A defensive treaty has to be plausible. When NATO was just Western and Southern Europe, it was at least somewhat plausible that the US would go to the brink of

A defensive treaty has to be plausible. When NATO was just Western and Southern Europe, it was at least somewhat plausible that the US would go to the brink of nuclear war in its defense. The expansion into Eastern Europe, and especially the expansion into small (and with all due respect, not geopolitically important) Eastern European countries, NATO has lost credibility. The US should not be willing to go to total war in defense in the Baltic countries. Everyone knows that. Honestly, the only reason to take the threat seriously is if you think the US establishment is irrational. And there is reason to think that. See, for example, the hysterical demands for a shooting war with Russia over Ukraine from sitting US Senators and retired generals. The US should encourage the development of a European army and the creation of a purely European defense pact. Certainly, Germany, France, and Poland have more interest in the Baltics than the US. Then, NATO should be contracted to only include core US interests.