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.
" "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."
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.
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?
" "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.
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