Iran

[Confluence]

I agree, the US takes on too large of a financial burden. I also (shockingly) agree with Trump's push to bring members in line with agreed-upon commitments, which has risen from 2% to 5% of GDP last year.

To put it in context:



Also worth looking at from a per capita perspective:



It's also not clear what the US defense budget would look like without NATO commitments. I think there's some confusion about this stateside, as it's become a political talking point.

Now you are an expert on NATO funding. But not really.
At all.

 

[Sarge]

I agree with this, but then we can't automatically expect other countries to jump in. Other countries have a lot more at stake than us. They are in range or much closer in proximity to attacks. The likelihood of iran hitting the USA with a missile is basically non existent whereas many allied countries are at high risk if they get involved. The biggest threat would be sleeper cells in the USA and having a dirty bomb smuggled into our country.

I disagree. I think their problem is that they’ve allowed such a large Muslim population to fester in their own countries that they fear retribution from those same people should they become involved. Look, everyone knows what Islam is whether they actually admit it or not.

 

[Booted]

iran Iran Iran

 

[Troglodyte]

Perhaps. The US Citizenry is the largest army in the world. Regardless, we have a chance. And that's why the framers put in the 2A, for us to be able to protect ourselves from our own Government.

Shame the Iranian people don't also have that fighters chance, agreed?

Perhaps? Dude. This is 2026, not 1826. The military has arms and intelligence gathering that citizens don’t have. Many U.S. gun owners are in poor physical condition and many others would pass on shooting at something that can shoot back.

As far as the Iranians are concerned it’d certainly help if they had arms but they’d need help regardless.