For years, President Trump has berated European allies for underspending on defense, hinted at pulling support for NATO and branded reluctant partners as cowards. Operation Epic Fury has now provided a live demonstration of exactly what America would lose if it followed through.
The sprawling U.S. campaign against Iran relies on a network of approximately 40 military bases and 80,000 service personnel spread across the continent, "Hvylya" reports, citing an analysis by The Wall Street Journal.
In recent weeks, U.S. bombers, drones and ships have been fueled, armed and launched via bases in the U.K., Germany, Portugal, Italy, France and Greece. Attack drones are directed from Ramstein in Germany. B-1 bombers load munitions at RAF Fairford in England. The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, is docked at a naval base in Crete for repairs after suffering fire damage. Spy planes fly from Souda Bay in Greece to gather signals intelligence over Iran.
Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO's top military commander, laid out the logic in Senate testimony. "The distances are shorter, it's less expensive, and it's much easier to project power with our network of bases and allies," he said.
Retired Maj. Gen. Gordon B. Davis, a former director of operations at U.S. European Command, has made a similar case, noting that Europe's position at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia makes it "ideal for rapid deployment in all directions."
Bence Nemeth, a defense expert at King's College London, said any action to sever those ties "would be a huge loss to the U.S." and would "cost time, money and resources."
Also read: Cambridge Scholar Warns Against Abandoning NATO's 70-Year Division of Labor.