Like a chess player in time trouble, moments of crisis can produce moves that undermine a whole position. So it is in this week’s Observer, arguing that Euro-NATO can go it alone in pursuing the Ukraine war without the US, and printing a graph that shows what the real balance of military forces already is, they can’t help but undermine the core case for increases in military spending instead of a peace settlement, that without it the Russians will invade Europe.

This is the graphic they published. Hence this letter to the editor.

Now that you have published a graphic (As Trump steps back, Ukraine looks to Europe for a way of defeating Putin) that shows that NATO in Europe, without the USA and without Ukraine, outspends the Russians on defence by three to one – which shows up in twice as many troops and aircraft, three times as many tanks and artillery pieces, and even an advantage in Surface to Air Missiles – can we please have an end to articles arguing that if there is a peace in Ukraine that respects the rights of Russian speakers in the South and East of the country, this will be a cue for a Russian invasion of the rest of Europe? And, indeed, pretending that the proposed increases in Euro NATO military spending up to 2030 – aimed at increasing that ratio to a staggering 10:1 – are a necessary defensive measure, rather than a preparation for a war of aggression – impoverishing us in the immediate term and threatening nuclear annihilation should it be launched?

Please note. My Blogs are banned of Facebook because they say they “look like spam”. This has somewhat reduced their reach. If you think the arguments are worth passing on, and want to help break the ideological blockade embodied in this sort of action, please pass it on to anyone who you think might find it interesting or useful.