You have a point there, like u crank also said: we have neglected keeping the military up to date and in acceptable condition, since we felt "secure" with the big players threatening each other with total annihilation.
Since the ending of the cold war security seemed to increase with the US being left as the only real superpower, and being on its side. This could have been the time to "re"-think, but we had nothing else to do than trample on the perceived loser of the cold war instead of connecting ties and lose ends of the post WW2 era. So when the next strongman arrived in Russia, the whole unilateralism fell to pieces (revenge!), and then came China.
Adding a Trump that killed the transatlantic ties, while at the same time withdrawing from international influence, for good or bad.
On the other hand, now with Trump steering the US into isolation and withdrawing from the stage, what does the US need the military expences for? Surely not for defending Europe, this ship has sailed long ago.
Also the accomodation and maintenance of US bases and personnel in Germany adds to the german expenses, with that we are way above those 2.x percent military spending.
If Trump pulls back from Afghanistan, and leaves Europe alone abandoning bases, listening stations, drone controlling and all the personnel needed as he is shouting all the time, what is this budget for?
Europe is now at a point that it will build up its military indeed, so what about nuclear bombs for Romania, Poland, Turkey and *gasp* Germany?
