NATO declined to join US military campaign against Iran: Donald Trump

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump said Tuesday that most NATO allies have declined to join the US military operation against Iran, criticizing the alliance and asserting that Washington does not need foreign support.

"The United States has been informed by most of our NATO 'Allies' that they don't want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran," Trump said in a statement. Trump said he was not surprised by NATO members' response. "I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one-way street - We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need," he said.

He also claimed that US forces had significantly degraded Iran's military capability. "Fortunately, we have decimated Iran's Military - Their Navy is gone, their Air Force is gone, their Anti-Aircraft and Radar is gone, and perhaps, most importantly, their Leaders, at virtually every level, are gone," Trump said.

He said that because of those gains, allied support was no longer necessary. "Because we have had such Military Success, we no longer 'need,' or desire, the NATO Countries' assistance - WE NEVER DID!" he said.

Trump extended the same position to key US partners in Asia. "Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea," he said, adding: "WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!"

"What does surprise me is that they're not eager to help," Trump said. "There are some countries that greatly disappointed me."

Referring to Britain, Trump said: "When I hear the UK, which was sort of considered the Rolls Royce of allies," he had asked that "it would be really helpful if you'd send over a couple of ships and if you have some minesweepers, which they do, be very helpful."

Trump said later offers of support did not carry weight. "I said, I don't want them anymore. I don't want them after we win, I want them before we start. I don't need your aircraft carriers after we've already won."

He also linked the issue to long-standing US troop deployments abroad. "We have 45,000 troops in Japan. We have 45,000 troops in South Korea. We have 45,000, 50,000 troops in Germany," he said. "We defend all these countries." (IANS)

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