Leslie Parks’ Post

NATO defense spending is a hot topic of discussion these days. The US currently bears almost all of the costs of the military alliance. While NATO countries are required to spend 2% of their GDP on defense, not many meet this requirement. Germany, for example, spends almost 40% less. It's worth noting that NATO has 32 members, with Sweden being the latest addition to the alliance as of February 26, 2024. In 2020, the total military spending of all NATO members was more than 57% of the global amount. What are your thoughts on NATO defense spending? Share your opinions in the comments below. #NATO #defense #militaryspending

Diamond anniversaries are few and far between. Perhaps massive street closures aren’t the traditional gift, but it is one of the ancillary benefits of NATO celebrating its 75th anniversary just a mile from me. The headlines will talk about enduring stability and the commitment of various systems, specifically air defense. In contrast, those lining the beltway carefully ponder the ongoing and underlying question of maintaining these systems. Two weeks back, LANCE LANDRUM reminded the crowd of executives at Precision Talent Solutions' private event that even within NATO, subtle nuances within the various systems (at the time he was referring to 155mm artillery) make interoperability a challenge. For nearly 12 months, Precision has been supporting the efforts in Ukraine by supplying maintenance technicians for an effort repairing UK MOD provided equipment in Western Ukraine. We’ve been able to create strong pipelines of non-Americans with the technical skillsets needed to keep the UK’s military aid to Ukraine on the battlefield. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reminded NATO leaders today, “There are no cost-free options with an aggressive Russia as a neighbor; there are no risk free options in a war.” When the pipeline opens for US contractors, many vendors on the outside will be wondering where to find the talent. We know. Call us. #Ukraine #NATO #defensecontracting

Explainer: Why is Russia changing its language about the war? From Reuters: > The Kremlin said on Friday that what it has described for more than two years as its "special military operation" in Ukraine had "become a war" because of the involvement of the West. Here is a look at why Russia is changing its terminology. #straight2thepoint #effectivecommunication #qsystem ❤ Thanks for sharing! ⬇ Suggest a topic in the comments. 🔥 View my recent posts: https://lnkd.in/dF52Y48x

Explainer: Why is Russia changing its language about the war? From Reuters: > The Kremlin said on Friday that what it has described for more than two years as its "special military operation" in Ukraine had "become a war" because of the involvement of the West. Here is a look at why Russia is changing its terminology. #straight2thepoint #effectivecommunication #qsystem ❤ Thanks for sharing! ⬇ Suggest a topic in the comments. 🔥 View my recent posts: https://lnkd.in/dF52Y48x

“#Ukraine today, #Taiwan tomorrow” is now a commonly used phrase in Taiwan. CNA’s April A. Herlevi, along with Kevin Pollpeter and Tsun-Kai Tsai, examine how Taiwan is incorporating lessons from the #UkraineWar into multifaceted reform to turn the Taiwan military into a credible deterrent and warfighting force. https://lnkd.in/eAjBGg2U

🪖 What lessons can Europe learn from Seoul on spending defence budgets efficiently? In this article, Dr Bence Németh argues that South Korea and its military may offer some useful lessons for European NATO members. Explore it👇 https://ow.ly/lvcX50Sme24

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has shaken the foundations of European security. In response, NATO member states are taking decisive action, significantly bolstering defenses on the eastern flank. This reinforcement strategy has two key pillars: increased military spending and a revitalized European defense industry. #EuropeanUnion #NATO #military https://lnkd.in/d8vzBDRc

🔍 The conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues to escalate, prompting NATO and its European allies to rethink their defense strategies. From Germany's extensive military exercises to Poland's increased defense spending, the landscape of international security is rapidly changing. Explore our detailed analysis of these developments and their broader implications. #NATO #Russia #Geopolitics #InternationalSecurity https://lnkd.in/gC83Y96N

Excerpt from the below piece. “Nato is also ill placed to deal with other weaknesses. Europe’s defence industries are fragmented. Military procurement is constipated. Civilian safety and environmental rules hamper “military mobility”: moving troops and equipment around in a hurry, with all the disruption this brings. Russia also uses non-military weapons, such as disinformation, subversion, cyberattacks, bribery and blackmail. Hitting a country’s morale and its decision-makers can win the war before it starts.” This should be a wake up call, but it won’t be. Political and strategic systems have life expectancies. At 75 & minus the existential threat of the USSR, NATO lacks coherence. The U.S. lacks leadership ambitions it once had. As for the European component, well, the author of this piece is absolutely correct. My thanks to friend and colleague Pat Tyrrell for sending this piece! Depressingly thought provoking…

According to my opinion and expectations, the Israeli armed forces will raid the remnants of Hamas in Rafah, with or without the approval and blessing of America and President Biden, because Israel decided at the beginning of its military operations in the Gaza Strip to eliminate Hamas, destroy its military capabilities, and not provide equipment, missiles, and military equipment. By America it will not have a long-term negative impact. In the end, the American-Israeli alliance is farther and stronger than the problems currently existing between the Biden administration and the Netanyahu administration.