NATO Agrees Steps To Fill Yawning Budget Gap
Written by Web Master Tuesday, 09 February 2010 08:35
ISTANBUL: NATO defense ministers have agreed a package of measures to fill a gaping budget shortfall of hundreds of millions of euros, alliance Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced Feb. 5.
"Ministers have agreed a package of measures to ensure that our soldiers get the support they need in the field, and that we can make the other strategic investments we still need," he said at talks in Istanbul, Turkey.
"Solidarity in NATO means on the front line, but it also includes on the bottom line," he told the ministers.
A NATO official said the budget hole would amount to around 640 million euros ($878 million) this year in the alliance's investment budget. A separate budget funding military operations is unlikely to be greatly effected.
To address the problem, the ministers agreed to inject fresh money into the investment budget this year, to reform the budgetary system and to "make savings", she said, without providing details.
They also agreed to invest in operations and future strategic priorities.
Prior to the talks, a senior U.S. official urged the 28 NATO allies to invest more in missile defense and common projects, like heavy lift helicopters, medial facilities and technology to counter improvised bombs.
....
"If you have a choice between not doing something, because you can't afford it, or paying a little and doing it collectively, it makes more sense, particularly in a time of dwindling resources," he told reporters.
A NATO official said U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the ministers here that "NATO is still using Cold War-era structures, the military structure is too heavy and has to be streamlined."
Quote this article on your site
To create link towards this article on your website,
copy and paste the text below in your page.
Preview :
Today's Exclusive
| McChrystal to Afghans: We are your new warlords! 26/02/2010 | kazi mahmood In a pitiful 'fake' apology by U.S. General McChrystal to the Afghan people over the mass killing of civilians in the Marjah operations, the message from the U.S. was clear: We are your new 'War Lords [ ... ] |
Reject All Wars - Only way to help the needy 25/02/2010 | kazi mahmood A juicy press release by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs released a report in which it calls for the U.S. to 'engage' religious groups across the world. Well, I say to the Council and to the U.S [ ... ] | Other Articles
| ||
News Categories
Oil and Gas Conference
Editorial
Young Writer
Widescreen ...Garmin
Best Price $178.00
or Buy New $178.00
Privacy Information
Banner Advertisement
Who's Online
Global News
Witsa
IceCarousel
Video: Fresh rounds of bombing in Iraq
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aotVJte1VWc
Fresh rounds of bombing in Iraq tells the war is not over and the situation is still chaotic after the bloody US-British illegal invasion of 2003.
Watch Nano-Air-Vehicle to be used as weapons
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cov7-XWUa18&feature=player_embedded
AeroVironment video showing progress with testing of a tiny flapping-wing "nano air vehicle" (NAV) designed to fly indoors. This will be used as a weapon - (Read More Below)
Video of Indigenous Americans before Columbus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBD6npHyO3g&feature=player_embedded#
Artistic view of the life of Americans before the arrival of the 'conquistadors'. A very beautifully done video.
Video - Lies of US army recruiters exposed: Antiwar.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH7brvWRPWo&feature=player_embedded
Jonathan Williams, coordinator of the Student Peace Action Network, discusses his anti-recruitment presentations that focus on educating kids on the realities of and alternatives to military service, the Army Experience Center (AEC) near Philadelphia that uses military props and video games to recruit and why new benefits in the revised GI Bill should not be counted on.
Video: How US Spins 911 To Attack Islam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mAQVQtLSK8&feature=player_embedded#
Millions of people believe that evidence proves that Western intelligence services organised the hideous attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September 2001. Even the mainstream media have stopped defending the official version and now prefer to ignore the issue altogether. (Read the full story below)
Obama's New Doctrine: Detention Without Trial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1VWYb4HLH8
A must watch video where Rachel Maddow blasts Obama for his double language and for blisteringly telling the world that the U.S. will pre-empt justice by detaining people for crimes they 'may' commit in the future!
Video: Russell Tribunal On Palestine Message
The Russell Tribunal on Palestine National support committees and Organising committee recently met in Paris for a meeting preparing the first session of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine in Barcelona (March 2010). This is what they had to say after the meeting.
Palestinians battle Israeli wall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx6BGZF5AlE&feature=youtube_gdata
Palestinians and Israeli dissenters are getting together to fight Israel's plan to build another section of the separation wall in the occupied West Bank.
Viva Palestina Convoy Reaches Jordan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7d1p6s2PBo
The Viva Palestina Convoy departed for Gaza from London on December 6: http://vivapalestina.org - Get News & Track the Convoy here: http://readingpsc.org.uk/convoy
Muslims Condemn India anti-Jihad Comments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LKisX4g_lI&feature=player_embedded
New Delhi: India’s leading Muslim organizations All India Muslim Personal Law Board and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind have strongly condemned Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram for equating Jihad with terrorism. His statement reveals his ignorance about Islam or his true mind, leaders of the organizations said. (Read More Below)
Genies in a bottle
Eyes in Sky - This video will really scare you
Though we do not really know who took the videos and where it originates, we have the information that it was taken after the Indonesian earthquake in Padang, Riau. If you look patiently at the video, you will see a pair of eyes that is formed in the clouds overlooking a village in Indonesia. It will really shock and scare you!
However, apparently this video was taken a few years ago in Russia. Hence the source is unknown and the location too but it is a very real video, not a graphic picture.
A 'crawling Jin' in the street?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBQjfCo3kL4
Is this a Jin crawling in the street in Palestine? The author who posted the video on Youtube has this to say: "This video came from first source of busines's security camera in Rahat - palstine.





























