Comment by dredmorbius

The initial objection was the lack of sufficient size or institutional robustness for indigenous manufacturing capacity. I addressed that.

The question of the integrity and trustworthiness of a collective bloc structure had occurred. It's another factor, and of course poses its own challenges. Then again, the Western bloc, most capable of the set, seems to have persistent issues along those lines already. Several of Israeli origin, as it happens. (Though of course not solely.)