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Maybe now some of our European friends will start pulling their weight with respect to funding NATO.

verdverm 3y ago
This is an outdated statistic. The EU as a whole is spending above the 2% and if you include broader items like railway improvements to facilitate moving US tanks, the number more than doubles. Some EU countries have given more than 2% to Ukraine on top of this The Data on NATO Responsibility Sharing - CSIS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YihXoQjnYc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YihXoQjnYc
- stalfosknight 3y ago
  While this might be true now, this has not always been the case. And there are still some individual NATO members that want to make excuses instead of pay their fair share for the nuclear umbrella we are providing them, among many other things.
  - verdverm 3y ago
    Here is a timestamped link for convenience https://www.youtube.com/live/6YihXoQjnYc?t=488 https://www.youtube.com/live/6YihXoQjnYc?t=488 The vast majority of NATO countries are now above 3% 14 countries are above 4% 11 countries are between 3-4% 4 countries are between 2-3% The countries under the 2% mark 1. Iceland - 1.72 2. Montenegro - 1.57 (incomplete data) 3. N. Macedonia - 1.66 (incomplete data)
- ryathal 3y ago
  You can play games with numbers all you want to make things look less bad, but many of the major EU economies have significantly neglected military spending. Not only is there a huge lack of munitions across the continent, there's a huge lack of ability to make any. Sure the invasion of Ukraine made these countries scramble to start fixing decades of neglect, but the damage has already been done.
  - verdverm 3y ago
    What's your point or counter point? The numbers are about where the EU is now, not where it was 2+ years ago. The EU has increased spending and is increasing production capacity. They are doing something about it. The US seems unable to do anything right now because of politics The EU has had a very significant change in attitude - 2 years ago about defense spending - 2 months about defense independence, after hearing Trump's comments about NATO and House Republicans unwillingness to pass foreign defense aid Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea have taken note as well
berner 3y ago
Maybe they will build out their own military industry causing the US to no longer have a much larger technological capability than it actually pays for from its own GDP and face more competition in weapon sales.
- stalfosknight 3y ago
  Your comment is probably sarcastic, but I think this new world disorder we slipping into will necessitate a more muscular Europe working in tandem with the US to counter our common enemies. I would welcome a Europe that takes what is going on more seriously instead of hoping another pansy-ass raft of sanctions will make Putin or Xi shudder in fear.
- verdverm 3y ago
  This is already happening. Poland & South Korea entered into a significant deal last year. SK is working with Poland to build SK mil hardware in Poland, which iirc, is a first for them. There are speculations that this is SK breaking into the EU market for tanks & spg. Drones are reshaping conventional war at unprecedented speeds. Many things need to be rethought. Big ticket items and air defense are notable examples. Porcupine defense is likely the best strategy for deterrence. Taiwan and her allies should take note of what Ukraine has accomplished in the Black Sea.
  - verdverm 3y ago
    Here's a new video from CSIS on this very topic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8kJrQ8TO2g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8kJrQ8TO2g
Staple_Diet 3y ago
NATO funding is in the realm of a few million per year for administrative costs, and all members make these payments. Perhaps you are referring to the requirement for NATO members to spend minimum 2% GDP on their own Military? In which case other responses explain that, on average, this is already occuring. Further to that, percentage of GDP is a problematic metric to measure spending, as a member could in fact increase their military spending year on year, but if their spending increase doesn't keep up with their GDP increases then it can appear that they are spending less.

This is an outdated statistic. The EU as a whole is spending above the 2% and if you include broader items like railway improvements to facilitate moving US tanks, the number more than doubles. Some EU countries have given more than 2% to Ukraine on top of this The Data on NATO Responsibility Sharing - CSIS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YihXoQjnYc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YihXoQjnYc

stalfosknight 3y ago
While this might be true now, this has not always been the case. And there are still some individual NATO members that want to make excuses instead of pay their fair share for the nuclear umbrella we are providing them, among many other things.
- verdverm 3y ago
  Here is a timestamped link for convenience https://www.youtube.com/live/6YihXoQjnYc?t=488 https://www.youtube.com/live/6YihXoQjnYc?t=488 The vast majority of NATO countries are now above 3% 14 countries are above 4% 11 countries are between 3-4% 4 countries are between 2-3% The countries under the 2% mark 1. Iceland - 1.72 2. Montenegro - 1.57 (incomplete data) 3. N. Macedonia - 1.66 (incomplete data)
ryathal 3y ago
You can play games with numbers all you want to make things look less bad, but many of the major EU economies have significantly neglected military spending. Not only is there a huge lack of munitions across the continent, there's a huge lack of ability to make any. Sure the invasion of Ukraine made these countries scramble to start fixing decades of neglect, but the damage has already been done.
- verdverm 3y ago
  What's your point or counter point? The numbers are about where the EU is now, not where it was 2+ years ago. The EU has increased spending and is increasing production capacity. They are doing something about it. The US seems unable to do anything right now because of politics The EU has had a very significant change in attitude - 2 years ago about defense spending - 2 months about defense independence, after hearing Trump's comments about NATO and House Republicans unwillingness to pass foreign defense aid Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea have taken note as well

berner 3y ago

Maybe they will build out their own military industry causing the US to no longer have a much larger technological capability than it actually pays for from its own GDP and face more competition in weapon sales.

stalfosknight 3y ago
Your comment is probably sarcastic, but I think this new world disorder we slipping into will necessitate a more muscular Europe working in tandem with the US to counter our common enemies. I would welcome a Europe that takes what is going on more seriously instead of hoping another pansy-ass raft of sanctions will make Putin or Xi shudder in fear.
verdverm 3y ago
This is already happening. Poland & South Korea entered into a significant deal last year. SK is working with Poland to build SK mil hardware in Poland, which iirc, is a first for them. There are speculations that this is SK breaking into the EU market for tanks & spg. Drones are reshaping conventional war at unprecedented speeds. Many things need to be rethought. Big ticket items and air defense are notable examples. Porcupine defense is likely the best strategy for deterrence. Taiwan and her allies should take note of what Ukraine has accomplished in the Black Sea.
- verdverm 3y ago
  Here's a new video from CSIS on this very topic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8kJrQ8TO2g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8kJrQ8TO2g

Staple_Diet 3y ago

NATO funding is in the realm of a few million per year for administrative costs, and all members make these payments. Perhaps you are referring to the requirement for NATO members to spend minimum 2% GDP on their own Military? In which case other responses explain that, on average, this is already occuring. Further to that, percentage of GDP is a problematic metric to measure spending, as a member could in fact increase their military spending year on year, but if their spending increase doesn't keep up with their GDP increases then it can appear that they are spending less.