Subject: Re: More EU views on the trade deal
...but it also existed in part because European armed forces were generally weak and subject mostly to NATO oversight.

That was huge, yes. As I recall from my Civil War history, one of the issues the Confederacy had was that each state was almost its own nation. As such, they were often more concerned about their own state's defense, and the Confederate Army had issues getting everything it needed. There were also other issues (e.g. not much heavy industry in the South), but that was one of them.

Europe with NATO would be at a distinct disadvantage if attacked by Putin (once he ends his idiotic war with Ukraine, and rebuilds...which will take a while). With NATO, Putin would be crushed in a conventional conflict.

We did have a war within Europe during my lifetime. The Balkans. That was a mess. Ancient ethnic hatreds.