McConnell warns US giving up army command of NATO would weaken alliance

Former Senate Republican Chief Mitch McConnell (Ky.) warned on Thursday that the Trump administration would considerably weaken NATO if the US have been to surrender army management of the alliance for the primary time in its 75-year historical past.

“Weakening American leadership won’t strengthen NATO or U.S. interests. If we’re serious about encouraging more capable European allies, retreating from our position as the leader of the trans-Atlantic alliance would be an odd way to show it,” McConnell mentioned in a press release Thursday afternoon.

He issued the remarks after NBC Information reported that the Pentagon is taking a look at restructuring the nation’s combatant instructions and is finding out a proposal for the US to surrender its long-held position as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe.  

McConnell warned at a press convention in Kentucky earlier this week that Russia and its allies, together with China, proceed to pose a severe threat to U.S. pursuits.

“What we want to avoid here is a headline that says ‘Russia Wins and America Loses,’” McConnell instructed native reporters on the identical day President Trump had a prolonged telephone name with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He referred to as on Congress to extend protection spending and for the US to extend its dedication to NATO.

“A way of looking at this worldwide competition at this particular juncture in our history: It’s the authoritarians versus the democrats,” he mentioned. “Obviously, the Democrats need to be more aggressive. That includes increasing NATO spending more.”

Senate Armed Providers Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Home Armed Providers Committee Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) additionally pushed again on the likelihood that the US may quit army command of NATO.

“We are very concerned about reports that claim [the Defense Department] is considering unilateral changes on major strategic issues, including significant reductions to U.S. forces stationed abroad, absent coordination with the White House and Congress,” they mentioned in a joint assertion.

Whereas the GOP chairs mentioned they assist Trump’s efforts to prod European allies to extend their protection spending, they warned that Congress have to be part of any main adjustments to combatant instructions.

“We will not accept significant changes to our warfighting structure that are made without a rigorous interagency process, coordination with combatant commanders and the Joint Staff, and collaboration with Congress,” they warned.