Biden Jets Out for One Last Vacation
Watch a Teacher's Letter Attacking Pro-Trump Family Members Blow Up in His Face
Look What These Israelis Used to Make Their Menorah for Hanukkah This Year
Libs Demand Congress Do Something That Was Considered an Act of Armed Rebellion...
Federal Appeals Court Rules Against Law Barring Nonviolent Felons From Owning Firearms
British Transport Police Sued for Allowing Trans-Identified Males to Strip Search Women
Workers in This State Just Won the Right to Bring Their Guns to...
Here's What Has Jen Psaki Raking Democrats Over the Coals
Former Democratic Presidential Candidate Throws Hat in Ring for DNC Chair
Celebrating Media Mayhem with The Heckler Awards - Part 3: The Individual Categories
High Levels of Radiation Detected Across the East Coast After Mysterious Drone Sightings
Why These Liberal Lawyers Think the Gov't Should Use 'Nuclear Option' to Prevent...
Trump Promises to Pursue Executions After Biden Commutes Most of Federal Death Row
Biden Orders Pentagon to Deliver More Weapons to Ukraine Just Weeks Before Leaving...
You Won't Believe What Happened at This Phoenix Airport on Christmas
Tipsheet

Germany Admittedly Shortchanges NATO, Claims They Owe Nothing

After nearly destroying all of Europe and endangering the lives of millions in the 20th century, Germany is now refusing to admit any wrongdoing in failing to properly fund the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Advertisement

President Donald Trump accused Germany on Saturday of failing to pay vast sums of money to NATO, a costly defense program that has protected the German people since the 1950s after the devastation of World War II.  

Germany's defense minister responded on Sunday, admitting that the country doesn't pay their dues but shouldn't be held accountable for their shortcomings.

In the statement, Ursula von der Leyen said "there is no debt account in NATO. To relate the 2% defense spending that we want to reach in the next decade solely to NATO is wrong."

Each member country of NATO is expected to contribute 2 percent of their annual GDP.  Since the early 2000s, the U.S. has routinely contributed 3 to 5 percent of its GDP to NATO.

Germany, on the other hand, only contributes an abysmal 1.2 percent.

Advertisement

In February, Secretary of Defense James Mattis warned NATO members to start paying their fair share.

“I owe it to you all to give you clarity on the political reality in the United States and to state the fair demand from my country’s people in concrete terms,” Mattis told foreign dignitaries in a closed-room meeting. “America will meet its responsibilities, but if your nations do not want to see America moderate its commitment to the alliance, each of your capitals needs to show its support for our common defense.”

But before Germany starts paying, NATO and the United Nations need to adopt a more "modern understanding" of global security.

"What we all want is a fair burden sharing," von der Leyen said. "In order to achieve that, we need a modern understanding of security, including a modern NATO, but also a European defense organization as well as investment in the United Nations."

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Recommended

Trending on Townhall Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement