I was in Germany for an Army investigation back in the Seventies.
Frankfurt. Heidelberg. Kaiserslautern.
The German highways had a lot of military traffic in those days. The big emphasis, of course, was on being able to thwart a Soviet invasion. Everything else was secondary.
It was accepted that if anything bad was going to happen, it would happen quickly and would require a very strong response.
The American commitment was enormous but there was a sense of gratitude from the German people. We felt they truly appreciated our presence in those days along with that of the British and the French.
The size of the European defense budgets was much higher then, even though the nations were poorer than today.
If the current European leaders think that Americans do not notice their mild levels of military and diplomatic support, they are making a huge mistake.
The Iranian missile program was designed to bring pressure on Europe and only ultimately on the United States. There should be clear and strong support from Europe.
To borrow an old line once used by Winston Churchill with regard to the Russians, if this is how they behave in the green wood, how will they behave in the dry?
