Originally Posted by
Irollmyface
I do not understand why both sides do not agree with having NATO members pay their 2%. Currently as it stands the US pays 3.5% of its GDP, which is a good amount of money. According to CNN, it is about $623 billion. All other members of NATO pay about $312 billion on defense together. Some quick math shows that, added together, all other members of NATO states pay approximately 1.43% of their GDP, with some being above 2% like Greece at 2.32% and UK at 2.14% and others way below, like Luxembourg at 0.44% and Belgium at 0.94%. Please note I used the extremes from both sides as my examples. With an increase in average of all NATO members to 2% we are looking at an increases of approximately $100 billion. This is a great way for the US tax payers to be able to reduce their portion of military spending down. In the big picture $100 billion is nothing to the US government. However we could use that money instead on better "social" programs, like improving our K-12 school system or improving roads. Will that actually happen? Probably not. The US would still probably spend the same amount or more on defense, but in theory this is a possibility.
My personal opinion is that some of these countries have better social programs then the US because they don't have to spend as much on defense, because of the US. They understand that if they are attacked the US will come to their assistance as required by being a member of NATO. I do NOT agree with pulling out of NATO, this is an alliance that is also good for trade, economy, freedom of movement, etc. I just want other countries to pull their fair share, so my country can spend our money on other things.