Our allies pay more than 75% of NATO

From David S. Morgan, CBS News:  In a speech in Brussels, outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that America’s military alliance with Europe faces a "dim, if not dismal" future , owing to what he characterized as the United States’ disproportionate funding of NATO operations, and of allies "willing and eager for American taxpayers to assume the growing security burden left by reductions in European defense budgets. . . ."

The United States contributes between one-fifth and one-quarter of NATO’s budget. In FY2010 that contribution totaled $711.8 million.

But that factors in only direct payments, not deployments of personnel which – outside of special operations, such as in Afghanistan or Libya – may be used to train European forces (for example, in anti-terrorism skills) that benefit U.S. security.  . . .

America’s contribution to NATO’s military budget – provided through the Department of the Army’s Operations and Maintenance account – is under 23 percent. The U.S. contributed $408.051 million and $430.381 million, respectively, in FY2009 and FY2010, according to the Congressional Budget Service.

After the U.S., the largest contributors to NATO’s military budget are Germany (16.6 percent); France (12.4 percent); United Kingdom (12 percent); Italy (7.8 percent); Canada (5 percent); Spain (4.2 percent); Netherlands (3.3 percent); Belgium (2.6 percent); Poland (2.3 percent); Turkey (1.8 percent); Denmark (1.7 percent); and Norway (1.6 percent). Fifteen countries make up the remaining 5.8 percent.

The U.S. contribution to NATO’s Civil budget, provided through the State Department’s Contributions to International Organizations, is approximately 21.7 percent, with payments of $66.1 million and $84.1 million, respectively, made In FY2009 and FY2010. . . .

America’s shares of the NSIP [NATO Security Investment Program] budget has slightly decreased in recent years, to 21.7 percent. The U.S. provides funds to NSIP through military construction appropriations: $330.867 million in FY 2009, $197.414 million in FY2010.   (photo: NATO)