"Peace through strength" is a slightly too simplistic and naive statement, oddly reminding us about "arbeit macht frei"or "peace in our time"...
What these (claimed) intentions are specifically lacking is *ethics* and coherence.
That (military) strength is merely one leg of a stool; if all the other "legs" of your country are empowering and financing those hostile and despotic states threatening democracy and #humanrights globally e.g. through trade and business.. isn't it the very definition of madness infused with greed and indifference? 🤯
I have watched our oh so noble and democratic countries empower and finance hostile dictatorships like #CCP #china and #russia for three decades since (and despite!) the Tiananmen massacre and the nominal end of Cold War (note: the CCP refused to receive *that* memo!).
There can be no real "peace through strength" with *morals* so weak.
We need to start favouring *democracies* globally instead of empowering our enemies. If we'd done that all along... 🤷🏻♂️
#MarkRutte #EuropeanUnion #NATO #UnitedNations #Ukraine