[jacquesm]

> Even the UK and France spend 2% of GDP on defense, and they live under America's shield.

You mean: America lives under the UK and France's shield. The last time that US soldiers died to defend France or the UK is a long time ago, much more recently French and UK soldiers died for (amongst others) the USA. Not that anybody seems to remember.

Oh and on a per-capita basis more people from the UK died in the Gulf war than from the USA.

But this isn't a matter of keeping score it is standing together and at least trying to maintain some kind of world order. One problem with that is that you may have to refrain from threatening your allies with invasion.