December 12, 2016
We need to talk about NATO
Dear NATO and European ministers of defense,
I know you’re worried. You’re worried that the United States is about to have a commander in chief who has called the NATO alliance “obsolete.” You’re worried by Donald Trump’s campaign promise to defend NATO allies only if they meet their “obligations.” If you’re not spending the recommend 2 percent of GDP on defense, in other words, America’s next president may not meet our Article 5 commitments to defend you. And you’re worried about what Trump’s ever -amous “America First” slogan will mean in practice.
Don’t panic. Instead, use the coming weeks to put together a plan, both individually and collectively. That plan should have three core objectives: lay out the facts, get your house in order, and prepare for 2017’s NATO Summit in Brussels.
Read the full article at Politico.
More from CNAS
-
Canada, Trump, and the Post-Trudeau Era
In just a few days, Donald Trump returns to office with Canada in his sights. At the same time, it has been less than two weeks since Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau re...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Elizabeth Anderson
-
Trump’s Threat to U.S. Intelligence
The key for intelligence officials will be to avoid distraction and find a way to stay focused on the core missions....
By Peter Schroeder
-
In Russia's Perceived War with the West, Arms Control is Collateral Damage
Russia seemingly perceives previously established arms control agreements as elements of the broader Western-dominated political and security order that it aims to overturn....
By Nicholas Lokker
-
Republicans Saved Democracy Once. Will They Do It Again?
Despite different political and historical contexts, the playbook these personalist leaders use to dismantle democracy has been identical....
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Joseph Wright & Erica Frantz