Little choice when you can't depend on "former mechanisms" to secure one's position. In the 70's, the Bundeswehr had a fair number of troops of (considered) high effectiveness. In the past, various forms of Germany have had all sorts of troops of varying effectiveness. NATO was supposed "to keep the US in, the Russians out and the Germans down" (Ismay). Taken away, it's up to European countries to remember how to defend themselves and (hopefully) manage the result.