Hiya Bilge:
I recall a day when the three most beautiful things in the world were two ROKs and a BAR.
As the dinks were tooting their bugles for another rush and as I was down to 14 rounds, I called it a rather timely arrival.
South Korea certainly pulls it own weight militarily. Germany did too so long as the Evil Empire was in business. As did the other NATO members. Problem is that since that time,folks have been totally unclear as to what to do with NATO. Disband, or comprehensively reorganize it.
Point is this: put the troops where they can (a)reduce enemy capabilities and (b) render them harmless.
Propriety is determined by behavior, not by geographic whereabouts. And if other countries benefit from our military efforts, who the hell ever said this was a zero-sum game?
And BTW: The P80 did not come from the Meteor.
The Airplane Without A Propeller That Was Flown By the Gorilla Wearing A Derby And Waving A Cigar
(frequently not seen by cadets strafing the Japanese cruiser in the Mojave Desert) showed what engine designs were best. Then Kelly Johnson took over.
