澳门六合彩

On the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), it is appropriate to assess the value of the transatlantic alliance, its adequacy for the challenges it faces, and the role the US should play. In doing so, who better to ask than Americans serving alongside their European counterparts. During a recent swing visiting US Air Force operations in Europe, I asked airmen (Air Force term including all its members), 鈥淲hy is the US military in Europe?鈥� The answers I received from mechanics, communications technicians, medical aides, and others supplemented insightful briefings. Both revealed that the challenges we face are multiplying, that they are better faced together, and that they are most effectively met with continued US leadership.听

Challenges Multiplying

While those living in the safety afforded by the nation鈥檚 military may rarely reflect on the risks that underlie the importance of a US presence in Europe and beyond, it is starkly evident to those serving abroad.听

Rising threats are not being fully addressed.

With Russia waging war against Ukraine near the bases I visited, unsurprisingly, many highlighted the Russian threat, including the need to聽 jets hundreds of times a year to intercept Russian jets flying up against NATO鈥檚 borders. Briefings profiled聽 by Russia into Polish airspace and near misses, including a Russian jet聽 at (and thankfully missing) a UK surveillance plane in international airspace. Russia鈥檚聽 campaign sought to influence recent European elections.听 补苍诲听 supplying armaments and China聽 dual-use goods facilitates Russia鈥檚 continued aggression. This has made unprecedented sanctions on Russia and significant NATO support for Ukraine聽necessary, but as of yet insufficient to secure peace on the European continent.听

Just south of Europe is Africa that will聽 26% of the world鈥檚 population by 2050 and 38% by 2100. Briefers from the air component of America鈥檚聽 based in Germany see growing danger posed by rising unrest on the continent as the聽 of an exploding population are not adequately met by their governments. A briefer noted that there are 鈥渃urrently conflicts in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Libya, Mali, Somalia, and Sudan.鈥� They also cited acute challenges such as the need to evacuate US troops in聽 following a coup whose leaders聽 with Russia. The degree to which China聽 American economic engagement in Africa complicates the military鈥檚 engagement. The US military maintaining a rotational presence in Africa is seen as necessary to monitor violent extremist organizations that could pose a security threat to Americans. Briefers highlighted that the current geopolitical competition requires聽 support for partners on the continent with their economic and military capacity-building efforts.听

Southeast of Europe in the Middle East, several pointed to the conflict in Gaza and the challenge of securing the聽 as proof that NATO continues to face risks in the region. 聽

In Europe鈥檚 far north, the聽Arctic聽is a NATO front receiving insufficient attention. It聽is rich in resources, an emerging sea-lane and strategically militarily. Defense preparations in Alaska, Canada, and Nordic nations聽 Russian threats. China put teeth into it declaring itself a聽Near-Arctic power by joining Russia in聽 a naval force of eleven ships close to America鈥檚 Aleutian Islands last August.

Even as the US pivots to Asia, risks are growing in territories of common concern to NATO countries.

Challenges Cannot Be Ignored

While some question whether these challenges are America鈥檚 worry, it was obvious to those serving overseas that they cannot be ignored.

When I asked a mechanic stationed at the聽 in Italy how he would reply to a buddy back home if asked 'Why is the American military in Europe?' he answered curtly, saying 'I would tell them to read a history book.'

President Woodrow Wilson聽 to stay out of World War I. FDR聽 to stay out of World War II. In the end, both were compelled to enter the conflicts at great cost to American treasure and lives. An airman stationed in聽, suggested that having left Europe after WWI, the American military stayed there after WWII 鈥渢o make sure it didn鈥檛 happen again.鈥�

A female mechanic at the聽 answered my question with a question, 鈥淒oesn鈥檛 America have global interests?鈥� Airmen serving abroad see American companies operating around the world and inherently know it is in America鈥檚 interest to ensure global stability.听 聽

Better Addressed Together

In contrast to people who believe that strengthening US forces at home is sufficient, those stationed abroad have a starkly different view.听

A female airman at Aviano replied to my question saying, 'Aren鈥檛 our enemies gathering? Don鈥檛 we need friends?' An airman from the聽 in the UK answered even more bluntly, 'We (Americans) think we are really big, but we are not as big as we think we are.'

Indeed, America鈥檚 鈥溾�� today is more of an economic, diplomatic and military peer than the US faced in the Cold War or WWII. Never has America needed friends more.

Airmen stationed in Europe witness the benefits of America鈥檚 collaboration with NATO every day. They cited this compelling example:聽

there will be as many as聽 F-35 fifth generation fighter jets in Europe by 2030, yet only a small fraction of them will be in the US Air Force.听

The slogan of the US聽 at the LASK Airbase in Poland sums up the views of the airmen I met. 聽鈥淩azem Silniejsi鈥� or Stronger Together!

