Reducing the US defense budget: Europe will pay for the "Russian threat"

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The “defense” budget of the United States in the new fiscal year could reach 580 billion dollars. For comparison, the US military budget for the 2016-th fiscal year was 612 billion. The latest amendments to the planned budget, 2017, deprived the military of 15 billions. At the same time, the Pentagon insists on increasing its military spending by its allies - the states of the European Union. The need to build up "defense" spending is justified in the updated version of the defense strategy in Europe: in this document Russia is called the main threat along with terrorism.



Recall that the defense budget adopted by the US Congress for the 2016 fiscal year provided for expenditures in the amount of 612 billions of dollars. As noted in October 2015 "Vesti"The document allows Washington to actually violate the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles: if 120 days after the budget was signed, Moscow does not comply with the treaty, then the Pentagon will receive the right to retaliate.

In the next fiscal year (2017), the US defense budget could amount to 580 billion dollars, RIA News" with reference to Reuters.

It is assumed that this amount of "defense" expenditures will be announced in the budget proposal of Barack Obama.

“This is $ 15 billion less than the Pentagon originally planned. This will lead to the reduction of some large armory programs ", - quotes the message" Reuters "RIA"News».

Let's go back two weeks ago.

As 14 wrote January 2016 g. Newspaper "Sight", Republican congressmen expressed a desire to include funds for countering Russia in the US defense budget for the 2017 fiscal year. This was stated by the chairman of the House Armed Forces House Committee, Mack Thornberry.

According to him, despite the economic difficulties, Russia continues to expand its defense capabilities, sometimes surpassing the United States technologically. “They make defense their priority,” Mr. Thornberry explained.

“Tactical use, where your planes are going, where your ships are heading, is a question for the military and for the commander in chief. But the funds needed to respond to Russia's actions are our concern, ”he added. And he declared the need to counteract the “threats”: “The draft defense budget will include provisions, and we will also continue to develop our capabilities with the goal of not necessarily complying with them (the Russians), but in order to get the tools to counter the threats.” It was meant, of course, "threats" from Moscow.

It is difficult to say what the Republicans will achieve when it comes to the planned reduction of "defense" expenditures on 15 billions. On the other hand, it is clear that the thesis about the “threat” from Russia is already officially being tested by the Pentagon on Mother Europe.

“The US military presented an updated version of the defense strategy in Europe, in which Russia was called the main threat along with terrorism,” writes Yevgeny Medvedev in Nezavisimaya Gazeta. - This is a signal to European partners that they will have to take on a substantial part of the cost of the army. Moreover, the Pentagon’s budget for 2017 was cut by $ 15 billion by the year. ”

According to the European Command of the United States Armed Forces (EUCOM), 2015 was one of the most intense years since the Cold War. The strategy names 6 priority areas for the next 3-5 years: 1) warning of Russian aggression; 2) interaction with NATO members; 3) preserving US strategic partnerships; 4) counteracting and accounting for transnational threats; 5) ensuring the combat readiness of the armed forces; 6) focus on key objectives.

As we see, the “warning of Russian aggression” comes first.

The authors of the document believe that Russia is “building up aggressive behavior” in Eastern Europe and is engaged in the militarization of the Arctic. “Our command has done outstanding work, focusing equally on revanchist Russia, mass migration and terrorists,” the American commander-in-chief of the Joint NATO Forces in Europe quoted American General Philip Bridlav quoting NG.

The updated strategy is designed to become a “compass” for the military and will allow at the state level to enlist resources to ensure “unity, freedom, peace and prosperity in Europe”.

