The European elites, particularly in Western Europe, do not and European public opinion these days matters even less than ours does. I've noted here before that I think NATO needs to go the way of the dodo, but if it is going to stay around, members need to be pushed much harder to reach the threshold defense expenditure. I think the only thing that may make Germany come around is a careful look at Poland's defense expenditures. The national worries of the last century are still around in Europe.
For 2022: "Some of the sharpest increases were seen in Finland (+36 per cent), Lithuania (+27 per cent), Sweden (+12 per cent) and Poland (+11 per cent)." <---dated 24 April 2023.
"China remained the world’s second largest military spender, allocating an estimated $292 billion in 2022. This was 4.2 per cent more than in 2021 and 63 per cent more than in 2013. China’s military expenditure has increased for 28 consecutive years."
When ever I see China defense spend numbers, I have a wince as they do NOT include their personal overhead costs: payroll, health care, dependent costs...not to mention the opaqueness of their R&D.
Not only R&D, one must wary to compare the power of their money compared to ours. One of our ships (Arleigh Burke) in terms of money can buy 3-5 of their equivalent destroyers and cruisers (Type 055 or 052D) but this number is misleading. The crew working the construction is the government's own company, the materials are subsidized because it's for the Chinese military, there is no cost of 2 state-owned companies working together because the Chinese goverment own all IPs,.... plenty of of other shady business/calculation practices to reduce the costs of these equipment.
" "NATO’s strength is our diversity,” .... Mr Stoltenberg noted NATO's progress in promoting diversity and inclusion and emphasised the need for continued efforts to ensure that the Alliance truly represents the one billion people it protects."
On the other hand, we do have extensive investments in recreational and resort facilities in Europe of inestimable strategic value to the US that must be protected and "garrisoned". AFRICOM and its subordinate headquarters' (plural) can only do so much.
Note that Finland’s defense spending number excludes funding for the Border Guard-which is very much part of Finland’s defense planning- and spending on military pensions. The Finns keep the cost generally low with 100% male conscription and a solid plan on how to use them in wartime. Most new spending this year is on munitions and additional Reserve training.
The European elites, particularly in Western Europe, do not and European public opinion these days matters even less than ours does. I've noted here before that I think NATO needs to go the way of the dodo, but if it is going to stay around, members need to be pushed much harder to reach the threshold defense expenditure. I think the only thing that may make Germany come around is a careful look at Poland's defense expenditures. The national worries of the last century are still around in Europe.
It will be interesting to see what the 2022 numbers come in at.
For 2022: "Some of the sharpest increases were seen in Finland (+36 per cent), Lithuania (+27 per cent), Sweden (+12 per cent) and Poland (+11 per cent)." <---dated 24 April 2023.
https://sipri.org/media/press-release/2023/world-military-expenditure-reaches-new-record-high-european-spending-surges
"China remained the world’s second largest military spender, allocating an estimated $292 billion in 2022. This was 4.2 per cent more than in 2021 and 63 per cent more than in 2013. China’s military expenditure has increased for 28 consecutive years."
When ever I see China defense spend numbers, I have a wince as they do NOT include their personal overhead costs: payroll, health care, dependent costs...not to mention the opaqueness of their R&D.
Not only R&D, one must wary to compare the power of their money compared to ours. One of our ships (Arleigh Burke) in terms of money can buy 3-5 of their equivalent destroyers and cruisers (Type 055 or 052D) but this number is misleading. The crew working the construction is the government's own company, the materials are subsidized because it's for the Chinese military, there is no cost of 2 state-owned companies working together because the Chinese goverment own all IPs,.... plenty of of other shady business/calculation practices to reduce the costs of these equipment.
May 2023 Defense News article cited was framed from USAF R&D / Space Force perspective.
Both impact & implications of meeting USA’s Debt Ceiling challenges also affect longer-term sea service capabilities!
“Sequestration led to furloughs and a sudden scale back of defense spending,
Hunter said — particularly in vital research and development efforts.”
These governments don't care what their people want and neither does the US Gov.
They have the power and they make the rules and they are not to be trusted.
They probably figured people won't support sustaining the defense budget at higher levels, so why bother?
No 2%, no NATO Vote
Based upon the above map....Sardinia is in support of higher defense spending than mainland Italy is lukewarm?
Coping with NATO funding shortfalls also impacts Indo-Pacific Fleet operational readiness.
" "NATO’s strength is our diversity,” .... Mr Stoltenberg noted NATO's progress in promoting diversity and inclusion and emphasised the need for continued efforts to ensure that the Alliance truly represents the one billion people it protects."
https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_214646.htm?selectedLocale=en
We have better things to do with our soldiers' lives and our money. Europe is all growed up now, and can take care of itself.
On the other hand, we do have extensive investments in recreational and resort facilities in Europe of inestimable strategic value to the US that must be protected and "garrisoned". AFRICOM and its subordinate headquarters' (plural) can only do so much.
https://www.edelweisslodgeandresort.com/
https://www.armymwr.com/europe/leisure-travel
Note that Finland’s defense spending number excludes funding for the Border Guard-which is very much part of Finland’s defense planning- and spending on military pensions. The Finns keep the cost generally low with 100% male conscription and a solid plan on how to use them in wartime. Most new spending this year is on munitions and additional Reserve training.
It takes someone setting up a political party and winning elections before the "elites" will care.
For now, they have graft to spend on