Europe Begins to Rethink Cuts to Military Spending

The New York Times ^ | 26 March 14 | STEVEN ERLANGER

[SkyPilot]

LONDON — President Obama spent Wednesday in Brussels talking up the importance of the security relationship between Europe and the United States, but it is considered unlikely that Russia’s seizure of Crimea will prompt increased European military spending at a time of economic anemia and budget cuts.

NATO and the European Union regard the Russian move in Ukraine as a wake-up call, a reminder that hard power can easily trump 21st-century assumptions about Europe as a sphere of trade, international law and cooperation.

Despite the newly militant tone, NATO members will continue to spend paltry amounts on defense, experts say. But there is likely to be a slowdown in cuts and a renewed debate on how that money is spent. That debate has already started in Britain. Continue reading the main story Related Coverage

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Richard Dannatt, the former chief of staff of the British armed forces, made a public plea this week that the British government should reverse its plans to reduce regular army troops to their lowest number since the Battle of Waterloo, to roughly 82,000 by 2018, and to withdraw all its 20,000 troops stationed in Germany. Mr. Dannatt said that Britain should keep 3,000 troops in Germany as a “statement that greater military capability must underpin our diplomacy.”

Mr. Dannatt said that “with a resurgent Russia, this is a poor moment for the U.S.-led West to be weak in resolve and muscle.” Diplomacy and sanctions may be the right response for now, he said, but President Vladimir V. Putin “will look beyond those things to see where the real check on his actions might come from.”

[SkyPilot]

But on Sunday, the American commander of NATO forces in Europe, Gen. Philip M. Breedlove, told a German Marshall Fund conference in Brussels that the alliance must reconsider the positioning and readiness of its forces because of Russian threats to Ukraine and Moldova. “Russia is acting much more like an adversary than a partner,” he said.

Tell that our government. The US military has been undermined by both Republicans and Democrats in Congress, who continue to demand that the military take the majority full force of Sequestration cuts (DoD is 17% of the budget yet must "pay for" 50% of the total of all cuts).

Tell that to the Great Barry Soetoro, who has increased Food Stamps and giveaway programs by 70% while gutting our military.

While military families are facing horrific cuts next year to their housing, pay, health care, and retirement, the takers are making out like bandits - with increases in spending.

Europe is waking up to the geopolitical consequences of scrimping on their military spending for years. The US has hollowed out its military under Obama. It needed to be re-built and re-constituted after Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead, Congress and Obama abused it, and then bled it dry.

[kabar]

Europe is still asleep. They are talking about not cutting further. Most of the NATO countries spend about 1% of GDP on defense. They should be increasing spending not just stopping cuts.

[21twelve]

I look at that welfare graph and think “See what obama has done to our economy.”

I am pretty sure that a liberal will look at it and say “See all of the good obama has been doing!”

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks SkyPilot.

[JustTheTruth]

Europe: fools who won’t spend on self defense in a dangerous world.

America: fools who overspend money we don’t have to defend a weak western world that won’t defend itself.

Something tells me that this doesn’t end well after the Detroit-like, mathematically and politically inevitable future bankruptcy of the USA eventually plays itself out.

Replay of the Fall of the Roman Empire, anyone???

Didn’t the onslaught of Asian hordes put a nasty end to that collapsed shell of former awe-and-fear-inspiring military, economic, cultural and political powerhouse?

[Mastador1]

What choice do they have with the demonrats gutting our military they have no choice but to finally pony up a decent amount of their GDP to protect themselves instead of depending on the American taxpayer and soldiers. Oh, and about damn time.

[familyop]

It’s for the teachers and local planning and building regulators.

[CIB-173RDABN]

Up until the end of WWII there were major conflicts in Europe about every 20 years. At the end of WWII there really was only one superpower, the United States.

The American taxpayer helped rebuild Europe and our young men and woman stood on the front line providing a security blanket. There has not been another major war in Europe for over 70 years.

I believe Korea, Viet Nam and a hundred other “small” conflicts were fought instead of another world war. Our enemies feared and respected our military might.

Europe was able to create a socialist utopia since they did not have to spend too much on defense and surprisingly for that they hate us.

Well the Europeans are getting their wish. America’s military strength is being weakens by a fellow traveler.

I really don’t think Russia has any interest in Europe other then to bully them into concessions. I think the real threat are all the Muslims they allowed to enter their countries.

One of these days they are going to discovered being politically correct is no defense against an invading army that already has millions of fighters within their border.

They are going to pay the price for both not providing their own security and working towards making America weak.

Who are they going to call when our Army is cut to the bone, our Navy nothing but coast guard and the Marines disbanded (all goals of the socialist in this nation)?

[SkyPilot]

Most of the NATO countries spend about 1% of GDP on defense.

We have gone from 4% GDP under GW Bush (still a very low percentage compared to WW II, or even Korea and Vietnam) to less than 2.7% projected for 2016.

[SkyPilot]

One of these days they are going to discovered being politically correct is no defense against an invading army that already has millions of fighters within their border. They are going to pay the price for both not providing their own security and working towards making America weak.

I agree. The choice they will make is to capitulate, until things get so bad their fight or cannot become Quislings any longer.

I see war coming to Israel first. Perhaps even a nuclear exchange between Iran/Syria vs. Israel. Putin has played Obama like a fiddle.

Have you ever seen this book? It is fascinating reading, and on the book shelf of almost every diplomat, international businessman, and military officer who works with foreign governments.

Basically, it lays out the cultural do's and don'ts of every nation and culture - in very blunt terms.

Look what it says about Russia:

"By and large, the Russian people accept that the largest nation in the world needs an authoritarian, strong man. This leader also needs to be predictable; a capricious boss is not reassuring. Similarly, Russian businesses tend to be run by strong managers. If you find yourself in charge of Russian employees, be decisive. It is not as important that your orders are correct; what is important is that you give orders. The presence of a strong, yet predictable,boss actually works to reduce anxiety in many Russians. It is said that Russians are great “sitters” during negotiations. Traditionally, Russians regard compromise as a sign of weakness. Some even see compromise as morally incorrect. Russians would rather out-sit the other negotiator—and gain more concessions from the other side."

It would be comical, if it were not so tragic, at how horrible Obama has been in dealing with Russia. It is almost as if we were cursed with the weakest leader the United States could possess.

[SkyPilot]

It’s for the teachers and local planning and building regulators.

I wish we knew were all that "stimulus" Trillion dollars went.

Well, we sort of know. To Democrat apparatchiks, union cronies, Solyndra, minority front groups, voter fraud organizations, graft, payoffs, corruption, and kickbacks.

[SkyPilot]

What choice do they have with the demonrats gutting our military they have no choice but to finally pony up a decent amount of their GDP to protect themselves instead of depending on the American taxpayer and soldiers. Oh, and about damn time.

True, NATO nations must re-arm. They have to. If we see some of the Baltic nations or border territories fall into Russian hands, then you will see them scramble to buy anything and everything arms related, as Britain did in 1938.

We are in an economic war with Russia and China, right now. Putin and China are attempting to crash the US dollars as the world's reserve currency. If that happens, we are in deep, deep trouble.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

Maybe they should spend their wealth on Russian Language schools, and classes in Orthodox Church Worship. Da? Worry not, being part of the New Russian Empire will not be as hard to live with as the Islamic People and their Shria law Caliphate. How many Europeans will become colaborators and help to extend the New Empire?

[the scotsman]

Mainland Europe, bar France, has relied on America since 1945. Britain however has not.