Poll shows many would not support a war to protect a NATO ally
The Pew Research Center has just released a monster piece of research on public attitudes toward NATO, Ukraine, and Russia.
Fears of Russian expansion have been making daily headlines for more than a year, since the beginning of Moscow's annexation of eastern Ukraine. But those concerns don't seem to be translating into support for action to help the countries bordering Russia.
A significant cohort of Americans and a majority of the public in several European countries are firmly against intervening to support a NATO ally in the result that it's attacked.
Just over half of Americans, 56%, agree that the "US should use military force to defend a NATO ally against Russia" if the situation arises. That may not be much comfort to the nine NATO nations that were once Warsaw Pact countries.
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In Italy, Germany, and France, three of the European Union's four biggest countries, more people think their country should not come to the defense of a NATO ally than think it should. Spain is pretty evenly divided, while Poland and the UK are more supportive.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/west-just-basically-told-eastern-160000699.html
We didn't learn much from World War II.
Putin may be right. If he were to invade Estonia or Lativa, who are NATO countries, the west might be reluctant to respond. It would practically destroy the entire alliance. I guess we just have to hope Russia doesn't make that gamble.
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