The fatal flaw in a commander, suggested Carl von Clausewitz, a 19th-century Prussian general, is obstinacy, or „resistance against our better judgment”. For a modern example of this behaviour, look no further than Mark Rutte, the secretary-general of  NATO . For months Mr Rutte has refused to admit that the transatlantic alliance, the cornerstone of European security for more than seven decades, is close to falling apart. That has required wilful blindness. De redactie van NRC selecteert de beste artikelen uit The Economist voor een breder perspectief op internationale politiek en economie. Mr Rutte ignores Donald Trump’s repeated statements casting doubt on America’s readiness to honour  NATO ’s Article 5, which says that an attack on one is an attack on all. Mr Trump also talks about withdrawing some forces from Europe.…