US weighs NATO exit over allies' war stance

United States President Donald Trump has told the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph that he is considering withdrawing from NATO because of its members' unwillingness to join the war against Iran, triggered by airstrikes by the US and Israel on the country at the end of February.

The fallout has seen Iran shut the globally vital Strait of Hormuz shipping channel, and the failure of traditional allies, particularly in Europe, to send warships to resolve the situation has inflamed long-standing tensions between Washington and other NATO members over contributions to joint security.

When asked if he would rethink membership once the conflict ends, Trump said: "I would say (it's) beyond reconsideration. I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and (Russian President Vladimir) Putin knows that too."

He contrasted the European response to the war in Iran with what he calls the US' "automatic" response to the conflict in Ukraine, the great European security issue of recent times.

"Ukraine wasn't our problem," he said. "It was a test, and we were there for them, and we would always have been there for them. They weren't there for us."

His comments were reinforced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a television interview, in which he called NATO a "one-way street".

"I think there's no doubt, unfortunately, after this conflict is concluded, we are going to have to reexamine that relationship,"Rubio told Fox News.

"If NATO is just about us defending Europe if they're attacked, but them denying us basing rights when we need them, that's not a very good arrangement," he said.

Not to be involved

Despite Washington's increasingly angry rhetoric, most NATO leaders have stuck to a line of non-involvement.

"I have no sympathy for this Iranian regime," Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said. "I will repeat what Norway has said from the start: This is not our war. It was initiated by the US and Israel without consultation, (and) we believe this war should end."

Finnish President Alexander Stubb said, "As far as the war in Iran is concerned, it is not a NATO matter because NATO is a defense alliance."

France and Italy have followed Spain in becoming the latest traditional allies to refuse use of their airspace for the transport of US weapons. Trump called France "very unhelpful" for blocking the transport of supplies to Israel.

Israel said its military actions were of importance to European security. As a result of what it calls "active obstruction" of munitions supply, Israel would now cut off relations with the French military and stop buying its weapons, the Defense Ministry said.

julian@mail.chinadailyuk.com