Defense Secretary Mattis issues new ultimatum to NATO allies on defense spending

[toomuchtime_]

BRUSSELS — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issued an ultimatum Wednesday to allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, warning that if they do not boost their defense spending to goals set by the alliance, the United States may alter its relationship with them.

“I owe it to you all to give you clarity on the political reality in the United States and to state the fair demand from my country’s people in concrete terms,” Mattis said. “America will meet its responsibilities, but if your nations do not want to see America moderate its commitment to the alliance, each of your capitals needs to show its support for our common defense.”

The statements came during a closed-doors meeting with defense ministers from other NATO countries and were provided to reporters traveling with the defense secretary to Brussels. It marks an escalation in Washington’s long-running frustration that many NATO countries do not spend at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product as they have pledged. President Trump often made that point during his upstart run for the White House, at various times calling the alliance “obsolete” while grousing that its 28 members need to pay “their fair share.”

Defense Secretary Mattis issues new ultimatum to NATO allies on defense spending

Clearly, President Trump meant what he said.

 

[Fenton Lum]

Well of course the US thinks everyone else should spend more on war and militarism.

 

[toomuchtime_]

Well of course the US thinks everyone else should spend more on war and militarism.

In other words you are entirely ignorant of the facts.

 

[Fenton Lum]

Well of course the US thinks everyone else should spend more on war and militarism.

In other words you are entirely ignorant of the facts.

Well no one knows how much we really spend on the military and surveillance. By law.

 

[xyz]

But he's right, Europe needs to be able to defend itself.

 

[Correll]

BRUSSELS — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issued an ultimatum Wednesday to allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, warning that if they do not boost their defense spending to goals set by the alliance, the United States may alter its relationship with them.

“I owe it to you all to give you clarity on the political reality in the United States and to state the fair demand from my country’s people in concrete terms,” Mattis said. “America will meet its responsibilities, but if your nations do not want to see America moderate its commitment to the alliance, each of your capitals needs to show its support for our common defense.”

The statements came during a closed-doors meeting with defense ministers from other NATO countries and were provided to reporters traveling with the defense secretary to Brussels. It marks an escalation in Washington’s long-running frustration that many NATO countries do not spend at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product as they have pledged. President Trump often made that point during his upstart run for the White House, at various times calling the alliance “obsolete” while grousing that its 28 members need to pay “their fair share.”

Defense Secretary Mattis issues new ultimatum to NATO allies on defense spending

Clearly, President Trump meant what he said.

At this point, I would just leave NATO.



Getting them to pay more does not address the madness that we are treaty bound to fight WWIII over Estonia.

 

[toomuchtime_]

Well of course the US thinks everyone else should spend more on war and militarism.

In other words you are entirely ignorant of the facts.

Well no one knows how much we really spend on the military and surveillance. By law.

Another expression of ignorance. All NATO members are required to pay dues based on their economies and only five of the 28 members do, US, UK, Poland, Estonia and Greece.

 

[Correll]

Well of course the US thinks everyone else should spend more on war and militarism.

In other words you are entirely ignorant of the facts.

Well no one knows how much we really spend on the military and surveillance. By law.

Another expression of ignorance. All NATO members are required to pay dues based on their economies and only five of the 28 members do, US, UK, Poland, Estonia and Greece.

Another example of how we have been the worlds' bitch.

 

[toomuchtime_]

BRUSSELS — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issued an ultimatum Wednesday to allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, warning that if they do not boost their defense spending to goals set by the alliance, the United States may alter its relationship with them.

“I owe it to you all to give you clarity on the political reality in the United States and to state the fair demand from my country’s people in concrete terms,” Mattis said. “America will meet its responsibilities, but if your nations do not want to see America moderate its commitment to the alliance, each of your capitals needs to show its support for our common defense.”

The statements came during a closed-doors meeting with defense ministers from other NATO countries and were provided to reporters traveling with the defense secretary to Brussels. It marks an escalation in Washington’s long-running frustration that many NATO countries do not spend at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product as they have pledged. President Trump often made that point during his upstart run for the White House, at various times calling the alliance “obsolete” while grousing that its 28 members need to pay “their fair share.”

Defense Secretary Mattis issues new ultimatum to NATO allies on defense spending

Clearly, President Trump meant what he said.

At this point, I would just leave NATO.



Getting them to pay more does not address the madness that we are treaty bound to fight WWIII over Estonia.

Now that Obama is gone, war with Russia is much less likely, but the new threat comes from transnational terror organizations and to fight these we need intelligence and military cooperation with many nations.

 

[Correll]

BRUSSELS — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issued an ultimatum Wednesday to allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, warning that if they do not boost their defense spending to goals set by the alliance, the United States may alter its relationship with them.

“I owe it to you all to give you clarity on the political reality in the United States and to state the fair demand from my country’s people in concrete terms,” Mattis said. “America will meet its responsibilities, but if your nations do not want to see America moderate its commitment to the alliance, each of your capitals needs to show its support for our common defense.”

The statements came during a closed-doors meeting with defense ministers from other NATO countries and were provided to reporters traveling with the defense secretary to Brussels. It marks an escalation in Washington’s long-running frustration that many NATO countries do not spend at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product as they have pledged. President Trump often made that point during his upstart run for the White House, at various times calling the alliance “obsolete” while grousing that its 28 members need to pay “their fair share.”

Defense Secretary Mattis issues new ultimatum to NATO allies on defense spending

Clearly, President Trump meant what he said.

At this point, I would just leave NATO.



Getting them to pay more does not address the madness that we are treaty bound to fight WWIII over Estonia.

Now that Obama is gone, war with Russia is much less likely, but the new threat comes from transnational terror organizations and to fight these we need intelligence and military cooperation with many nations.

Not being in NATO, thus NOT being treaty bound to fight WWIII, over Estonia or Latvia, would not mean that we would not, or could not have intelligence and military cooperation with many nations.

Indeed, it would give US a STRONGER hand, because we are not already committed to come to their defense.

They would have to earn our support.

 

[toomuchtime_]

Well of course the US thinks everyone else should spend more on war and militarism.

In other words you are entirely ignorant of the facts.

Well no one knows how much we really spend on the military and surveillance. By law.

Another expression of ignorance. All NATO members are required to pay dues based on their economies and only five of the 28 members do, US, UK, Poland, Estonia and Greece.

Another example of how we have been the worlds' bitch.

Have we been the world' bitch or the world's leader? In any case, America's role in the world evolved as a result of the Cold War, and now it has to be reevaluated.

 

[Correll]

Well of course the US thinks everyone else should spend more on war and militarism.

In other words you are entirely ignorant of the facts.

Well no one knows how much we really spend on the military and surveillance. By law.

Another expression of ignorance. All NATO members are required to pay dues based on their economies and only five of the 28 members do, US, UK, Poland, Estonia and Greece.

Another example of how we have been the worlds' bitch.

Have we been the world' bitch or the world's leader? In any case, America's role in the world evolved as a result of the Cold War, and now it has to be reevaluated.

When we are spending money we don't have, to defend ungrateful assholes who are fucking us in unfair trade?

Yes, we are their bitch.