America Benefits from American NATO Leadership聽

The need for greater capacity to deter rising threats will require all NATO nations to do their share by investing in capabilities and demonstrating the willingness to deploy them without restrictions on core NATO missions. New NATO leader聽 must press all member nations to invest in their聽 with capabilities that incorporate fast-evolving new聽.听

It is a welcome development that NATO partners have steadily invested聽 in their militaries over the last decade, with聽 countries now fulfilling their 2% commitment.听

Not only should all countries meet their commitments, but聽 the provocations by Russia since the 2% was agreed to in聽 and the closer coordination among rival powers argues for a higher threshold.听

The Economist 谤别肠别苍迟濒测听 for a 2.5% threshold.听The聽, whose commitment to defense spending tops the US and all NATO members at 3.9% of GDP, has called for a 3% threshold. Of note, allies spent聽 of GDP during the Cold War. With the US defense spending approaching a聽 as a share of GDP, it also needs to invest more.听

The additions of聽 补苍诲听 are viewed as strengthening the alliance. Germany鈥檚 new law to fast-track men into military聽, addressing聽 challenges facing many countries, is noteworthy.听

The US provides NATO a nuclear umbrella and specialized skills. Yet NATO members greatly multiply America鈥檚 overall contributions. America鈥檚 European troop聽 is a single-digit percentage share of the聽 of European nations. The US funds less than聽 of NATO鈥檚 budget. The US leads only聽 of the eight battlegroups that NATO deploys on its Eastern frontier exhibiting members鈥� willingness to defend each other.听

Europe must strive for conventional capabilities comparable to the US because if action is required to defend NATO in Europe; America is right to expect to remain only a fraction of the force. This is especially true as such a fate may befall the continent when friction arises . 聽But many airmen viewed as counter-productive and dangerous the idea that America should step back and let a European NATO evolve without US involvement.听

They cited the benefits, including helping to secure fellow democracies, of US involvement.听

NATO has a track record of deterring attacks on member nations that could have spilled over into America or required America to engage in conflict.听

Protecting the US homeland requires having intelligence on threats that in today鈥檚 connected world could emerge anywhere. Therefore, America needs to be able to have its antennae up everywhere. This requires having flyovers, rotational deployments, or basing rights. To build such partnerships, the adage 鈥測ou must be present to win鈥� applies.听

Presence is also required to protect American citizens who work and travel abroad. Forward-deployed rescue helicopter squadrons and mobility units enable prompt evacuations for security and medical purposes.听

Interoperable methods of force projection can only be achieved by regular joint exercises and training. Without the US regularly conducting exercises with NATO partners, European nations may remain interoperable with each other, but perhaps not as much with American forces. This would reduce their collective effectiveness in addressing shared threats.

The degree to which the US relied on the support of European 补苍诲听ern partners in聽 Israel from Iran鈥檚 recent drone and missile barrage was cited as an example of how significant allied interoperable capabilities empower American action.听

It is not lost on European leaders that US military leadership in Europe has led to US leadership in military sales. This bolsters the US domestic manufacturing base. European purchases support American jobs.听

While being the leading arms producer has led to the US being the largest聽 of military aid, other alliance members share the burden.听

16 NATO nations聽聽matched or exceeded聽the US in total aid to Ukraine as a share of GDP. Much of their military aid is US made.听

滨苍肠谤别补蝉颈苍驳听 engagement with NATO and in聽 Ukraine has resulted in further burden-sharing. America can likely expect continued shared support for Ukraine in pursuit of achieving an outcome that leads to a cessation, not just a pause, in European hostilities.

The US alone has only two aging diesel icebreakers in the Arctic聽 to Russia鈥檚 鈥渟even nuclear-powered icebreakers and around 30 diesel-powered ones.鈥� Only with the addition of NATO partner capabilities is the gap significantly closed.听

While European support in any Asian conflict would likely be limited given the immense distance involve, their support with space, cyber,聽 and armament replenishment capacity adds to deterrence.听

Some airmen highlighted efforts by Russia to lure the friendship of the populations of its former satellites. They fear that without strong US leadership, some nations would become increasing divisive with other European nations and perhaps eventually more directly align with Russia.

Finally, several expressed concern that any retreat behind 鈥渢he walls of America鈥� made it more likely that any conflict would be waged on American soil.听

America Benefits from Europeans Investing in US Leadership

My travels highlighted two examples of Europe investing in its own security by bolstering American leadership.

A collaboration among 11 European countries and the US聽operating in Papa, Hungary, provides聽 to nations not large enough to afford an independent capability.听

This collaboration among Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, and the US funds base facilities and three聽 airlift planes in proportion to each country鈥檚 usage.听

The staffing is also shared proportionately.听

At LASK Airbase, where Poland will station F-35s it聽 for itself,聽聽

I witnessed part of the significant聽 underway by Poland as part of its commitment to provide up to聽 on behalf of the US military.听

Airmen Show the Way

America鈥檚 airmen are stepping up to meet the threats we face. A squadron in Aviano took pride in training the Swedish Rangers who saved five Turkish lives during their recent聽 followed shortly by Turkey finally聽 Sweden鈥檚 NATO membership. The commander of an聽 squadron in Aviano noted that in flying assurance missions along Europe鈥檚 border 鈥渢he Russians see us going up in bad weather and witness our resolve.鈥� An airman stationed in Hungary observed that 鈥淎mericans applaud the military鈥檚 successes but never recognize the work it takes to achieve success.鈥�

In addition to being grateful for the sacrifices and vigilance of its military, America must recognize that only by investing in leading a stronger NATO will it enjoy the success of being secure in an increasingly dangerous world.