Gates to NATO: Shape up or we’ll be shipping out. A Dim future for US-European alliance?

Hotair ^ | 06/10/2011 | Ed Morrissey

[Aroostook25]

But Europe can’t afford strong military forces because they have to pay for all their socialist programs.
/sarc

[GeorgeTex]

Are you saying that we should have troops in over 150 countries? Time to bring them home. The world’s most dangerous city is on our border.

[fallujah-nuker]

It is US power that is the block to Chinese ambition. The little military contribution that NATO adds to US power means nothing to China. Do you realize that if China were to attack us in Asia that it would not even invoke a NATO response?

NATO actually siphons away resources that would be needed against China. In 1973 all of our bases in NATO (and airspace too), save Portugal, were unavailable to us during the airlift to Israel. Time for America to save herself, against the threat we face NATO is as much use as the Maginot Line.

[montyspython]

NATO was already done in the 90’s until Hag Albright decided to reinvent it as a humanitarian mercenary outfit.

[Jonty30]

While it is true that Europe should be shouldering more of its burden, Obama isn’t threatening to remove the US from NaTO because of it.

He wants a realignment of allegiances, with the exclusion of Europe from US interests.

[hinckley buzzard]

Correct. NATO is following the natural tendency of bureaucracies, which is to ensure its perpetual existence. When the original goal is achieved, they don't pack up and move on, they conjure up a new reason for being.

It does appear that NATO is now merely a way for eurotrash to through American weight around. Lacking American leadership, it very well may go rogue and become the problem rather than the solution. We are seeing this begin to take shape now in Libya and God knows where else before these pinheads get their fill of playing bigshot.

[gleeaikin]

I am not sure what you mean with your second paragraph.

[Jonty30]

If Obama’s acts are any indication, he thinks that there is a benefit by dropping Europe and Israel as allies and forming new alliances - Middle East, Russia, and China.

[Vendome]

Ron Paul is crazy.

I say we pull out with contingencies and watch them with their mouths wide open in stunned disbelief.

Then when they speak up and beg for us to stay we start making demands on them about reform of their economies and more importantly their contribution and configuration of armed forces.

Just scare them.

[himno hero]

I don’t think they want to put up the money now cuzz they mistrust the current administration and its ultimate misapplication.

Its like our small business capitalists... they aint coming out either. I know my gone fishing sign is up until this administration passes.

[dervish]

It’s about time the US called Europe out on their defense spending. Time for the US taxpayer to stop funding European socialism. Our funding of European defense is buried in the US defense budget instead of foreign aid.

My only question here is — did Gates go rogue here?

[dervish]

I don’t think this is Obama speaking.

I think this is Gates who is leaving telling the Europeans the way it is. Good on him.

[drypowder]

Not to be a smart a$$ but in today’s world and just like our Constitution, unless it serves the power elite they are just irrelevant pieces of paper.