NATO Spending 7-25-24

In 2024, NATO spent $1.47T. 

Finding out how much money the US gives to NATO is not easy. It is over 2% of US GDP and is probably 4%. NATO bases their membership dues on GDP and asks for 2% of GDP. 23 of 32 NATO country members now give 2% of GDP to NATO.  Nominal US GDP is being reported at 27.36T and 4% of that is $109.44B. In addition, the US has been reported to have given $175B in military aid directly to Ukraine since the invasion in 2022 to May 2024. That sounds low. If the US paid 2%, it would be about $50B per year. If the US paid 4%, it would be about $100B per year.

In 2024, the United States spent an estimated $967.7 billion U.S. dollars on defense. This makes their defense budget, by far, the biggest out of all the NATO members. Germany was the country with the second-highest defense expenditure at 97.7 billion U.S. Dollars, with the UK following in third.

The US maintains a Military presence all over the world. This includes a small number assigned to US Embassies. Larger numbers are in 750 Military bases in 80 countries. The largest military presence in Europe is in Stuttgart Germany. I went to Stuttgart in 1993 to visit a law firm to set up a subsidiary in Achen. It has been the US military vacation destination for decades. Elvis was there. They provide logistics support when needed.

US Military Personnel in Europe

Germany 35068

Italy 12375

UK 10.058

Spain 3292

Turkey 1690

Norway 1438

Belgium 1106

Netherlands 418

Greece 402

Poland 299

Portugal 247

Romania 139

Hungary 84

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1294271/us-troops-europe-country/

Our best Military assets include Special Ops and Navy Seals. They wiped out the ISIS Terror organization in Syria in 2019 with logistics and intelligence support.

Logistics support to supply gasoline for tanks was inadequate in World War II and that has been over-corrected. Our best military investments are in the continual improvement of weaponry supplied by US defense companies. I got to do consulting work and recruited engineers with defense experience for Rockwell Missile Systems and for Boeing after its acquisition of Rockwell Missile Systems.

The criticism of US DOD spending is valid. The DOD needs to change its name to the Department of Military Foreign Aid. Calling it the Department of Defense suggests that the DOD would protect our borders from invasion.

I am amazed that the US Navy and Airforce haven’t obliterated the missile sites used by Islamic Terror groups in Yemen Gaza and Lebanon. I predict that if Republicans are elected to take over the Whitehouse, House and Senate, Trump will stop the wars.

We are still paying for the GI Bill.  Benefits for Veterans are expensive but are now expected. The best way to pay for Medical School is to apply for aid from the US Military. If you sign up for 4 years of Military service after graduation, they will pay your tuition. When you graduate from medical school, you will be a Captain and will work as a Doctor and receive training as a specialist.  You can apply for tuition aid to get a PhD if you are an officer in the US military. If you are smart enough to qualify, you can be trained to operate sophisticated electronic equipment and get a Associates Degree as a Technician. Being in the US Military in peace time is better than being in the US Military when we are conducting wars.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader