Bangladesh, May 1 -- It is often said that military strength underpins political power. Joseph Stalins reputed quip, “How many divisions does the Pope have?” still resonates today, particularly as Europe grapples with a security crisis on its doorstep. In an era defined by hybrid warfare, shifting alliances, and political fragmentation, Stalins cold realism reminds us that, ultimately, physical force-boots on the ground, steel in the field-remains the final arbiter of international disputes. Today, as Europe struggles to muster even a fraction of the troops needed for a credible military presence in Ukraine, it finds itself vulnerable-not merely to external adversaries but to internal decay and political disunity.

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