Anders Fogh Rasmussen Quotes

The Americans provide still more advanced military assets and equipment; the Europeans are lagging behind. And eventually it will be difficult to co-operate even if you had the political will to co-operate because of the technological gap.

The American people ask, and legitimately so, why should we carry the heavy burden to ensure international peace and stability. You also profit from it, so you should also take your share in the burden. That’s Secretary Gates’s message. I share that message.

Ten years ago U.S. defence investment represented almost half of all defence expenditure in the whole alliance. Today it is 75%. This increasing economic gap may also lead to an increasing technology gap which will almost hamper the inter-operability between our forces.

Perhaps we underestimated the challenges in Afghanistan in the past. That’s why we are now strengthening and intensifying our commitment.

It is the responsibility of Afghanistan’s new government to gain better control over the country’s administration and to resolutely fight the drug trade and corruption.

I know very well that Berlin attaches great importance to NATO and solidarity, in terms of sharing the burden. For this reason, I feel confident that the German government will take the right decision, one that serves both German and NATO interests.