Unfortunately, just a month into the campaign, the European-led NATO coalition is showing signs of strain, such as a shortage of precision bombs. These problems are probably more a matter of logistics than money. But they also highlight an inconvenient truth: Europe has been underfunding its defense capabilities for more than a decade.But wait my friends...it gets worse...
“I think there is a disconnect between the diplomatic ambitions of European countries and their military power,” says Antoine Gelain, leader of the aerospace and defense practice at Candesic, a London-based consultancy. “France and the U.K. still see themselves as the kind of countries that are able to bring law and order to renegade regimes. But the reality is they don’t have the means to do that anymore.”The worse part of all this is the face that Joe is a business reporter! He's looking at this from that perspective and as an explanation for why European companies are making a bee line to the US market place.
What he doesn't touch on, and what many don't want to see is this --- Unless Europe/NATO picks up more of the load, this Atlantic partnership is in serious trouble. The danger doesn't exist between the US and individual countries but more with the European Union and NATO. The US and UK, Poland, Romania, The Netherlands, Finland etc...will remain strong...but with the alliance...with the umbrella organization? Not so much.
