Rethinking European defense policy - - by Daniel Rackowski
While the defense expenditures of EU member states collectively match more than half the US expenditure (3.7 percent of its GDP), for defense, it does not even come close to reaching 50 percent of America's military capabilities. Less than 5 percent of the armed services in Europe are currently deployed abroad, and vast deficiencies in military gear and training suggest no chance for an increase. There is a dire need for UAVs, helicopters and special forces, to name but a few areas where Europe's armies suffer from significant shortcomings. And the Atlantic gap is widening. The US increases spending in strategic areas such as research and development by about 9 percent each year, compared to a meager 1.5 percent in Europe. The EU will clearly have to spend more, but it will also have to spend more wisely.
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