By Peter Hartcher: International Editor Age Newspaper.

The world is “made up of herbivores and carnivores”, French President Emmanuel Macron said in a speech this month. Europe, he said, was a plant-eater. And the meat-eaters are circling.

Until now, most Western nations have been content to live peaceful lives with minimal military capability because the biggest of them has offered to protect the others by maintaining a war-like vigilance. That, of cour...