The thing is whereas the USA spent tons of borrowed money on the defense budget, Europe spent it on propping up the welfare state at the expense of the United States. So not only were they getting free defense, they were giving themselves free healthcare, free education, freebies galore...and even then they cannot maintain it, it's way out of control. If and when the USA subsequently withdraws its defense commitments from Europe, they are going to be in another whole world of pain. Niall Ferguson at Harvard said it is inevitable that the US will withdraw as it runs out of $$$.