As Allies Grapple With Trump’s NATO Insults, Europe Pleads for Caution in Afghanistan by James Marson and Jessica Donati – Wall Street Journal
European governments, stung by President Trump’s barbs against NATO and sudden ordering of a military pullout from Syria, are urging the U.S. to coordinate with them on plans to reduce forces in Afghanistan and avoid a unilateral withdrawal.
European allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization also worry that plans to put an end to the 18-year conflict could further undermine the alliance as it grapples with Mr. Trump’s expressions of doubt about its relevance.
U.S. and Afghan officials privately say that the status of NATO troops in Afghanistan will depend on Washington because allies are unlikely to stay if U.S. withdraws. The U.S. is planning an exit as part of a deal with the Taliban, which wants U.S. troops out of Afghanistan.
“It took us a lot of work to persuade our population that our security will be defended” by sending troops to Afghanistan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday. “I don’t want to find that one day we are standing there and have to simply leave since our capacities are so interlinked.”
The situation in Afghanistan is especially important to NATO because the conflict there marked the first and only invocation of Article 5 of the alliance’s founding treaty, which says that an attack on one member is an attack on all.
Europeans were stunned by word of Washington unilaterally withdrawing from Afghanistan because NATO officials are trying to solidify the alliance in the face of Mr. Trump’s broadsides over allies’ weak military. European governments have increased defense expenditures and Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan reassured alliance defense ministers last week of U.S. commitment to the alliance…