Virtually every European nation has been reducing military outlays in recent years, a trend reinforced by the 2008 financial crisis. Most European states have only reluctantly contributed to the mission in Afghanistan, and only then by sending troops to where they weren't needed. Even Great Britain, Washington's most serious military partner, is planning potentially substantial cuts in its military. Just who is failing to demonstrate their support for the trans-Atlantic alliance?
Not that this should come as a surprise. The alliance was created in the midst of the Cold War, when war-torn, demoralized Western Europeans faced a Soviet Union which was steadily expanding its control over Eastern Europe. Even then the Europeans routinely under-invested in defense. After all, the U.S. was protecting them. For years European leaders would pledge to meet NATO spending targets and then welsh on their promises, explaining that they had domestic needs to meet, political opposition to overcome, and economic problems to resolve.
Today, facing serious economic rather than security threats, the Europeans are even less inclined to devote money to their militaries and to use those militaries in real combat. For years ambitious European statesmen have discussed developing a separate international identity and creating an independent military capability, but the result remains little more than talk. EU "President" Herman Van Rompuy and "Foreign Minister" Catherine Ashton battle mightily with each other as well as the European Parliament and European Commission over who has authority over what, yet the EU has done nothing to cause anyone outside of the continent to take the organization seriously as a political let alone military entity.
For 65 years Americans have generously paid for Europe's defense. It is time to terminate the free, or at least very cheap, ride. The U.S. faces an annual federal budget deficit of $1.3 trillion, a national debt of $13.5 trillion, and total unfunded liabilities for Social Security and Medicare of some $100 trillion. Ending military welfare for Europe — which possesses a larger economy and population than America — is the least Washington can do under the circumstances.
Well no, say some conservatives. America's defense dole must be eternal, with the Europeans forever enjoying their lavish social welfare systems while America handles the continent's security concerns. Why is this?
Cato Institute
Es una pregunta interesante, a decir verdad. ¿Por qué Estados Unidos tiene que hacerse cargo de la cobertura militar de Europa? La Guerra Fría terminó, China está muy lejos, una Rusia que se rompe las uñas con sus vecinos pigmeos no es una amenaza mayor, para ocuparse de Irán siempre va a estar Israel y Corea del Norte apenas puede hacer chantaje nuclear y convencional en su barrio.
De ser Estados Unidos, pensaría muy seriamente en cerrar el European Command, llevar de nuevo a EE.UU. a las brigadas del V Cuerpo, sacar a los escuadrones de Aviano, Lakenheath, Ramstein y las otras bases aéreas en el Viejo Mundo, y mandar a la Sexta Flota a que leve anclas y cambie Nápoles por Norfolk. Es demasiado gasto para cubrir a gente que puede pagar tranquila el costo de su defensa y es un gasto que puede ahorrarse tranquilamente en estos tiempos de vacas flacas.
Total, la Unión Europea ya es grandecita, se puede cuidar solita y por lo que se ve, no le tiene mucho cariño a los norteamericanos. Vendría siendo hora de que sus países miembros se cuiden ellos solos y que asuman los costos de desarrollar un potencial militar acorde a sus aspiraciones de superpotencia en lugar de respaldarse en una OTAN cuyo mayor socio y contribuyente es alguien que no les cae bien.
O que no hagan nada, si de veras la UE quiere intentar ser una fuerza de peso en el mundo sin más herramientas que el
soft power, las buenas intenciones y el multiculturalismo.
Después de otra quimio reapareció Chávez pidiendo "un contraataque, una contraofensiva" para defender a su cumpa Muammar Khadaffi. Como si no fuera suficiente aseguró que la OTAN se está preparando para invadir Venezuela. Puede verse en VTV, que lo reproduce acríticamente, from the horse's mouth.
