US Defense Secretary Gates lauds Arab contribution to NATO''s Libya mission

(with photos) BRUSSELS, June 10 (KUNA) -- US Defense Secretary Robert Gates Friday praised the support of some Arab countries to NATO's operation in Libya but at the same time warned that the Alliance faced a "dim future" if European members did not increase their financial and military support. "In Libya, the involvement of Jordan, Morocco, the UAE and others in the Middle East have been hugely important, "he told an event organised by the Brussels-based think tank'Security and Defence Agenda'.
"I am not sure we would have moved forward to the UN, even undertaking this enterprise, had it not been for the vote in the Arab League that then paved for the UN Security Council Resolutions," he noted. Gates however said the NATO operation in Libya is facing several shortcomings in capability with the potential to jeopardize the Alliance's ability to sustain an effective mission there. "Athough every Alliance member voted for the Libyan operation less than half half participated at all, and fewer than a third are participating in strike missions," he lamented. "Frankly NATO's allies sitting at the sidelines do so not because they don't want to participate but because they cannot. The military capabilities are simply not there," he said. Friday's speech was Gate's last policy speech in Europe before his retirement a few weeks ahead. He was in Brussels to attend the NATO Defence Ministers meeting on Wednesday and Thursday, He expressed concern that NATO will turn into a two-tier alliance between members specialising in soft humanitarian and peace keeping missions and those taking part in combat missions.
"This is no longer hypothetical worry. We are there today and it is unacceptable," he stressed.
The US Defence secretary said the European defence spending declined by 15 percent since the 9/11 attacks in the US a decade ago.
Today just five of 28 allies, the US, the UK, Greece, France and Albania exceed the agreed 2 percent GDP spending on defence. "Regretfully the situation is highly unlikely to change," he added.
"Looking ahead to avoid the real possibility of collective military irrelevance, member nations must examine new approaches to boosting combat capabilities in procurement in training in logistics," he suggested.
He warned that that there will be dwindling appetite and patience in the U.
S. Congress to expend funds on behalf of nations that are apparently unwilling to devote the necessary resources or make the necessary changes to be serious and capable partners in their own defense.
Turning to Afghanistan he said US President Barack Obama is still considering the size and the pace of the troops to be withdrawn beginning in July. "I can tell you that there won't be a rush to the exit," he stressed.
Gates warned that for some troop-contributing nations to pull out their troops on their own timeline undermines the mission and increases the risk for other alies in Afghansitan. "The way ahead in Afghanistan is in together, out together," he added. (end) nk.ajs KUNA 101523 Jun 11NNNN