NATO Rant Du Jour: A Rand Rant

So, Rand Paul and maybe Mike Lee are all that are standing in the way of US ratification of Montenegro's membership in NATO.  The claim: "Paul released a statement after the incident that said the huge and growing national debt is why the U.S. should not take on any additional commitments around the world."

Really?  What a joke.  Given Montenegro's position in Europe, its size and the threats it faces, committing to its defense is not going to cost the US much at all.  It is a silly argument.  John McCain has accused Paul of doing Putin's bidding.  Is that unfair?  Probably, but context is key here.

Russia has being doing its damnedest to keep Monty out of NATO, including trying to launch a coup.  Given Putin's roll lately, how about we thwart him and do what he doesn't want?  Momentum may not matter that much (overrated in sports, if you ask Bill Barnwell), but it probably matters a bit in IR.  Today is already a good day in anti-Russia news with the Dutch not falling for the far right (Geert Wilders's party did better than it did in the past but less well than expected, so suck on that Putin).  It would have been nice to make it a double delightful day. 

It is strange that an individual senator or two can block some stuff, but the Dems can't block a SCOTUS appointment.  Tis a strange body with strange rules.  But stranger is Rand Paul's stance right now since his stated claim is utter horseshit (Funny how I curse more now that Trump is president).

Anyhow, take it from this scholar of NATO that Rand Paul's claim about how expensive it for the US is to add a tiny country to NATO is entirely without merit.