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Europe
Germany rejects Trump claim it owes Nato and US 'vast sums' for defence
2017-03-20
The German defence minister, Ursula von der Leyen, on Sunday rejected Donald Trump’s claim that Germany owes Nato and the US “vast sums” of money for defence.

“There is no debt account at Nato,” Von der Leyen said in a statement, adding that it was wrong to link the alliance’s target for members to spend 2% of their economic output on defence by 2024 solely to Nato.

“Defence spending also goes into UN peacekeeping missions, into our European missions and into our contribution to the fight against [Isis] terrorism,” Von der Leyen said.
Umm, no, to borrow a line, "that's not how it works." Your NATO commitment is the baseline, and you add spending for other defense on top of that, just as we do.
Trump, who was spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida, said on Twitter on Saturday – a day after meeting the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, in Washington – that Germany “owes vast sums of money to Nato & the United States must be paid more for the powerful, and very expensive, defense it provides to Germany!”

His words prompted criticism, also published on Twitter, from a former permanent representative to Nato under President Obama. Ivo Daalder, permanent representative from 2009 to 2013, wrote: “Sorry, Mr President, that’s not how Nato works. The US decides for itself how much it contributes to defending Nato. This is not a financial transaction, where Nato countries pay the US to defend them. It is part of our treaty commitment."
The same treaty to which the other members pledge, and to which they pledged to meet certain minimums. Which many of them aren't doing. But if Ivo is correct in that the US can decide for itself how much to contribute to NATO, great -- let's contribute LESS and see how it goes...
Trump has urged Germany and other Nato members to accelerate efforts to meet Nato’s defence spending target.

Von der Leyen said everyone wanted the burden to be shared fairly
...meaning, mostly by Uncle Sugar...
and for that to happen it was necessary to have a “modern security concept” that included a modern Nato but also a European defence union and investment in the United Nations.
Which is all soft, easily hidden spending that can be inflated to look good...
German defence spending is set to rise by €1.4bn ($1.5bn) to €38.5bn ($41.4bn) in 2018 – a figure that is projected to represent 1.26% of economic output, the finance minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, has said. In 2016, Germany’s defence spending ratio stood at 1.18%.
Meanwhile, Britain, France and the UK are shipping troops to the Baltic states...
During her trip to Washington, Merkel reiterated Germany’s commitment to the 2% military spending goal.
When, Frau Chancellor? Perhaps in your lifetime?
Posted by:Steve White

#15  I keep harping on it because again, Germany is invading Europe with their immigration trailing wife.

That is a fair assessment, newc.
Posted by: trailing wife   2017-03-20 22:01  

#14  I'm sorry Steve, but your comment is not accurate.

"Umm, no, to borrow a line, "that's not how it works." Your NATO commitment is the baseline, and you add spending for other defense on top of that, just as we do."

The - non enforceable - commitment is:

Spending at least 2% of gross domestic product on defense. To be reached by 2024.

Not on NATO.
Posted by: European Conservative   2017-03-20 21:28  

#13  I keep harping on it because again, Germany is invading Europe with their immigration
trailing wife.

They have learned nothing.

Posted by: newc   2017-03-20 17:00  

#12  It is not fair to demand that their grandchildren, born long after, continue to carry guilt for that which they did not do.

Your strong argument stands well, TW, however the demand for reparations from other affronted parties remains quite popular.
Posted by: Skidmark   2017-03-20 15:40  

#11  Pay up deadbeats, and don't whine about spending all your funds financing the Muslim invasion of Europe.
Posted by: regular joe   2017-03-20 14:11  

#10  Maybe Germany is spending the money, just not spending it properly. If British reports are true, it seems Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen should have been fired some time ago.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2017-03-20 11:10  

#9  An underlying fact or potential teaching point may possibly be lost on some. In my opinion, at least one of the reasons Germany has become a wealthy, economic power broker is; since the end of WWII it has pretty much avoided foreign conflicts and entanglements, or getting involved in everyone else's business.
Posted by: Besoeker   2017-03-20 08:11  

#8  Um, those running things in Germany are the ones who recently opened the gate to a massive Islamic movement into Europe, which will set up another potentially major blood bath.

Very true, Albemarle Thud1564, and they deserve blame for that. But the Nazis were the project my grandparents' generation committed on my mother and hers. My last grandparent died in 1978.
Posted by: trailing wife   2017-03-20 06:45  

#7  Donald Trump’s claim that Germany owes Nato and the US “vast sums” of money for defence.

For baiting the bear and then running to USA?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2017-03-20 03:47  

#6  It was the grandparents of those now running things

Um, those running things in Germany are the ones who recently opened the gate to a massive Islamic movement into Europe, which will set up another potentially major blood bath.
Posted by: Albemarle Thud1564   2017-03-20 02:22  

#5  It was the grandparents of those now running things who participated in the Nazi period, newc, and as a result their country was reduced to rubble and they enjoyed the experience of being occupied by their conquers for some time thereafter It is not fair to demand that their grandchildren, born long after, continue to carry guilt for that which they did not do.

It seems to me President Trump's statement was another moving of the Overton Window. Until now everyone was happy that Germany was willing to not militarize, because they so thoroughly do whatever they turn their hand to.
Posted by: trailing wife   2017-03-20 01:11  

#4  Let me translate the President's tweet for you.

"Vast sums" means:

Send a German infantry division to Afghanistan by May to help sort out the mess there before it gets worse this summer, and

We also could use a bunch of food and medical supplies in the refugee camps in Jordan. Please put together monthly $100M euro care packages and drop them off at Ramstein. We'll handle the delivery, and

Oh, and you're kind of being mean to our NATO buddy Greece. Knock that off. It is messing up their defense budget.
Posted by: rammer   2017-03-20 00:57  

#3  During her trip to Washington, Merkel reiterated Germany’s commitment to the 2% military spending goal.
Of course, of course Frau Merkel. Mostly soft power, of course, foreign aid that can only be redeemed by buying German products. Or budget proposals that only exist on paper...
Posted by: magpie   2017-03-20 00:50  

#2  As far as I know, you Owe the world for a few World Wars, maybe more.
Freking Hunn
Posted by: newc   2017-03-20 00:40  

#1  Can't pay nothing. "Kosten" of supporting Merkel's Democrat "Flüchtlinge" (refugees)that were allowed to enter via the back dung gate is breaking the bank.
Posted by: Jusoger Glereper2282   2017-03-20 00:13  

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