"In a speech in Brussels, outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that America's military alliance with Europe faces a "dim, if not dismal" future, owing to what he characterized as the United States' disproportionate funding of NATO operations, ....
.... and of allies "willing and eager for American taxpayers to assume the growing security burden left by reductions in European defense budgets." - Obama's guy 2011
From CBS
cbsnews.com/news/gates-cri…
cbsnews.com/news/gates-cri…
"In decrying the inability of all NATO members to contribute to operations, such as enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya, Gates said, "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."
"The United States contributes between one-fifth and one-quarter of NATO's budget. In FY2010 that contribution totaled $711.8 million.
But that factors in only direct payments, not deployments of personnel..."
But that factors in only direct payments, not deployments of personnel..."
"defense spending by NATO's European member nations has shrunk by some 45 billion dollars....Gates' argument that by slashing their defense budgets European countries are allowing the U.S. to pick up the slack"
So if Russia is such a threat, wouldn't the Putin fanatics be agreeing with Trump? Nope.
Now Russia doesn't matter
Now Russia doesn't matter