“In the United States, there has been a political reassessment of the challenges and threats that are observed in the West,” Dmitry Danilov, head of the European Security Department at the Institute of Europe, RAS, told Nezavisimaya Gazeta journalist. - In this regard, it is completely clear that the strategy of NATO is being brought under US installations, and after the adoption of the Wales Declaration and the restructuring of the armed forces under the American patterns, nothing new was expected. The fact that it was published in military documents is a statement of reality. In addition, this is the US response to the successful Russian military-technical modernization. ”

“Words about countering the Russian threat are a signal to Europeans that they should bear a share of responsibility for the fact that the United States is reconfiguring its activity. In recent years, the Pentagon has demonstrated a constant desire to achieve the allocation of large funds for defense. Pressure on Europe will increase, ”Danilov told the publication.

Russia has already responded to the updated strategy. TVC reports that the Permanent Representative of Russia to NATO Alexander Grushko condemned the strategic document.

The channel cites the opinions of a number of experts.

“The fact that in their language is called“ deterrence of Russian aggression ”, in fact, means their aggressive advance to the east. Look, over the 25 years from the German border, they advanced almost to the Rostov, Belgorod and Voronezh regions. That is where the real aggression is, ”said State Duma Deputy Mikhail Yemelyanov.

“In practical terms, this will be expressed in the fact that the US will try to create new bases in those states that were not previously under the control of America,” said Konstantin Sivkov, first vice president of the Academy of Geopolitical Problems. “We should expect the emergence of US bases in Georgia, more large-scale, they will seek from Azerbaijan to accept the American military on its territory.”

Summing up, we note that the United States, which is planning to reduce its military spending, does not intend to abandon its strategy to contain "revanchist" Russia. Americans will shift part of the “defense” expenditures to Europe, which is obliged to resist the “Russian aggression”. No wonder Russia is put on the first place in the list of enemies of the West on the pages of the updated strategy. We should expect further active propaganda in the spirit of “the occupation of the steppes of independent Ukraine by Putin’s army”. Europe will have to prepare for a new headache: in difficult years, when hordes of migrants arrive in the EU countries, which have nothing to support, Washington will force its vassals to fork out for an arms race.

Observed and commented on Oleg Chuvakin
- especially for topwar.ru
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    1. +1
      29 January 2016 06: 11
      And Europe is no stranger.
      1. +19
        29 January 2016 06: 16
        That's right. A stupid one pays twice, a stupid one pays three times, EUROLOH always pays! smile
        1. -1
          29 January 2016 10: 30
          Black RU Today, 06:16 ↑ New
          That's right. A stupid one pays twice, a stupid one pays three times, EUROLOH always pays! smile


          M. Zadornov always repeats that the merikatos are stupid. But, campaign, the meriatos are tricky, but the geyropa is really dumb. laughing
          1. 0
            29 January 2016 18: 26
            The geyropa is not stupid, it is occupied, it does not have the right to an independent foreign policy, it only waits for the owner to shout or whistle ... but they aren’t tricky, they just behave like a stupid overgrown person on the playground, like nothing else, right into the eye.
        2. 0
          30 January 2016 12: 51
          Europe didn’t pay for defense for 40 years, but it didn’t save much, now the trend is reversing, as long as it is unfolding.
      2. +1
        29 January 2016 09: 52
        Quote: Mavrikiy
        And Europe is no stranger.

        Yes, its USA has been in all crevices all 20 century and now continues the same tradition laughing
    2. +4
      29 January 2016 06: 12
      While the fat one will lose weight, the skinny one will die, so the amers' military budget is the largest, and minor cuts will not affect the aggressive intentions of the SGA in any way, they have money for nothing other than the Pentagon at other departments.
    3. +5
      29 January 2016 06: 22
      Russia is called the main threat along with terrorism.... And in Russia, the USA and Europe ... they call partners ... smile
      1. +1
        29 January 2016 17: 15
        Quote: parusnik
        .And in Russia, the USA and Europe .. called partners ...

