The U.S. defense secretary, Robert Gates, lamented, Friday, June 10, lack of military investment and political allies of the United States within NATO. These "gaps" could "undermine" the effectiveness of the mission in Libya. "Regarding the NATO operation in Libya, it became painfully obvious that the gaps - in resources and will - potentially undermining the alliance's ability to conduct an integrated campaign, effective and sustainable in the air and sea "said Secretary of State to be a think tank in Brussels, following a meeting with his counterparts of twenty-eight member countries of NATO.
Eight of these twenty-eight countries - Belgium, Canada, Denmark, USA, France, Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom - participating in air strikes in Libya. Sources close to the talks, quoted by the agency, Robert Gates have urged including Spain, Turkey and the Netherlands to participate in air combat missions.
He also reportedly asked Germany and Poland, which does not participate in operations to find ways to provide support. Robert Gates has warned against "a two-tiered alliance," with some nations simply for humanitarian operations while others should assume combat operations. "It's not a hypothetical concern and is unacceptable," he noted.
NATO could have a "dark future" if the Allies give up sufficient military investment while the Atlantic Alliance is engaged on two fronts, Libya and Afghanistan, "he stressed. Currently, the U.S. support for 75% of military spending by the alliance, he said. And it will be "increasingly difficult" for Washington to maintain this level of commitment.
The United States might be reluctant "to spend money more valuable to account nations that are apparently not willing to devote the necessary resources or to make the changes needed to be serious and relevant partners in the field their own defense, "Gates said. American taxpayers, he said, are not intended to "carry the growing burden created by reductions in budgets of European defense." He regretted that NATO, "the most powerful military alliance in history", which can claim two million people in uniform had to "struggle, sometimes desperately, [with its Member States] to maintain a deployment of 25 000 to 45 000 soldiers "in Afghanistan.
Similarly, in Libya, eleven weeks after the start of the operation, some allies are running out of ammunition and "require, once again, that the United States make up the difference," he lamented last . Robert Gates, Secretary of State for Defence for over four years under George W. Bush then Barack Obama is scheduled to retire by the end of the month.
Eight of these twenty-eight countries - Belgium, Canada, Denmark, USA, France, Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom - participating in air strikes in Libya. Sources close to the talks, quoted by the agency, Robert Gates have urged including Spain, Turkey and the Netherlands to participate in air combat missions.
He also reportedly asked Germany and Poland, which does not participate in operations to find ways to provide support. Robert Gates has warned against "a two-tiered alliance," with some nations simply for humanitarian operations while others should assume combat operations. "It's not a hypothetical concern and is unacceptable," he noted.
NATO could have a "dark future" if the Allies give up sufficient military investment while the Atlantic Alliance is engaged on two fronts, Libya and Afghanistan, "he stressed. Currently, the U.S. support for 75% of military spending by the alliance, he said. And it will be "increasingly difficult" for Washington to maintain this level of commitment.
The United States might be reluctant "to spend money more valuable to account nations that are apparently not willing to devote the necessary resources or to make the changes needed to be serious and relevant partners in the field their own defense, "Gates said. American taxpayers, he said, are not intended to "carry the growing burden created by reductions in budgets of European defense." He regretted that NATO, "the most powerful military alliance in history", which can claim two million people in uniform had to "struggle, sometimes desperately, [with its Member States] to maintain a deployment of 25 000 to 45 000 soldiers "in Afghanistan.
Similarly, in Libya, eleven weeks after the start of the operation, some allies are running out of ammunition and "require, once again, that the United States make up the difference," he lamented last . Robert Gates, Secretary of State for Defence for over four years under George W. Bush then Barack Obama is scheduled to retire by the end of the month.
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