Robert “Why Does CNAS Pay This Man” Kaplan:

Europe, having been liberated from nuclear terror at the conclusion of the Cold War, proved unable to muster the gumption to deal with Yugoslavia on its own, or, as the case of Afghanistan shows, to demonstrate much enthusiasm for any great collective effort. Which leads to the question: What does the European Union truly stand for besides a cradle-to-grave social welfare system? For without something to struggle for, there can be no civil society—only decadence.

Thus, with their patriotism dissipated, European governments can no longer ask for sacrifices from their populations when it comes to questions of peace and war. Ironically, we may have gained victory in the Cold War, but lost Europe in the process.

In reality, Europe is about to conclude a massive, historic treaty that, writes Matthew Yglesias, clears the “last major obstacle to a substantial overhaul of European Union institutions,” and paves the way for substantially more continental unity. By any conceivable definition, that is a “great collective effort.” But since it entrenches peace throughout the European continent, somehow it falls into the “decadent” category for Kaplan. It really was preferable to have European nations constantly at war with each other! That’s what great nations do.

Similarly, last month, the European defense ministers pledged themselves to Gen. McChrystal’s counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan. Having visited EU embassies over the past few weeks, I can report that there are expectations of greater NATO troops, as well. Will they be as numerous as U.S. troops? Of course not. That’s a function of a) U.S. defense spending being so massively massively superior to European defense spending, b) NATO publics generally being less sympathetic to the war, and c) a global economic recession. All that context makes European commitments to Afghanistan appear more impressive, not less.

Finally, please, Mr. Kaplan: on what planet did the U.S. endeavor for 50 years to contain the Soviet Union and commit itself to European security so that European soldiers would one day become our cannon fodder? I’d really love to read the history books you read.

Update: More from Alex Massie, an actual European!