        "Partners" have long been written with quotation marks, and the word has become a household word.
    4. +3
      29 January 2016 06: 25
      Another confirmation that Europe has completely lost its sovereignty.
    5. +2
      29 January 2016 06: 26
      These brazen Europeans want to drop all the loot on the refugees! But what about poor American soldiers?
    6. +1
      29 January 2016 06: 31
      “Our command has done an outstanding job, focusing equally on revanchist Russia, mass migration and terrorists”


      They cheated on mother Europe, sent more than a million refugees with ISIS, and support terrorists. Well, direct angels are not Americans, helpers are your mother.
    7. +1
      29 January 2016 06: 34
      The Germans took their gold from the Americans, and thought for free. You have to pay for everything, and once you contacted overseas partners, they will always shell out.
    8. +1
      29 January 2016 06: 38
      The United States, which is planning to reduce its military spending, does not intend to abandon its strategy of containing "revanchist" Russia

      A remarkable remark, it turns out that all this circus with perestroika is already openly recognized as a seizure, and for some reason Russia wants to bring back everything that is not wanted by anyone. Sailed.
    9. +2
      29 January 2016 06: 47
      Europe needs a good thrashing, and they will receive it, or rather they have already begun to receive it in the form of an Islamic campaign, and then God knows what will come of it ...
      1. 0
        29 January 2016 12: 39
        There will be another era of religious wars - only in the Middle Ages the Catholics of Protestants "Bartholomew", and now the Islamic fundamentalists who have migrated to Geyrop will make a poleaxe for Christians.
      2. 0
        29 January 2016 18: 37
        It would be ideal for us if the migrants were destroying old Europe, and the Caliphate could not. Quite a possible option, by the way: the climate is not the same, and there will be no one to help resources. But these eagles do not want to and will not.
        1. 0
          30 January 2016 12: 53
          sadly - yes ...
    10. +1
      29 January 2016 06: 57
      Reduce the defense budget despite the fact that the threat from the DAESh and other Islamist terrorists has not only not decreased, but also increased ... However, what else to wait if the Supreme social commander [Community organizer- in-chief], and in the chair of the Minister of Defense got an open bugger?
    11. +1
      29 January 2016 07: 05
      The year 2050, the US military budget is 30 billion dollars, and NATO's military budget is three trillion euros, for which the United States also purchases weapons.
    12. +2
      29 January 2016 07: 17
      Europe cannot act otherwise, since the United States at the helm of European power has placed people on whom they have either incriminating evidence, or initially these people were directly or indirectly connected with the American special services. So there is no need to wait for the immediate lifting of sanctions, because the sanctions are to some extent, those abscesses that have long been brewing on the body of our state have been uncovered; it can be called a good chance to get rid of them and renew the whole organism as a whole, or to cure at least some part of the internal organs.
    13. 0
      29 January 2016 07: 39
      It is clear that Europe, no matter how it raps, will have to shell out, not only financially, but also by the allocation of territories for new NATO bases (read the United States). As a result, Russia has occupied Europe on its western borders and also consists of a military bloc whose purpose is Russia.
      1. 0
        29 January 2016 18: 42
        There is no one to fight there. In the USA - there is, if necessary, they mobilize another 10 or 15 million from those who are on benefits, but in Europe - no. Or have migrants been launched precisely for this purpose? So they, too, would prefer to fight with them, without hassle and with prey, and not with us.
    14. 0
      29 January 2016 07: 52
      Such a policy of the West is an occasion for Russia to revive its defense industry.
      Of course, Russia cannot numerically and financially maintain armed forces equal to NATO.
      Therefore - this is an occasion to create new types of weapons, possibly even on other physical principles.
    15. 0
      29 January 2016 08: 06
      Quote: Michael m
      Another confirmation that Europe has completely lost its sovereignty.

      this is Europe’s kick between the legs from the SGA - well, you’ll think of the blanks with hanging heads and will already take care of themselves and the world in the WORLD ..
    16. 0
      29 January 2016 08: 10
      As it turned out, Europe cannot deny the states anything, playing the role of a servant
    17. 0
      29 January 2016 08: 32
      Quote: parusnik
      Russia is called the main threat along with terrorism.... And in Russia, the USA and Europe ... they call partners ... smile

