ZAP // Remko de Waal / EPA; Vect
The summit that took place in The Hague this week ended with the commitment of NATO members to spend 5% of GDP on defense investments – more than twice the current goal of 2%. It was a great and beautiful Pyrro victory for Trump.
NATO leaders confirmed their commitment to more than duplicate spending in defense until 2035, using in its final statements words as “Quantum Jump”, “crucial” and “momentum”.
The US President, Donald Trumpwhich had long appealed to the allies to set a goal of 5% of GDP, proclaimed Another great victorynoting that “more than one billion of dollars a year will now spend on defense for Europe and Canada. ”
It is not clear if, packed by Narcissus and the recent, Trump He really thinks “Europe will pay the big one” -or if the US president realized that It was wrapped up by European leadersand its proclamation of great and beautiful victory is only for domestic consumption.
The allies, almost allthey effectively committed to spending 5% of GDP in defense; but only 3.5% will be applied to essential expenses to buy military equipment and maintain troops.
The remaining 1.5% will actually be spent on Related investments with defense – which was given the name of “Double Purpose Investments” – which can be applied in military mobilitycybersecurity, military and civil cooperation and resilience in critical infrastructures.
On Monday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paulo RangelI had already guaranteed that Portugal will fulfill the “two steps” the commitment to reach 5% of spending in defense.
“Obviously there are two steps hereone stage is the stage of 2% of GDP, where Portugal was not yet at the level that is required for NATO countries, ”said the head of Portuguese diplomacy.
“In addition, we have this 5%proposal, but, as is known, Secretary-General Mark Rutte, divided this into 3.5%which will be investment in defense in the most classic and traditional sense of the term, and then 1.5% in infrastructure”He specified.
“This means roads, ports, airportsmany of which are infrastructures, in the background, double usethat is, critical structures for each state, but at a time when the risks are higher, states must be prepared for other eventualities, ”concluded Rangel.
That is, with a little way, the government will be able to enroll in the state budget as “investments in defense”, among others, the funds applied in the fight against cybercrime, in construction of new roads or improvement of existing, and in revitalization of ports or airports.
With a little way, it may also be possible replace SIRESP by an effective emergency communications system that allows us to survive blackouts and ensure that we are ready to “cooperate military and civillyWith our allies.
With a slightly larger way, so many can still justify that in a possible military conflict It is essential to be able to mobilize troops in a TGV – and inscribe the investments necessary for its construction in the defense heading.
And with great way, The new airport is still builtwherever it is, with “defense investments”. After all, it may be helpful to have one more available base if one day is necessary to supply bombers on their way to a visit to Moscow.
In truth, If we join imagination to the wayany kind of investments in infrastructure, equipment or services can be justified as “defense spending”.
Like this, If your governments have that wayPortugal and the other NATO countries won’t have difficulty In meeting the 1.5% of GDP to use in “double purpose investments” – and ensuring that Donald Trump can continue to tell his viewers the great and beautiful victory he brought from Europe.
It remains to be known to what extent can it be “Handle” in 3.5% that will have to be spent in defense “in the most classic and traditional sense of the term”. After all, imagination was something that never lacked us.
But even if there is no mystification that saves the 3.5% to apply to “weapons”, there is a look that perhaps Donald Trump did not realize: after successive threats that he would remove the US from NATO and the commercial wars it opened, Europe woke up.
Recent statements by the president of the European Commission, and the chancellor, made it clear that the Europe still knows how to swim -And it will rear massively with an investment of over 800 billion euros in your own military industry.
Thus, such 3.5% will probably be spent on “even weapons” acquired from Dassault Aviation, KNDS Germanyand to other European companies. Donald Trump may have had a great and beautiful Pyrro victory.
And with a little way, the Arsenal do Alfeite is still revitalized.
