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Britain Pledges to Hit NATO Military Spending Target Britain Pledges to Hit NATO Military Spending Target
(about 1 hour later)
LONDON — After months of pressure from the United States, Britain committed on Wednesday to meeting NATO’s military spending target for the rest of the decade, as the government outlined broader plans to smooth the path toward healthy public finances.LONDON — After months of pressure from the United States, Britain committed on Wednesday to meeting NATO’s military spending target for the rest of the decade, as the government outlined broader plans to smooth the path toward healthy public finances.
The announcement follows protracted discussions within the British government, and criticism from outside it, that Britain is retreating from its global role at a time of growing security challenges.The announcement follows protracted discussions within the British government, and criticism from outside it, that Britain is retreating from its global role at a time of growing security challenges.
Although Britain now exceeds NATO’s target figure for military expenditure of 2 percent of gross domestic product, experts had predicted that it would fall below the threshold because of government spending cuts. But in a budget statement on Wednesday, George Osborne, the chancellor of the Exchequer, made a surprise promise to hit the NATO figure “not just this year, but every year of this decade.”Although Britain now exceeds NATO’s target figure for military expenditure of 2 percent of gross domestic product, experts had predicted that it would fall below the threshold because of government spending cuts. But in a budget statement on Wednesday, George Osborne, the chancellor of the Exchequer, made a surprise promise to hit the NATO figure “not just this year, but every year of this decade.”
“We will ensure that this commitment is properly measured,” Mr. Osborne told lawmakers, “because we know that while those commitments don’t come cheap, the alternatives are far more costly.”“We will ensure that this commitment is properly measured,” Mr. Osborne told lawmakers, “because we know that while those commitments don’t come cheap, the alternatives are far more costly.”
Mr. Osborne’s pledge was welcomed by the American ambassador to London, Matthew Barzun, who wrote on Twitter that it proved “the indispensability of the U.K. to global security.”Mr. Osborne’s pledge was welcomed by the American ambassador to London, Matthew Barzun, who wrote on Twitter that it proved “the indispensability of the U.K. to global security.”
President Obama has raised the issue of the NATO spending target with Prime Minister David Cameron in private, and a public expression of concern about declining military spending in Britain was made by Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the United States Army chief of staff.President Obama has raised the issue of the NATO spending target with Prime Minister David Cameron in private, and a public expression of concern about declining military spending in Britain was made by Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the United States Army chief of staff.
Along with France, Britain remains one of two European nations with a significant military capability and one of just a handful of NATO countries that meet the alliance’s spending expectations. But the British government has been stung by assertions that its global influence is receding. That impression has been fostered by years of cuts in military spending; a parliamentary vote in 2013 against airstrikes in Syria; and the discussion, before a referendum that is to be held by the end of 2017, on whether to leave the European Union. Along with France, Britain remains one of two European nations with a significant military capability and one of just a handful of NATO countries that meet the alliance’s spending expectations. But the British government has been stung by assertions that its global influence is receding. That impression has been fostered by years of cuts in military spending, a parliamentary vote in 2013 against airstrikes in Syria, and the discussion, before a referendum that is to be held by the end of 2017, on whether to leave the European Union.
As Britain has battled to restore its public finances after the crash in 2008, military spending has been hit hard and the British Army plans to reduce the number of professional troops by about 20 percent by 2020, to about 82,000. There has been a debate about whether Britain can afford its submarine-based nuclear deterrent, although the government is committed to keeping and updating it. As Britain has battled to restore its public finances after the crash in 2008, military spending has been hit hard, and the British Army plans to reduce the number of professional troops by about 20 percent by 2020, to about 82,000. There has been a debate about whether Britain can afford its submarine-based nuclear deterrent, although the government is committed to keeping and updating it.
Last month, Britain’s defense secretary, Michael Fallon, said that the British were “the good guys,” adding that seven of the 28 NATO nations “don’t even spend 1 percent; 20 of the 28 don’t spend 1.5 percent.”Last month, Britain’s defense secretary, Michael Fallon, said that the British were “the good guys,” adding that seven of the 28 NATO nations “don’t even spend 1 percent; 20 of the 28 don’t spend 1.5 percent.”
Yet until Wednesday, British ministers refused to promise that their country would continue to hit the NATO target, arguing that they first needed to conduct a wide-ranging military review.Yet until Wednesday, British ministers refused to promise that their country would continue to hit the NATO target, arguing that they first needed to conduct a wide-ranging military review.
Over all, the financial plans outlined on Wednesday should deliver a budget surplus by 2019-20, a year later than originally expected. While deep cuts in public spending loom, Mr. Osborne said that no year would see reductions as sharp as during the period of 2011 to 2013. Over all, the financial plans outlined on Wednesday should deliver a budget surplus by 2019-20, a year later than originally expected. While deep cuts in public spending loom, Mr. Osborne said that in no year would reductions be as sharp as during the period from 2011 to 2013.
Though Mr. Osborne has been chancellor of the Exchequer since 2010, his first five years in power were as part of a coalition government in which his center-right Conservative Party was constrained by a smaller, centrist political grouping.Though Mr. Osborne has been chancellor of the Exchequer since 2010, his first five years in power were as part of a coalition government in which his center-right Conservative Party was constrained by a smaller, centrist political grouping.
That made Mr. Osborne’s budget statement to Parliament on Wednesday the first from a Conservative majority government since 1996. Mr. Osborne also announced cuts in welfare payments and a reduction in the tax paid by corporations on their profits.That made Mr. Osborne’s budget statement to Parliament on Wednesday the first from a Conservative majority government since 1996. Mr. Osborne also announced cuts in welfare payments and a reduction in the tax paid by corporations on their profits.
His plans would, he said, create a “higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare country,” and deliver “security to the people of Britain.” His plans would, he said, create a “higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare country” and deliver “security to the people of Britain.”