      When the government drops its ideological cover, it becomes cynical.
    18. +1
      29 January 2016 08: 45
      The unenviable fate of Oyropa, its states are politically, and migrants physically. Dill you too politically raped, want to join?
    19. +2
      29 January 2016 09: 03
      Sanctions are not semiconductors, they hit in all directions!
    20. 0
      29 January 2016 09: 16
      Why don't the Europeans send Americans away, but no, they prefer to remain silent as vassals
    21. +1
      29 January 2016 10: 02
      A new stage in the arms race begins. And this is inevitable if Russia wants to pursue a policy independent of the forces of evil. On the one hand, this is a big financial outlay, and on the other, skilled jobs. People will begin to flow from the sphere of buy-sell to production. Having an interesting job, a person acquires the meaning of life and confidence in the future.
      1. 0
        29 January 2016 18: 45
        I've already started. I would never have believed it, but a couple of familiar programmers from the Moscow office moved to Nizhny Tagil. True, they pay no less, and specialists are not anyhow, but anyway.
    22. 0
      29 January 2016 10: 25
      One should expect the appearance of US bases in Georgia ...
      And Tbilisi was nearby, but ... they left. It's a pity.
    23. +3
      29 January 2016 10: 43
      America mortally needs a big war. Only in this way can she get out of the next crisis. Capital requires action. Preferably military and away from the owners of capital. On our mainland, you can organize a war for thousands of reasons - the benefit is such a thick cocktail from different countries with different political systems, religions and mentalities. Russia, as a vast country with all its natural wealth, is a tasty mite for the rest of the world. The Soviet Union managed to collapse by showing the country's elite how it can live under capitalism. The elite was inspired and betrayed and sold the country. In the formed Russian Federation, with a bunch of small countries on the US border, bought leaders were planted. In Russia, the truth went wrong. Former security officials, seeing how stupidly huge money and resources are floating abroad, cooperated and intercepted how they managed the state. Crushed for themselves часть money and resources to live satisfying. The United States did not like this. The country, which was turned into a colony, suddenly began to snap. Complex problems are accumulating in the USA. Their economy and military apparatus do not work in a stable world. Therefore, the United States now makes Russia an aggressor and pits its hand-held barkers like Europe. And just added pepper in the form of ISIS, which is a threat to all of Eurasia. The United States is steadily increasing the degree of tension and will soon break the lid and there will be a new terrible war, in the wake of which the United States wants to survive the current crisis.
      1. -1
        30 January 2016 18: 16
        The rich have something to lose. Here are the enemies of the United States, just like you, nothing to lose.
        1. 0
          30 January 2016 22: 18
          Quote: babai
          The rich have something to lose. Here are the enemies of the United States, just like you, nothing to lose.

          Listen, Vasya is one-time ..

          Here I am - a healthy man, 54 is about a year old, left alone (it happened), count up - there is something to lose. I won’t report, because I don’t have to, and Vasya, I ... well, I don’t respect you, call me.

          But if you, sprats undercooked, together with your friends here you climb here - you will have a khan. And this is perfectly understood by your flat friends in a puddle. And you for them - the territory, no more. You personally don’t need anything at all. I do not need. They are all the more so.

          You have the position of an oyster in the desert. Enjoy ..
          1. -1
            31 January 2016 03: 37
            The budget of CT.NATO is 1.5 times the budget of the United States, 4 times more than the Chinese and 8 Russian. Are you talking about checkers
            1. 0
              31 January 2016 09: 15
              "Well, stupid .." (c) Zadornov ..

              There are no words .. except obscene. And this nedotomyka calls herself - the country ..

              "Wonderful are your works, Lord" ..
    24. +1
      29 January 2016 11: 07
      Well. what can I say? It is time for Russia to show the world "capitalist-shitty" community a plan for the construction of the Stalin Canal between Canada and Mexico. Something like this.
      1. 0
        29 January 2016 17: 39
        Quote: potalevl
        Something like that.


