Should European states develop independent defense capabilities separate from the US?

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Should European states develop independent defense capabilities separate from the US?". Your opponent's style: Devil's Advocate

If European states pursue fully independent defense, they will risk disagreements over priorities, funding, and operational roles. This fragmentation reduces their collective ability to respond to threats and makes coordination harder, as seen with previous struggles in joint EU military projects. As a result, both European security and the strength of Western alliances will be undermined, making all members more vulnerable to external pressures.

You're describing the problem with dependence, not independence. Europe's coordination disasters happen *because* everyone defers to Washington—there's no skin in the game, no real accountability. When you build your own capabilities from scratch, you negotiate as equals, not subordinates begging for scraps. NATO's fragmentation isn't from too much autonomy, it's from strategic incoherence when one member can veto everyone else's priorities. A Europe that invests seriously in its own defense doesn't splinter—it finally has leverage to actually align around shared interests instead of whatever the Pentagon decides.