Persian Gulf Security: Improving Allied Military Contributions

Unless America's European allies shoulder more of the responsibility for defending common Western interests both within and outside Europe, NATO's future and American's continuing engagement in Europe could be jeopardized. The challenge facing the United States and its European allies is to forge a broader and more equal U.S.-European strategic partnership that calls for the European allies to participate in joint military operations outside Europe when common Western interests are threatened. Accordingly, this book addresses several key questions: Will America's European allies be able to muster the political will and military capabilities to project significant military force to help defend the Persian Gulf? How much military force can our European allies contribute today and in the future to Persian Gulf contingencies? Under what circumstances can the United States rely on allied force contributions? What are the implications of allied force contributions in the Persian Gulf for U.S. defense planning and force requirements? Can Europe become a more equal partner in defending common Western interests that go beyond peacekeeping and crisis management in Europe? In answering these questions, the authors lay out a practical and realistic blueprint for securing improved European force contributions to Persian Gulf security that appears well within the allies' political, financial, and military means.