        And for starters, send a small trough there, without weapons, but with a foreman and a Tajik brigade with ketmen. I’m a foreman to give a hand-drawn map, and let the fool drive, I don’t know anything, the owner sent a trench to dig from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. What will be the reaction?
    25. +1
      29 January 2016 11: 47
      (We should expect the appearance of US bases in Georgia, larger, they will seek from Azerbaijan to accept the US military on its territory.)

      This is how it was conceived, and this is how it has been pushed for the last 15 years. And what is striking - both Georgia and Azerbaijan are not against (not free, of course) the US and NATO go to a meeting - it's only a matter of the price (30 pieces of silver are no longer satisfied with them - "it will not be enough"). fool
    26. 0
      29 January 2016 12: 04
      Quote: VNP1958PVN
      The Germans took their gold from the Americans, and thought for free. You have to pay for everything, and once you contacted overseas partners, they will always shell out.

      Exactly ! 200 tons were taken out, so the Americans decided to spank the ass in a bit - it would be disgraceful. Here are the Germans and pay- and refugees, and here also the base must be kept from the Russian threat.
      And the Germans are stubbornly exporting gold - for example, look what’s going on at the ash exchange
    27. +1
      29 January 2016 12: 39
      It is only here that our dollar bills are growing. And what are they provided with? Professionals must work in our Government and the Duma. Then there will be order in the economy.
      1. hartlend
        +3
        29 January 2016 13: 05
        Professionals work in the Government and the Duma. Only to another employer.
    28. hartlend
      0
      29 January 2016 13: 04
      Europe itself without pants. Soon they will fight only verbal threats.
    29. 0
      29 January 2016 14: 05
      If only the pendustan would have used this loot for the development of economies and the lives of the people of the states that they destroyed. Can it be that those watching over the planet Earth also have their eyes tightened with a film of dollars, why the heck are they.
    30. 0
      29 January 2016 14: 44
      Yes, what aggressors we are, we are quietly, peacefully trying to regain our former power and all.
      And even more so, we are not going to offend foreign boys, so don't let them worry so much.
      1. 0
        31 January 2016 14: 03
        With the Crimea and the Donbas, you flew by and large. Wait, Vovanu will not be twisted. For such cases, they fall under the international tribunal. Remember Hitler’s campaign in the Sudetenland? How it ended .... The situation in Russia is much more hopeless than that of Hitler in 1938 ....
        1. 0
          1 February 2016 05: 36
          Because of Crimea, now no one can dare anyone who, after this will of the people expressed their will, speak the language of sanctions with Russia.
    31. +1
      29 January 2016 15: 19
      Well, let the Europeans pay, the status of a vassal requires. We don’t really have to jerk after each statement or action of the USA, we have a good army, a huge stock of weapons of mass destruction, and reliable allies - Belarus and Azerbaijan, China and Kazakhstan
    32. +3
      29 January 2016 15: 38
      Cutting the world's largest defense budget by a couple of percent is as much a joy as
      "Hurray, the dollar fell from 80 rubles to 76", when it was 55
    33. 0
      29 January 2016 20: 17
      Their reasoning is devoid of any logic. They say that we are making DEFENSE our priority, and right there they are talking about Russian aggression. You already decide - we defend or attack? request
      1. 0
        1 February 2016 02: 20
        What about the Crimea or Donbas?
        1. 0
          1 February 2016 05: 49
          Are there a lot of Russian troops in the Donbass?
    34. 0
      29 January 2016 21: 06
      ha ha ...))) Guys, respect to the artist ...))) looked at the caricature, I barely read the article))) Not in the eyebrow, but in the eye ...
    35. 0
      30 January 2016 03: 33
      How to make money on fools.
      You create a problem so that the suckers pay for its solution.

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