The point of NATO is exactly why Russia fears it - consolidated strength that makes it impossible to pick off member states one by one by a stronger power (namely Russia). Russia and the USSR weren’t invited because they explicitly were the threat.

Wouldn't that explicitly prevent them from doing just that? Also, so far NATO has been used to bomb Yugoslavia and Libya. It appears it's NATO doing the picking off, doesn't it?

So if Iraq or Vietnam joined NATO would that defended them against US aggression?

They are not geographically contiguous or traditionally aligned with Western Europe and the US, and so would never be allowed to join.

It’s basically a Western European ‘neighborhood watch’ that the US is also in as the representative for ‘the police’ (based on spending/contribution).

Which part of the neighborhood watch were Libya, Afghanistan, and Yugoslavia?

Considering how poorly neoliberalism has been doing, why should countries be forced to join otherwise risk becoming a target?