Norwegian preparedness may be a joke (see my “Ripe for Invasion” post below), but the larger issue is not so funny. The Taliban has returned to Afghanistan, and with British and American troops stretched thin, NATO is having trouble coming up with a mere 2,500 troops to help out.

At the same time, the United States is talking to Poland (one of the few European countries that actually does help with soldiers) about hosting an American-built anti-missile emplacement designed toprotect Europe from Iranian nuclear tipped missiles.

It’s often said that America’s military umbrella allows Europe to luxuriate in pacifist fantasies. That is a particularly painful truth today.