[timrichard]

That's got to be an object lesson in blinkered dogma.

> So were they because referendums are often organised, and seen, and used, as votes of confidence for a given government

From the grab-bag of possible explanations...

> But still. Here we are. More than 70 years at peace on a continent

Also an amazing co-incidence that NATO has been in existence for 70 years. Containing three nuclear powers, it doesn't take a leap of imagination that it was a greater deterrent than whatever you had in mind.

How has your version worked over 70 years? The EU has only been in existence since 1994. Prior to that, it existed in a smaller, trade-only form as the EEC. I thought the 'butter mountain' and 'wine lake' were figures of speech. So were they physical defences, something like an obstacle course to deter the Russians? /s

[thefounder]

Do you think the states of the United States would be better off as individual states with a pure economic and military agreement (i.e NATO + a kind of EEC) ?

[rayiner]

I think most people would be at least be happier under that arrangement. We burn enormous amounts of time in the US fighting with each other over basic differences in culture and attitude, and the resulting compromises satisfy no one.

[thefounder]

Would you agree to build walls/borders as well?

[Juliate]

Of course NATO is part of the equation... or was, since now your president is basically tearing it down. Guess why?

(edit for that: I'll answer for you: Trump is sowing chaos because that's how his kind grabs more control and more riches.)

Btw, there are 2 nuclear powers in the EU as of today.