Why don Americas allies just pick up more of the burden?
They should. And if they do, the United States could safely adjust the 4 percent figure downward. But that day is not yet on the horizon. The U.S. should not let the remote possibility that its allies will suddenly start pulling their weight be an excuse for continuing to underfund the needs of its own military. In fact, decisions by the United States to reduce funding for its military make it all the more likely that the allies of the United States will undertake another round of defense funding reductions. As the current Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Representative Ike Skelton (D-MO), has aptly stated, “To depend on allies to carry out our strategy is the height of folly.” In terms of meeting the overall military needs of the free world, the United States will have to lead by example. • How can the U.S. military possibly need more money when it already spends more today than during World War II? Actually, as a percentage of GDP, America today spends a small fraction
