Editorial: The New York Times

• There is an outsize presence of U.S. troops and military investment in European NATO allies.
• Europeans need to shoulder more responsibility for their own defense, due to U.S.'s increasing focus on challenges like China.
• Despite U.S.'s threats to abandon countries that don't contribute enough to their own defense, nearly a third of NATO members still fall short of the agreed spending goal.
• There is growing unease in Europe over the dependence on U.S. forces.
• Continued U.S. presence in NATO is also due to financial incentives like defense contracts for U.S. firms.
• There are attempts for Europe to wean off U.S. military might, but these are often thwarted by the U.S.
• Currently, Europe lacks the capacity to deploy the soldiers and equipment that NATO needs to defend its members.

Conclusion: The importance of Europeans taking on more responsibility for their own defense is more important than ever. This role shift will not only allow the U.S. to focus more on other challenges, but also strengthen the NATO alliance.

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