Posted on 06/15/2018 1:15:07 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
"Despite the differences we see between Nato allies on issues like trade, we see a Nato which is delivering on strengthening our collective defence and the biggest reinforcement to our collective defence since the end of the Cold War."
"Not only do we see a Nato which is united, but we see actually a Nato which is able to strengthen our cooperation and transatlantic bond," Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato head and former Norwegian PM, told press in Brussels on Thursday (7 June).
US defence minister Jim Mattis echoed Stoltenberg when asked in Brussels on Thursday if the trade clash could harm defence ties.
(Excerpt) Read more at euobserver.com ...
I see a bunch of leaches who are too disinterested, cowardly and/or lazy to provide for their own defense freeloading on another member to do it for them just as it has been doing for over 70 years. I see members which claim to have security concerns moving to make themselves even more energy dependent on the very country they claim is their biggest security threat.
This does not look like a very balanced alliance to me. In fact, it looks like no alliance at all - just a sucker being taken advantage of.
Stop posting globalist propaganda.
Agreed. And Trump said as much...but now a bunch of countries are getting their act together as a result. And this new reality is what Stoltenberg and Mattis are speaking in light of.
Germany remains the most stubborn.
NATO is just another cash proxy cow for our “allies” to milk.
There’s not a nation in Europe that can actually provide its own defense. There’s not a nation in Europe that can force project beyond its own borders in any real numbers or duration.
The entire EU together, with all it’s member nations pitching in everything they have *still* can’t put together a competent military force.
All that because they can parasite off us through NATO.
WE don’t need them. They provide no positive value and infact provide a serious negative in that they’ve all signed the additional protocols so force us into adhering to them whenever they join us in doing whatever or where ever.
Maybe you’re right, but I still think one can support a de-centralizing (perhaps even dismantling) of the E.U. —but still keep NATO for now. So long as member-states pay up.
That reminds me: The USA needs to impose a tariff on all of our NATO partners who fall short of their 2% GDP defense spending commitment to offset the amount that the US spends to defend them.
Yeah that is already happening. NATO allies fall under the umbrella of the E.U. countries Trump’s current trade war targets. The President mentions/tweets the NATO discrepancy matter over and over when explaining his logic behind the current trade war. Especially as it pertains to Germany.
By contrast though, there are countries who pay their fair share and have a vested interest in keeping NATO going: Poland for one. They’re great and go out of their way to emphasize cost effectiveness and honoring America’s budget concerns.
“Despite the differences we see between Nato allies on issues like trade, we see a Nato which is delivering on strengthening our collective defence and the biggest reinforcement to our collective defence since the end of the Cold War.”
Considering they have been dismantling their defense capabilities since the Cold War, a more accurate statement would be that they are engaged in the ONLY expansion since then.
And a damn feeble one at that. Most of the expansion is in Islamist Turkey.
Germany continues to reduce forces while increasing spending (Social Welfare program in the guise of Defense) and NONE is above the required 2%.
And most of us Americans are tired of carrying their load.
The US should abrogate the NATO treaty. Make the lazy, cowardly bastards fend for themselves.
“but now a bunch of countries are getting their act together as a result”
The 5 of 28 countries that are meeting their treaty commitments:
http://time.com/4680885/nato-defense-spending-budget-trump/
And I believe Poland dropped under their 2% this year. Beside them, only Greece, Britain and Estonia.
We need only a bilateral defense pact with Britain. That’s it.
“The USA needs to impose a tariff on all of our NATO partners who fall short of their 2% GDP defense spending commitment to offset the amount that the US spends to defend them.”
Brilliant.
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