MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

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  Don Alberto

  The US isn't even spending 3.2% of GDP on NATO related defense.The North Atlantic part is probably less than 1.6%.
  
  The US military expenditure also pays for it’s hundreds of bases world wide, in North America, Central America, South America, the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Oceania, created to protect its own interests, add the US military industrial complex, and don't forget the huge US Navy moving all over the oceans.
  
  The United States world wide engagements, the many bases and the navy, are there to protect US’s interests, much of it far from the North Atlantic.

  Oct 10th, 2025 - 11:48 pm - Link - Report abuse +2
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  Pugol-H

  Trump has a point here; Spain is freeloading. They may not be on the front line but when some years back the Moroccans occupied some uninhabited Spanish Islands off the coast of N. Africa, they had to get the Americans to get them to leave, they lacked the capability to do it themselves.
  
  2.1% against a target of 5% overall is woefully inadequate and not what is required from a full NATO member, they should shape up or ship out.
  
  As for ‘European defence industries lack the necessary’, well that is what the 1.5% for defence related infrastructure is for, hence the British spending £1.5B on building six new munitions factories.
  
  And yes, the US is now more focused on the Pacific and regions other than the N. Atlantic, which is why Europe must now ‘step up to the plate’ and take responsibility for defending itself and not rely on the US.
  
  The US still spends more on defence than the rest of the world combined.
  
  Europe’s population is five times that of Russia’s with an economy more than twelve times bigger than Russia’s. For every 1% of GDP Europe spends on defence Russia must spend over 10% just to keep up.
  
  Five years from now Europe need to be able to supply a country like Ukraine will all it needs to fight a war against Russia, without any help from the US and this is entirely doable.

  Oct 12th, 2025 - 03:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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  Esteban Domingo Fernandez

  US contribution to the NATO budget is 13% i believe, or it was up until recently last time i checked, however some European countries do need to step up,

  Oct 12th, 2025 - 09:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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  Pugol-H

  The bottom line, for me anyway, is that the US can defend itself against any threats, near or far, perceived or real, without any help from anyone else, whereas Europe, at present, cannot defend itself against its main threat on its own border.
  
  Where one of the lessons of Ukraine is that in an extended conflict, it’s not just about numbers of troops, tanks and aircraft but equally important is the ability to produce shells, drones and missiles by the tens of thousands.
  
  But hey, during the quiet times, if its good quality kit, battle proven in Ukraine for example, there is always an export market for it.
  
  Order anything from a British arms manufacturer now and you’re looking at five years or more for delivery and this is after doubling then quadrupling and more, of some productions.
  
  Everyone wants a thousand NLAW and five hundred SkyStreak shoulder launched/manpad missiles, because with those in the hands of determined infantry you can stop a Russian armoured battle group plus air support, dead in its tracks, literally.
  
  For the cost of a £25k and £125k missile respectively, you can knock out a £5m tank and £9m aircraft, not to mention the time taken to train crews to operate tanks/aircraft compared to the training required for the missiles.
  
  Of course, now you want anti-drone systems as well, so your infantry gets to use them.

  Oct 13th, 2025 - 04:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
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