|
just brushing up on the topic, here is a blurb that makes sense to me:::::
Europe?s Defense Spending: A Cause for Concern
In 2012, just four of the 28 NATO members?the U.S., Estonia, the United Kingdom, and Greece?spent the required 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defense. France fell below the 2 percent mark in 2011, and there is concern that the U.K. will do so after 2015.
The 2011 air campaign in Libya also demonstrated Europe?s military weakness. What started off as a French?U.K. military operation had to be quickly absorbed into a NATO operation because Europe did not have the political will or military capability (without the U.S.) to see the mission through to completion.[1] Regarding Europe?s contribution to the Libya operation, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates summed it up the best:
However, while every alliance member voted for the Libya mission, less than half have participated at all, and fewer than a third have been willing to participate in the strike mission. Frankly, many of those allies sitting on the sidelines do so not because they do not want to participate, but simply because they can?t. The military capabilities simply aren?t there.[2]
This is mainly the result of a decrease in defense investment by the members of NATO since the end of the Cold War and the lack of political will to use military capability when and where it is needed.
The decline in Europe?s military capability should be a serious concern for U.S. policymakers. However, Europe?s military and defense decline is no excuse for the U.S. to reduce its own capabilities. The U.S. has unique security interests around the European region that require a robust U.S. force presence regardless of Europe?s military capabilities.
|