Washington, United States. An internal Pentagon email outlines options for the United States to punish NATO allies it believes failed to support U.S. operations in the war with Iran, including suspending Spain from the alliance and reviewing the U.S. position on Britain’s claim to the Falkland Islands, a U.S. official told Reuters.
Email outlines policy options
The policy options are detailed in a note prepared by Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s top policy adviser, who expressed frustration at some allies’ perceived reluctance or refusal to grant the United States access, basing and overflight rights, known as ABO, for the Iran war, the official said.
Colby wrote that ABO is “just the absolute baseline for NATO,” according to the official, who added that the options were circulating at high levels in the Pentagon.
Possible measures within NATO
One option in the email envisions suspending “difficult” countries from important or prestigious positions at NATO, the official said.
Trump criticism and NATO membership questions
President Donald Trump has harshly criticized NATO allies for not sending their navies to help open the Strait of Hormuz, which was closed to global shipping following the start of the air war on February 28.
Trump has also declared he is considering withdrawing from the alliance. In an April 1 interview, he told Reuters, “Wouldn’t you if you were me?” when asked whether U.S. withdrawal from NATO was a possibility.
Email does not propose withdrawal or base closures
The email does not suggest the United States withdraw from NATO, the official said, and it does not propose closing bases in Europe.
The official declined to say whether the options included a widely expected U.S. drawdown of some forces from Europe.
Pentagon response
Asked for comment on the email, Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said: “As President Trump has said, despite everything that the United States has done for our NATO allies, they were not there for us.”
What do you think the email’s options could mean for future U.S. relations with NATO allies?
