NATO had literally become the U.S. Army's reason for being. Stymied by NATO from expanding its empire by force, and with its economy in ruins from attempts to match U.S. advances in weaponry, the Soviet Union saw first East Germany, then Poland and the rest of its Warsaw Pact allies slip from its orbit. But that was not to be. Its mission to defend West Europe was not only clear but doable. The military forces of its 15 members had been integrated into a single command structure with a common war-fighting doctrine and standardized weaponry, ammunition, and equipment.
Soldiers know when to declare victory or admit defeat.
It's the battle-free bureaucrats and placid politicians who don't know when to quit. Now is the time. NATO has served its purpose. Well done, All. Now, let's dissolve the organization, retire the treaty, and bring all American troops and personnel home.