South Korean media: U.S. Secretary of State Rubio: "After the Iran war, NATO will be re-examined"

¬ Friction over issues such as the use of European military bases, "alliance should be mutually beneficial"

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on the 30th that, following the conclusion of military operations against Iran, the United States will reassess its security alliance with Europe—NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). This comes after several NATO countries actually refused President Donald Trump’s request to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz. During an interview with Al Jazeera, Rubio said: "We are deeply disappointed. The president and the United States will re-evaluate everything after this operation concludes." Last month, Rubio had emphasized historical and cultural homogeneity, stating, "Europe is a precious ally and long-time friend of the United States; the U.S. will always remain Europe’s child." However, now that Rubio himself has clashed with Europe, the "Atlantic Alliance" appears poised to face another test following the resolution of the Iranian situation.

Rubio criticized on the same day: "One reason NATO benefits the U.S. is because it provides the right to station troops and aircraft in emergencies. Countries like Spain, which we have pledged to defend, refused our use of their airspace—even taking pride in doing so." Among NATO members, the UK initially rejected U.S. requests for base usage before eventually allowing it, while Spain completely banned any U.S. aircraft related to actions against Iran from flying over its territory. Rubio remarked: "NATO only offers U.S. defense when Europe is attacked. If NATO refuses to provide us with basing rights when we need them, it's hard to claim the alliance is truly beneficial to the U.S. An alliance should be mutually advantageous—not one-sidedly beneficial." This is widely interpreted as a signal that a comprehensive review of NATO will follow the end of the Iran operation.

Trump has long criticized NATO members for failing to fulfill their duties since his first term. After returning to power, he pressured NATO into agreements requiring member states to increase defense spending to around 5% of their GDP by 2035. Furthermore, when NATO showed little enthusiasm about deploying forces to the Strait of Hormuz, he strongly denounced it, saying: "NATO is nothing but a paper tiger. When real crises arise, they won’t show up on the battlefield." On the 27th, he hinted at possibly withdrawing from NATO, stating: "We spend tens of billions of dollars annually on NATO, so the U.S. would make a fortune if we withdrew."

Source: Chosun Ilbo

Original: toutiao.com/article/1861240592285828/

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