Tactical Nuclear Weapons and NATO.pdf - Program on Strategic ...

By the end of the Cold War, in 1991, defense expenditures
in European countries represented almost 34
percent of <strong>NATO</strong>’s total, with the United States <strong>and</strong>
Canada covering the remaining 66 percent. Since then,
the share of <strong>NATO</strong>’s security burden shouldered by
European countries has fallen to 21 percent. 11
In the U.S. Congress, the budget knives are out,
<strong>and</strong> the failure of U.S. European allies to demonstrate
a willingness to shoulder their fair share will in all
likelihood make it even more challenging to keep U.S.
weapons <strong>and</strong> forces in Europe.
Conventional Forces Continue to Shrink.
For those who argue that the nuclear deterrence
posture of the Alliance as anchored by U.S. nuclear
weapons in Europe can be replaced with an overwhelming
deterrent posture anchored on a strong U.S.
conventional force presence, the news from Europe is
troubling. In May 2010, the United States withdrew
the last Army division from Europe <strong>and</strong> announced
that one <strong>and</strong> probably two infantry brigade combat
teams (IBCT) will also be withdrawn. Under current
defense cuts already proposed, another IBCT is likely
to be withdrawn next year. U.S. forces in Europe remained
well over 200,000 until the early 1990s. Under
current plans, European-based troops will be reduced
from 42,000 today to 37,000 by 2015, with the numbers
likely to be reduced well below the current 2015 target
figure. 12
383