Page 7 - at
P. 7
U.S. NEWS A7
Wednesday 3 February
U.S. proposes more Pentagon funding for Europe aid, equipment
LOLITA C. BALDOR Baranowski said in an
interview.
Associated Press Addressing the beefed-
up request for funding to
WASHINGTON (AP) — The fight IS, Carter said U.S.
warplanes have been
Obama administration striking the extremist group
in Iraq and Syria with so
said Tuesday it will propose many precision-guided
bombs and rockets that
quadrupling what it spends “we’re starting to run low”
on some types. “So we’re
on its troops and training investing $1.8 billion in 2017
to buy over 45,000 more of
in Europe, as part of the them,” he said.
U.S. military’s accelerating
effort to deter Russia.
President Barack Obama,
in his final budget request
to Congress, will ask for
$3.4 billion — up from
$789 million for the current
budget year — for what the
Pentagon calls its European The Pentagon’s proposed
Reassurance Initiative, 2017 spending plan will
which was announced in be unveiled next week as
2014 in response to Russia’s part of the federal budget
annexation of Crimea proposal. The officials were
and incursion into eastern not authorized to discuss
Ukraine. The president was Defense Secretary Ash Carter speaks about the upcoming Defense Department’s budget, the matter publicly so spoke
Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, during a speech at the Economic Club of Washington in Washington.
also calling for a 50 percent on condition of anonymity.
Associated Press
increase in spending on Over the past six months,
the war against the Islamic worried Eastern European been enough. collective defense.” during trips to Eastern
nations, who fear they “It is clear that the United Michal Baranowski, head
State group, to $7.5 billion. may be next. But for much States and our allies must of the Warsaw office of the Europe and in NATO
of southern Europe, the do more to advance German Marshall Fund of
Defense Secretary Ash bigger concern is the our common defense in the United States, a think meetings, Carter has
growing threat from the support of a Europe that is tank, said the increased
Carter, giving an overview Islamic State group. whole, free, and at peace,” spending was a positive pledged additional military
Obama, warning that Obama said. development and would
of the administration’s Russia had taken an be a “key ingredient” for support for the region.
“aggressive posture” near success at a NATO summit
proposed 2017 defense NATO countries, called to be attended by allied The 2016 budget for military
it a “challenging and heads of government in
budget of $582.7 billion, important time” for the July in the Polish capital. activities to reassurance
alliance, whose members “I think it’s great news for
described Russia as a in Europe are increasingly Poland, the region and allies covered the costs of
concerned about Russia’s NATO as a whole — the
growing challenge for the intentions after its incursions extra investment will make sending hundreds of U.S.
in Ukraine. He said the U.S. NATO’s flank safer by more
United States. He said the had taken decisive steps NATO’s top civilian official, effectively deterring Russia. troops in and out of Europe
to bolster NATO since the It’s also an important sign
U.S. was taking a “strong start of Russia’s actions in Secretary-General Jens of U.S. leadership that is for short deployments,
Ukraine, but that it hadn’t badly needed at NATO,”
and balanced approach” Stoltenberg, issued a military exercises and other
to deterring its former Cold statement applauding training missions. Carter’s
War foe. Carter’s proposed increase proposal to quadruple
“We haven’t had to worry in spending in Europe. that amount would allow
about this for 25 years, “This is a clear sign of the the U.S. to send more
and while I wish it were enduring commitment troops to Europe for
otherwise, now we do,” by the United States to short-term deployments
Carter said in a speech European security,” he and also provide
to the Economic Club of said. “It will be a timely and additional equipment
Washington. significant contribution to and improve facilities so
Russia’s aggressive military NATO’s deterrence, and that more forces could be
intervention in Ukraine has accommodated.q
