America's European Allies Drop the Ball

I've been harping on this theme for nearly a decade now, and now it's time to harp again. America needs a strategy to adapt to the faltering strength of its most important and congenial allies. The New York Times reported Tuesday on the next phase of that decline.

A new French defense white paper

foresees a reduction of at least 24,000 jobs in addition to the 54,000 announced in the last white paper in 2008, written under the former president, Nicolas Sarkozy. The current white paper also suggests a reduction in rapid deployment forces from 30,000 to between 15,000 and 20,000.

Meanwhile Britain is reducing its military force to 82,000 persons. To meet their budget targets, European allies are gutting already eviscerated military budgets. The casualties of the Euro policy include not only millions of unemployed young, but the last strength and sinew of what remains of the Western defense alliance.