U.K. Defense Chief, Following Prime Minister, Praises Trump Approach Michael Fallon said Trump has likely galvanized U.S. and U.K. efforts to strengthen NATO By Ben Kesling
https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-defense-chief-following-prime-minister-praises-trump-approach-1486888760
Mr. Fallon, who is scheduled to speak with U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis next week, said in an interview that the longstanding defense alliance between the U.S. and U.K. hasn’t been affected by turmoil within the U.S. or internationally following Mr. Trump’s election.
Mr. Fallon became the most recent U.K. official to offer public support for Mr. Trump’s administration, despite widespread concern among Britons over a broad range of domestic and foreign stances. British Prime Minister Theresa May drew criticism at home after she invited Mr. Trump to visit London, extending the offer during her January visit to Washington.
Mr. Fallon said during a trip to the Iraqi Kurdish capital of Erbil that the U.S. and U.K. agree that NATO partners must do more to contribute to the alliance. Mr. Fallon was due to visit British troops training Iraqi and Kurdish forces.
“The president’s remarks have clearly turbocharged that process,” Mr. Fallon said of the push for increased defense commitments. “If President Trump has galvanized the alliance, then we’re in his debt.”
Mr. Fallon said, in particular, the historically strong relationship between the two countries continues to this day.
“The British-American defense partnership is the deepest, strongest defense partnership anywhere in the world,” Mr. Fallon said. “It was the British prime minister who was the first foreign leader into the White House. And defense and security were right at the top of the agenda. Indeed, it was our prime minister who confirmed the United States’ 100% commitment to NATO.”
When asked if Mr. Trump has caused consternation in the British defense firmament, he said that is in no way the case.
“We’ve got an American president who has a British mother,” Mr. Fallon said. “He’s looking at ways to accelerate the campaign against Daesh which is a threat to Britain as it is to Western Europe as it is to the United States, so what would there be to worry about?” Mr. Trump’s mother was born in Scotland.
Mr. Fallon pointed out that NATO has already accelerated its role in Iraq, opening up a new training program in the country earlier this month which both Britain and the U.S. support.
The defense minister said that while Britain wouldn’t go as far as Mr. Trump, who said NATO is “obsolete,” the minister agreed that the alliance needs to bring itself up-to-date. CONTINUE AT SITE
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