Gates still placing foot in European ass.

via AFP.

"The Libya air war has exposed serious shortcomings among NATO allies and European governments will have to agree on joint defense budget priorities to rectify the problem, Gates told AFP in an interview.
The Pentagon chief, who is due to retire this week after more than four years in the post, reiterated views he expressed in a blunt speech in Brussels earlier this month, in which he warned the alliance faced a potentially "dismal" future.
"The truth is, as I said in Brussels, there is a lot of military capability and a lot of money being spent in Europe," Gates said on Thursday."

Of course the designer and main cheerleader for this fiasco in Libya, the President of France had this to say...Translation by Google...

THE PRESIDENT - Mr. Gates was retiring, apparently it does him no pleasure. So do not blame someone who is retiring to be a little bitter. I think his retirement did not have to closely observe what was happening in Libya, because you can say whatever you want but I do not feel in Libya most of the work done by our American friends. You were speaking of Libya at the same time is to say that our American friends have two drones, a number of tanker aircraft, we are very sensitive but it would not come to the idea of ​​a man as responsible and intelligent than President Obama to say that it is America that is the main work in Libya.
This was especially moved by Mr. Gates saying that. And more completely wrong, given what is happening in Libya. There were certainly other moments in history when he could have said it, but not when the Europeans, bravely took the case of Libya, where mainly the French, the English and their allies are the work! I will not allow me to make this statement when, after 15 days the Americans have decided to reduce their aircraft. So it's a statement that is unfair for them falls ill and does not correspond to reality.

Awesome.

Gates brings up a legitimate shortcoming in the alliance and instead of being taken seriously, is accused of being a tired, retiring old man.

This outcome is predictable.  This 'war' will drone on for a while (unless someone gets lucky and kills Khadaffi) and both sides will sue for peace.

The alliance will be exposed for the sham that it is but everyone will continue to pretend that it isn't and will continue business as usual --- building bigger and more elaborate headquarters buildings...doing dog and pony exercises that serve no real purpose....and creating staff billets for generals and admirals.

NATO is useless.  When they go against a second tier military its lights out.  NATO will be routed unless the US participates in full.