lit 18 no basis yet to relax our defense efforts is no basis yet to - PDF document

tJf\\~I+11 ~. ~;oice n--l~ ~(' A·,~ qJ~ ~~,') ~: t'1~'" PrtM.I\·~- w~ ~ ~assistin~ Euro~e ~~~~ preve~~~{lib~t-:t ~ ~ givin:t-t.:~a , / ('1 ,,/1 IJft t::/ VV' ~.~r I j TALKING POINTS FOR BRIEF PRESENTATION ON NATO'~ TALKING POThS FOR BRIKF1 PRESEI'ITATION ON NATO I. NATO and US Interests in Europe I. NATO and US Interests in Europe V I S, vS. A) A) 8 membership in NATO has served and continues to membership in NATO has served and continues to serve basic US f'orei,.gp.policy and security interests by: serve basic US foreign, policy and security interests by: Western Europe G !d~ -t ~ I 4; .!'en o -----:) i fi.. preventingt Soviet Western Europe I t - ---- .. -.-~- . J ( ;1 rf j 4 A b) providing a firm basis on which the A]Ii.es can nego- "\ 1\'\ H( L 5'", I! .. ::~~~::'.,,:~~~?~~.,J:n t late to reduce tensions in Europe t ia te .~?~ Europe ; Q \ (, ) t c) e) creating conditions of' stability essential for creating conditions of stability essential for prosperity and economic growth of both the Uni ted prosperity and economic growth of both the United states and Western States and Western Europe d) d) a more prosperous Western Europe in assuming a more prosperous Western Europe in assiim*ng a larger share of the defense ef'fort, a process which is a larger share of the defense effort, a process which is underway and which will be continued underway and which will be continued ' -tk e) e) giving a in European affairs which is voice in European affairs which is essential f'or the maintenance of' US interests in Europe essential for the maintenance of US interests in Europe js adds up to peace in Europe, NATO's major B) B) .MIt' r;;s adds uP to peace in Europe, NATO' s major accom- accoin- plishment during the last'\25 plishment during the las~~;-~s] ears/ and the protection of the and the protection of the .... k i m interests in Europe ",q,I .. J-- i't"k... tE Interests in Europe ge,",,<- I' kv f<! J .~ (), t- (' J i1f" {j ( "". 1',>;/ .~~ ·C.,,:( 1 ',I I IU c- N Pt i) ,. .. -.. 1;o,

~ -~~b ~~ ~;t 2 2 NATO and the US Commitment II. II. NATO and the US Commitment The President has said publicly that "given a similar The President has said publicly that "given a similar approach by our Allies,the US will maintain and improve its approach by our Allies, the US will maintain and improve its - "";.!- r-e tk-<t · <:"~ /ftft/t :forces in Europe. " forces in Europe." NATO and the USSR NATO and the USSR III. III. A) Soviet mmlitary strängth in Eastern Europe continues to Soviet thlitary str&igth in Eastern Europe continues to grow, B) As a result cf its ~ strang military position, the As a result of Its ir strong military position, the Soviet Union is in a position to exercise political influence Soviet Union is in a position to exercise political influence in Western Europe should points of opportunity develop as a result in Western Europe should points of opportunity develop as a result of actions such as the unilateral reduction of US forces. of actions such as the unilateral reduction of US forces ,. C) NATO, with the US conventional and nucl.ear contribution, NATO, with the US conventional and nuclear contribution, has served to prevent the Soviets from exercising political't. has served to prevent the Soviets from exercising pali tical 1]r ",:.{ r influence in Western Europe influence in Western Europe IV NATO and Detente NATO and Deten te IV. A) NATO provides the basis cf strength on which the Allies, A) NATO provides the basis of strength on which the Allies, collectively and individually, can negotiate with the East collectively and individually, can negotiate with the East

