It's 2% of GDP

Thank you, @Atkins

Its less of an issue for the US as our budget dwarfs that of NATO

And @JustTom , I said you divorce in an abusive relationship. Europe isn't abusing us. If anything, we're insulting them.

But many were (and still are) spending less than 1%, and many include pensions and social spending in that figure when it should be active troops and procurement only.

Europe is abusing us.

For decades they slashed military spending and expected us to defend them for free.

So we encourage them to get to 2%. We shouldn't be insulting them and interfering with their internal politics.

I disagree. The amount of support and money we're sending them, the unbalance of the trade agreements we have with them, and many other reasons, including that any time they want a conflict to be resolved, they keep out of it for the most part, then give this sidelong glance at us with this little wiggle of "huh? huh? Isn't it time you uh... stepped up?" - That's all abuse.

https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-lack-of-military-readiness-dramatic-says-bundeswehr-commissioner/a-42663215

I absolutely agree that the German military is a joke right now

I totally agree that we need to hold them accountable to improve

GUESS HOW WE DO THAT

They need to spend 2% of GDP

By threatening to shitcan NATO if they don't buck up

They need to standardize with US hsystems

AND GUESS WHAT HAPPENED

they bucked up

-_-

They need to integrate with each other

I agree with all that

***bu-bu-but feeeeeelings***

Hmmmm his feed

But respect?

the EU is attempting to create its own army, separate from nato

Is that such a bad thing?

@DrYuriMom There's 3 options here.
Option 1) We don't hold them accountable.
Option 2) We step up hard negotiating tactics like Trump is doing and force them to be accountable.
Option 3) We back out of the deals entirely like a bad divorce.

You tell me which one you prefer.

I'll respect them when they can put a sub to sea or a cargo plane in the air

Or when Poland doesn't out-tank them

The US should not be treating these nations with respect while they attempt to create a unified fighting force outside of NATO

Fucking Germany, land of the Panzer, with <250 tanks.

It goes against the very purpose of the organization.

@Blackhawk342 , as I understand it that only started happening in the past two years. When the US suddenly became an unreliable partner.

softballing it and politely asking them, "well uhm, it'd be.. you know... kinda nice if you spent your 2% like you promised. pwetty pwease." is akin to that first option of not holding them accountable.

Unreliable paypig*
The EU is utterly reliant on taking from successful countries while cutting them a raw deal

Its been happening since 2012

Perhaps they considered Obama to be an unreliable ally

https://euobserver.com/news/115686

Well it makes sense in that context

http://www.caef.org.uk/d108euarmy.html

If Europe were to need to act when the US didn't come to support, that have zero effective air-to-air refueling capacity