Over millenia we make the same mistake. Over and over again.
We believe: larger means stable, powerful and more secure. Over and over again too large structures fail, prove to be ineffective and take down everything in their fall.
We made the mistake in the European Union where extension after extension was essentially planned as a political legacy for some elder statesman who thought they feel the wind of history in their back. Albeit it was rather the breath of doom.
The Brits were the first to learn their lesson — at least to their own accord — and leave. As much as I hoped they would stay, I certainly do understand their sentiment. Time will tell how that will turn out. Just one thing is safe to say: no one knows now, no one can predict the mid and long term outcome and both choices were pretty equally risky. A classical dilemma.
Now the same appears to happen with NATO.
There is a right size for everything. Make it too small and it becomes insignificant. Make it too big and it becomes fragile, increases risk dramatically and even hence counters its purpose.
Getting the scaling right for the problem at hand is one of the main challenges of our time.
