Admiral Rob Bauer, NATO’s top military officer, just delivered a wake-up call to Europe that’s impossible to ignore—though the champagne-and-caviar crowd probably wishes it could. Speaking to the European Policy Centre, Bauer urged nations to prepare for a future where their “luxuries” may have to take a backseat to securing freedom. His message? Sacrifice now, or face catastrophe later.
Bauer didn’t mince words. While touting NATO’s improved readiness, he stressed the need for businesses and citizens to prepare for a “wartime scenario.” For the European elites sipping lattes in their ivory towers, that means spending less on indulgences and more on deterrence. Bauer made it clear: “If you ramp up your deterrence and support Ukraine, there will be less money to spend on other things. It will take away some of our luxuries; it will require sacrifice.”
Europe is ‘Entering an Era of Wars’, Top Security Forum Warns https://t.co/nl9Xw9zLt4
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) December 19, 2023
Sacrifice? What a concept! This is a continent where many expect American taxpayers to foot the bill for Europe’s defense while they cradle their welfare states. The admiral’s warning isn’t just about military readiness—it’s about waking up a population lulled into complacency by decades of peace bought and paid for by Uncle Sam. The irony is palpable.
Bauer’s speech wasn’t just about Russia. He pointed out how Europe’s dependence on China for critical supplies—from rare earth minerals to essential medicines—makes the continent vulnerable to economic sabotage. “We are naïve if we think the Communist Party will never use that power,” he said. Translation: Europe’s cozy deal with China could turn into a stranglehold overnight.
And while the left frets about plastic straws and gender-neutral pronouns, Admiral Bauer is talking about stocking flashlights and batteries for survival. He reminded Europeans that even civilians must prepare for disruptions: “Society is part of the solution… you need to have water, you need to have a radio on batteries.”
Poland, a nation with firsthand experience of Russian aggression, has been sounding the alarm for years. Their leaders have warned Europe has just three years to ready itself while Russia rebuilds its military. Yet much of the continent continues to live in a dream world where military readiness is someone else’s problem.
Bauer’s bluntness underscores a larger truth: Europe’s habit of outsourcing its defense to the U.S. is unsustainable. As Professor Katarzyna Pisarska put it, “This lifestyle, the focus on the welfare state… may become unsustainable under the cost burden of keeping freedom free.” Freedom, as it turns out, isn’t free—and neither is self-reliance.
Be Ready for War With China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea in Five Years, Warns UKhttps://t.co/5YoLgHZ423
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) January 16, 2024
The takeaway here is simple: NATO’s call for sacrifice is a reminder that complacency is the enemy of liberty. Europe’s elites may balk at cutting their creature comforts, but true leadership means preparing for hard realities. The U.S. has carried Europe’s defense for decades, but it’s past time for the continent to pull its weight. Americans are tired of footing the bill for champagne socialism while Europeans refuse to prioritize their own survival.
