Rubio asks ‘what’s the purpose’ of NATO alliance?
Secretary of State Marco Rubio says teh U.S.has legitimate concerns about NATO’s value after several alliance members denied U.S. requests to use their air bases and airspace during the war with Iran. Speaking aboard Air Force One on his way to a summit in China, Rubio argued that basing access-one of the main reasons he supported NATO-undermines the alliance if it can be withheld in a crisis. He acknowledged that some countries were helpful, including Portugal, and also mentioned support from Bulgaria, Poland, and Romania, but he sharply criticized countries such as Spain and others for refusing assistance. Rubio concluded that the U.S. should reassess what NATO is for if the alliance won’t meaningfully support U.S. interests in times of conflict.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio wonders what the point of the United States remaining in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is if countries in the alliance won’t help the United States when needed.
Rubio made the comments on Wednesday in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity aboard Air Force One en route to the summit in China. He questioned whether the countries are actually committed to an alliance with the U.S. after several NATO countries refused to grant the U.S. permission to use its air bases for operations in the war with Iran. Rubio was miffed with those countries’ decision.
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“I’ve been a supporter of NATO throughout my career in the Senate,” Rubio told Hannity in the interview. “And one of the reasons why I supported NATO was because it gave us basing rights. It allowed us to have bases in Europe that we could use in a contingency like something in the Middle East where you could have planes flying from some country in Europe and actually protecting our national interest in the Middle East, as an example, or in Africa.”
“And so when you have NATO partners denying you the use of those bases – when the primary reason why NATO is good for America is now being denied to us by Spain, as an example – then what’s the purpose of the Alliance?’ Rubio said. “It starts becoming a ‘they’re allies when they want to be’ kind of thing.”
Some NATO countries denied U.S requests for assistance in its war with Iran, ranging from prohibiting the U.S. from using air bases and airspace. Italy said the U.S. couldn’t use Sigonella Naval Air Station in Sicily for aircraft that were going to be used in military operations in Iran. Other countries, such as Spain, said the U.S. couldn’t use its bases or airspace for aircraft being used in Operation Epic Fury. The lack of cooperation has further increased tension between the U.S. and the alliance.
Rubio, however, did make sure to credit several NATO countries that were helpful to the U.S., assisting with requests in some instances “before we even asked.” He highlighted Portugal’s efforts in his remarks to Hannity, while also mentioning Bulgaria, Poland, and Romania in a positive light.
“And look, to be fair, there are countries in NATO that were very helpful to us,” Rubio said. Just singling one out – Portugal. They said yes before we even asked – told them what the question was.”
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“Poland. So there are countries – Romania, Bulgaria,” Rubio added before criticizing those countries that refused to help the U.S. and questioning whether the U.S. should remain in NATO after recent events.
“Others like Spain have been atrocious, just horrifying,” Rubio said. “So I do think there are some very legitimate questions to ask about NATO, and that is: What is the purpose of being in an alliance whose benefit to us is these basing rights if, in a time of conflict like the one we’ve had with Iran, they can deny us the use of those bases?”
“So why are we there for? Only to protect them but not to further our national interest?” Rubio asked. “This is a very legitimate question that we need to address.”
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