATO can be a valuable American ally, if its members provide their share of the burden.We can no longer afford to subsidize their military commitments.We must demand that they do so.
Like all instututions it has issues but it is providing a solid multi-nation defence position.
Europe needs to grow into their own military in the next decade.
NATO needs to be strengthened and the rules better defined. I'm not sure Turkey and Hungary are good partners. A country like Turkey should not be able to singularly hold up a country like Sweden. One country should not have that much power within the organization. Maybe countries should have to re-commit to the organization every so often as world events change. I also think Ukraine should be admitted. A NATO confrontation with Russia is already here, it's just turned into a proxy game of chicken at this point with Ukraine as a pawn.
We get into 2 types of conflicts. There are those who will be able to be supported due to internal will to remain free. There are also those we have mistakenly supported in the past who have an insufficient nucleus to be supported therefore will fall apart and leave us with egg on our faces.
Ukraine, England, and Israel have shown the internal fortitude to survive and therefore are supportable. The best we can do in other situations is provide a temporary humanitarian corridor.
We had to show France that we could emerge victorious before they sent their navy. Franklin waited for a major American victory before approaching for help.