The Duran
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by Lukas Ramonas, via The Baltic Word…
As it was reported, the European Deterrence Initiative (EDI), aimed to strengthen the American military presence on the eastern borders of NATO, will lose about a quarter of its funding in 2021.
Donald Trump intends to use saved funds to build a wall on the border with Mexico. A decrease in the EDI fund, as conceived by Washington, should not lead to a weakening of the American presence in Europe. But payers for this presence will not be the Americans, but the Europeans.
As we know, new fiscal year in the United States begins on the 1st of October. So the process of preparing is actively going. A budget request for funding of the European Deterrence Initiative was formed on the 12th of February. Comparing it with the request for 2019, we can trace what kinds of adjustments were made to the EDI funding.
Primarily, the total cost of the program has changed. Pentagon asked for almost 6 billion dollars last year, and this year – only 4.5 billion dollars. So the decline continues for the second year in a row.
As we know, the EDI support increased U.S. investment to EU security across five main categories: (1) presence; (2) training and exercises; (3) infrastructure; (4) prepositioned equipment; and (5) building partner capacity.
However, if expansion continues, it will not be enough. Training and exercises directed funding will decrease most of all the areas of the EDI this year, (funding will be cut from 600 to 294 million dollars – more than doubled).
This item of expenditures exceeded $ 2 billion this year and in a new draft it is less than 1.5 billion.
By the way, infrastructure development will receive only 100 million less (compared with last year’s budget). This area of activity is mainly financed by investments in military construction, which includes 15 projects in 2021.
In particular, Pentagon’s plan is to build two storage facilities in Germany as a part of the RADR (Rapid Airfield Damage Repair) program, which aims to restore airfields in case of enemy bombardments. Romania will receive the largest allocation – four projects totaling 130.5 million dollars.
Scary fact is that Poland and the Baltic countries do not appear on the list of countries to be funded under the EDI program for this year. Given the fact that these countries border with Russia, they will be the first to stop Russian aggression against NATO in case of war. That’s why Pentagon’s decision to deprive the Baltic countries of funding is completely unacceptable.
They were mentioned in the military development program last time in 2019. Pentagon approved the construction of five facilities in Poland and two centers of the U.S. Special Forces (SOF) in Estonia. But the money did not reach there.
Unfortunately, in September last year Pentagon published a list of projects whose implementation was delayed due to the redistribution of funds in favor of the construction of the Trump’s wall.
Both Polish and Estonian objects were among them. But there was another effective way to reduce costs for Washington – to shift them to Europeans. It’s no secret that Trump is satisfied with this.
That is why current United States Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, speaking about the redistribution of funds in favor of the wall on the border with Mexico, directly invited the European allies to finish the military projects themselves. And a new request for funding the European Deterrence Initiative says that “EDI allows to more efficiently and fairly distribute the burden between all investments.”
Does it mean that the contribution of the Europeans to NATO’s common defense will be increased proportionally with decrease in the contribution of the Americans?
It would be naive to believe that the U.S. will leave Europe. Washington’s behavior suggests otherwise. The United States intends to maintain and expand its military presence in Europe, to surround Russia with controlled military facilities. But Washington will do this not for their money, but for the money of the European taxpayers.
By the way, in case of war between NATO and Russia, the Americans will also fight on European territory using European armies.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Of course, the US military leads a parasitic existence all around the world. Stealing oil in Syria, stealing oil in Iraq, exploiting the narcotics trade in Afghanistan, and living at tax payers’ cost in Europe. Whereever they go, they steal, plunder, cheat, rob, exploit.
Or as I so often say…wherever the US goes, excrement is sure to follow. Hasn’t failed yet.
Exactly !
L’chaim!
Just try to get them to go home. Ask Iraq.
Europe should stand united and kick the US out!!!
I wish I could uptick this at least a million times. Everyone should kick the swine out.
Vietnam sure beat them real good Kicked them out. Special thanks to the former USSR and China.
Well, there is one way to avoid both the cost and consequences: get rid of NATO and the US military. Europeans are as stupid as most Americans in believing their leaders’ propaganda about “Russian aggression.” Look closer — it’s NATO who is the aggressor. Instead of crying over NATO’s costs, do yourselves a favor and shut down NATO for good.
NATO = NORTH ATLANTIC TERRORIST ORGANIZATION
USA? the Great Satan well named Iran, well named indeed.
This is silly , if war broke out between Russia and Europe/NATO it would quickly become thermonuclear unless it was a ‘skirmish’ that was quickly squashed. The only winning in that game is not to play. Which is not to say the game will not be played considering the absurd cold war redux. Time Europe got a pair and rid themselves of the one state that might be stupid enough to want to play.
Sorry, my short note was redundant with yours.
Just tell me why should war breaks out between Russia and Europe unless it is provoked by the US/ UK Bastards?
Why indeed? President Putin likes Europe and has regular contact with most European leaders. He is building the gas pipeline to Europe for mutual benefit. Neither Russia nor Europe have anything to gain from a war, it is much better to live as peaceful neighbours.
It’s all idiotic. A war between Russia and NATO would be over in an hour, with everyone dead, including all the Americans back in the ‘homeland’.
Who writes this rubbish? There is NO Russian aggression; it’s all from the US and the EU to try and goad Russia into attacking them so that they can then endeavour to wipe Russia out. In their dreams…
Like the sheeple in the USA…..Europeans must be brainwashed to think Russia is the bad boy and wants to invade, any BS to enrich the military war complex. They use the tactics, words of the late Dr. Joseph Geobbles…… Accuse your enemies of the crimes YOU are committing.
Mobsters would be envious of this racket.
Thats exactly what it is and always has been and always will be.
And the bastards get way with it. Locking up Assange for the Evil Empire.. as he told the Truth. Ultra extreme acts/ threats to the swine is the way to go, they listen to such people IRA threatened to blow the financial district… again, they had lost over ONE Billion pounds in lost business…. so? they invited the IRA to meetings in Londonstan. No deaths in the Financial bombing, the Provos just hit their money-making rackets. No need to kill or injure the people.
The US military does not protect the American people they are the strong arm, the muscle for the Corporations. Get those invaders, war-monger US troop out of Europe and all countries they infests degrade, pollute.