NATO Secretary General outlines ethos of Smart Defence
Despite increasing military budgetary pressure in Russia and Asia, 20 NATO nations have cut their military budgets, speaking during an informal question and answer session at the Brussels Forum, hosted by the German Marshall Fund of the United States think-tank, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said.
“Indeed, between 2008 and 2011 some 20 NATO nations reduced their defence spending – against the trend in the rest of the world, with Russia and China both boosting military budgets dramatically. And this year, defence spending in Asia is set to outstrip Europe for the first time ever.”
Outlining the ethos of the Smart Defence programme, the secretary general said it would mean that nations pooled spending in order to "prioritise", "specialise" and "cooperate".