The Pentagon is considering various ways to pressure NATO allies who, according to Washington, did not support American military actions against Iran. According to information from Reuters, these are internal discussions within the American military department and official correspondence describing possible "punishments" for such countries.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Photo: Pierre Crom/Getty Images
Among the proposed options are several measures. Firstly, a reduction in the role of representatives from "inconvenient" countries in NATO structures, including depriving them of prestigious or key positions in the alliance. Secondly, the possibility of reviewing some US foreign policy positions towards allies is being considered — including even issues not directly related to Iran. Thirdly, the list of possible steps mentions the temporary suspension of Spain's participation in NATO.
According to these reports, Spain specifically caused particular dissatisfaction in the US. This country refused to grant permission to use its military bases and airspace for possible strikes against Iran. Washington interpreted this as insufficient support for a joint operation.
At the same time, the American documents themselves note that even if Spain's NATO membership were suspended, it would not have a significant practical impact on US military capabilities. However, it is emphasized that such a step would have a strong political and symbolic effect within the alliance.
It is not yet disclosed how the US could implement such an initiative. In NATO, decisions of this level usually require unanimous consent from all 32 member countries, which makes the procedure very complicated.
In response to these reports, the Spanish leadership stated that the country remains a reliable NATO member and is ready to cooperate with allies. However, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez emphasized an important condition: such cooperation is only possible within the framework of international law, without violating its norms.
Madrid's position was supported by other European countries as well. In particular, representatives of the German government stated that Spain is a full member of NATO, and there are no grounds for reviewing this status.
In addition to the situation with Spain, broader ideas for reshaping relations within the alliance are also circulating in internal American discussions. According to other reports, Washington is compiling lists of countries conditionally divided into "reliable" and "less reliable" NATO allies. The criterion in this case is the willingness to support US military initiatives, including operations against Iran.
Earlier, the possibility of limiting the influence of NATO members who do not comply with recommendations on defense spending levels was discussed. This involved a requirement to increase spending to 5% of GDP, which caused disputes among allies.
Comments
Какой общей? Начали войну без консультаций с Европой. А если бы даже консультировались, то никаких оснований участвовать Европе не было: в уставе НАТО написано, что это "оборонительный союз", разве Иран напал на какую то страну НАТО? Впрочем, и Югославия, Ирак, Ливия и куча других стран не нападали на какую то страну НАТО, что не мешало Европе участвовать в агрессии против этих стран