NATO chief downplays US military cutbacks

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NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Wednesday the U.S. cutting the number of troops and equipment it would provide to traditional allies in the event of an attack will not have an immediate impact.

“This is not about where forces and assets are currently located,” Rutte told reporters in Brussels, according to The Associated Press. “It’s about who would do what if our defense plans were activated.

The U.S. informed European allies earlier this month it would reduce the amount of fighter jets and warships it would deploy for NATO’s response in the early stages of a conflict, The New York Times reported last week.

The proposed drawdowns, according to the report, include reducing the number of F-16 and F-15E fighters jets from roughly 150 to 100, reducing P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft from 26 and 15 and cutting all eight aerial refueling tanker jets previously available to Europe.

Last year, NATO countries committed to boosting their defense spending up to 5 percent of gross domestic product. President Trump had previously pushed for NATO to not rely as heavily on American military support.

Rutte also said Wednesday that U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s top commander, believes allies either have “or will have in the near future” enough in their arsenals to compensate for the gaps left by a U.S. drawdown.

“The overall picture is looking good,” Rutte said, according to the AP.

But a draft of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) released by House Republicans on Tuesday would extend restrictions on the drawdown of U.S. forces from Europe and the Korean Peninsula.

It would maintain the base amount, set by last year’s NDAA, of 76,000 U.S. troops in Europe and 28,500 in Korea. The legislation would also bar the Trump administration from removing more than $500,000 in military technology from Europe.

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