tl~\~\ 8!!8I.p~, ~'''e,A..- (l,~'" ,~ 3 B) .. Willy Brandt has repeatedly said that Willy Brandt has repeatedly said that the Ostpolitik would have been impossible without the FRG's the Ostpolitik would have been impossible without the FRG's position in NATO position in NATO c) We are on the verge cf major negotiations with the East, We are on the verge of major negotiations with the East, il -r-." 1l . lu..! v"4/l",, - 1(+ (~ lAA .IJ LIJ iii ,1J\ U r I~ I, L- I SALT II, CSCE and MBFR SALT II, CSCE and MB -- - rvuh' I . ., I' P'V • - wwLT J..., ¿, A-IIII\'"( fICIOr!,'r±: --- ~ .. ~. 1"'-.1- .... \ ~o -, _ e: ;:. '. - Ir. D) But the proces of detente is just beginning and there But the proces of detente is jus ginning and there lit 18 no basis yet to relax our defense efforts is no basis yet to relax our defense efforts ,PN 1e 1- v. NATO and Western Prosperity NATO and Western Prosperity V. A) US presence helps to overcome the European tendency toward US presence helps to overcome the European tendency toward political/security conflicts which contributed so much to political/security conflicts which contributed so much to European economic chaos in the 20's and 30's and the rise cf European economïc chaos in the 20's and 30's and the rise of Ritler and coming of war in the 40's Hitler and coming of war in the )4Q' B) The security and stability provided by NATO have been The security and stability provided by NATO have been essential to post-war prosperity essential to post-war prosperity .. _. .. -------------._--_.~ c) All All ~ have benefited from this presperity, and the .have benefited from this prosperity, and the maintenance· cf pelitical security is essential for the continuation maintenance of political security is essential for the continuation of this prosperity of this prosperity D) Were the US to give the impression of declining interest Were the US to give the impression cf' declin1ng interest

~:( ~~. ,~ ""-"''''~- ~ $~ ~ 4 in Western Europe, for example by withdrawing unilaterally in Western Europe, for example by withdrawing unilaterally same of our troops, this would seriously impair tbe confidence some of our troops, this would seriously impair the confidence on which our mutual security and prosperity 1s built on which our mutual security and prosperity is built VI. NATO and European Defense Efforts VI. NATO and European Defense Efforts ßvt- '3 A) A) QiW European Allies make the basic quantitative con- Q European Allies make the basic quantitative con- tribution to NATO's conventional defense posture, providing 90% tribution to NATO's conventional defense posture, providing 90% of the men, 80% of the ships, and 75% of the aircraft in Western of the men, 80% of the ships, and 75% of the aircraft in Western u. J) - Europe (r(f:'- y .~. Europe B) In real terms, Western European defense expenditures have B) In real terms, Western European defense expenditures have been rising 3-4% per year, and, inc1uding France, devoted tilI8los'h "NU' been rising 3_i.% per year, and, including France, devoted ) f no-3-t -' J ;.:;....e.J v}' '. to their defense to their def'ense in 1972 n 1972 - ...... v h t:' I ~ - t: A<.A.r" e) ~~ · 11&' ~~ -.' ~t Y 1'( )J ~ ~ 2).:J /I_~~J" A s-1 Dca Allles-p7Z;;i'de 56 ;;·:f~--~JÄ.S;i.on,~ ahe .,"iQQ_ D) However, the US conventional contribution 18 an essential However, the US conventional contribution is an essential element of Western defense, for instance providing 25% of forces element of Western defense, for instance providing 25% of forces in the key central area in the key central area E) The US contribution in terms cf quality cannot be replaced The US contribution in terms of quality cannot be replaced F) We bave pressed, with considerable success, for greater We have pressed, with considerable success, for greater

,~ {$'(~ ~~.~. ~ ~,. 5 5 Allied contributions, and we will continue to da so Allïed contributions, and we will continue to do so G) However, the sure wa:y not to obtain more fram our However, the sure way not to obtain more froni our Al1ies would be to cut back ourselves Allies would be to cut back ourselves H) Together with our Allies, we are currently engaged in a Together with our Allies, we are currently engaged in a reexamination of the Atlantic Allance in terms of contemporary reexamination of the Atlantic Allance in terms of contemporary ., conditions ---. conditions I) We believe this reexamination will result in a more We believe this reexamination will result in a more equitable sharing of the defense burden equitable sharing of the defense burden VII. NATO and the US Balance of' Payments Balance of Paents NATO and the t I. , A) Our NATO commitment does result in a BOP military account Our NATO commitment does result in a BOP military account \0 lass -- about $1.5 billion in 1972 Loss -- about $1.5 billion in 1972 ---jt B) We are working with our Allies on ways to overcome this We are working with our Allies on ways to overcome this deficit deficit c) Our troops are in Europe in response to security considerations Our troops are in Europe in response to security considerations .. ( gp '*v i 1~ - , ., D);tThe y should not now be cut in response to BOP considerations D)4 They should not now be cut in response to BOP considerations VIII. NATO and US Troops NATO and US Troops VIII. us troops, and the US nuclear cammitment, are the cement which A) A) liB troops, and the US nuclear canrnitment, are the cement which keeps NATO together keeps NATO together