Quote Originally Posted by Husar View Post
What does contributing to NATO mean exactly?

I have a feeling that many here think it is and should be a defensive alliance and everything will be fine.
If the idea is to make countries spend more to be of more help in offensive wars started by the US, then quite a few people here might think about voluntarily leaving NATO, some actually already do.
In the case of Germany it means a 100,000 man army and your tanks in the former Eastern Bloc nations to act as a shield against Russian aggression - not in Germany being mothballed while your soldiers get fat.

In the case of the UK it should probably mean ordering enough Frigates and Destroyers to protect our new CVA's and committing to having a proper air-wing onboard, which means a minimum of 24 jets during peacetime. It should have also meant fitting cats and traps and buying F-18's.

Again, lack of political will.

Quote Originally Posted by Hooahguy View Post
Thats why Article 5 (an attack on one is an attack on all) was not invoked for Iraq since it was an offensive war. It was invoked for the only time ever after the 9/11 attacks. Then the alliance went into Afghanistan, where half of the current NATO force is European (other half is American). Call it an offensive war if you want, but within the NATO treaty it is explicitly stated that if Article 5 is called, allies can respond how they want. Which is why some allies sent a token force to Afghanistan and some went as far as sending tanks. Its up to the political will of the government. Which is why Germany didnt contribute to the Libyan air campaign. That being said, if you are under protection of not just Article 5 but also the nuclear umbrella of NATO, some contribution is expected, at the very least in joint readiness exercises and local operations. For example, NATO just launched Operation Sea Guardian to help combat human trafficking in the Aegean and Greece begrudgingly sent a submarine. One would expect an eagerness to contribute to an operation that pertains so much to a local situation but the political will doesnt seem to be there.
To be fair Greece doesn't have enough in the bank to be able to rub two Drachma together.