WASHINGTON, March 16 (UPI) -- A Republican presidential candidate Thursday urged America's European allies to boost their defense spending.
"On the topic of investment, I find it interesting that despite NATO's 'requirement' that allies spend at least 2 percent of their Gross Domestic Product on their militaries, only a handful of nations actually do so," Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., the ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, told a committee hearing on cooperation with America's European allies Thursday.
"Over the last several years, many of our allies have argued that the European Union's growing focus on security and defense could result in increased military spending and improved capabilities of member nations," Hunter said.
"However, it appears that fiscal realities have not supported this argument. Moreover, it seems that the alliance's emphasis on transformation -- including leveraging the experiences and expertise of Joint Forces Command -- has not resulted in noticeable increases in expenditures or capabilities," Hunter said.
"In fact, NATO nations have recognized a significant shortfall in strategic airlift. Yet these nations' combined acquisition of C-17s relies in large part on U.S. contributions. So I wonder: How can we more effectively persuade our friends to transform and modernize their militaries?"
Hunter is currently the one outspokenly conservative candidate running for the Republican Party's 2008 presidential nomination.
