I have an unpopular opinion but I'm going to share it anyway...

I believe that NATO wants peace. Germany wants peace. The US wants peace (I think) but that is... elusive in today's world a 'dangerous world'.

The rise of China as an economic competitor has put the US and Europe in full-blown political crisis... and the response from MAGA and Mr Trump is... total complete denial plus economic nonsense.

Germany is not a 'warmonger' it is an advanced economy, parliamentary democracy and member of the G7. A flawed maybe but by-and-large free society. Somehow the US has abandoned its values and role of leader of the G7 to pursue... complete nonsense and economic protectionism as if that will 'slow' China (it won't).

So Germany has to step up to the plate to be more economically competitive... and a guarantor of Europe's security with war on the European continent.

Eventually the Americans will 'get over' their denial, but by then it will probably be too late.

Germany has been put between a rock and a hard place, as the Americans like to say.