Issue Briefs
More U.S. Military Equipment Will Help NATO Send Moscow A Message (From The National Interest)
Daniel Goure
January 30th, 2022
Europe is closer to war today than at any time since the collapse of the Soviet Union. During his recent press conference, U.S. president Joe Biden asserted that Moscow had the necessary forces in place to conduct a major conventional land assault on neighboring Ukraine. Even if warnings from Biden and Western leaders can deter Moscow from acting on Putin’s threats this time, it is clear that both the United States and its NATO allies will have to enhance their conventional forces if they want to maintain the ability to deter Russia. NATO countries can build up their military forces and simultaneously send a message to Moscow by acquiring additional U.S. military equipment. A number of NATO allies are buying the fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter. But it would help if more of them acquired U.S. land systems such as the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), M1 Abrams tanks, the HIMARS rocket system, and advanced air and missile defenses. I have written more on this subject here.
The views and opinions expressed in this issue brief are those of the author.
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Daniel Gouré, Ph.D., is a vice president at the public-policy research think tank Lexington Institute. Goure has a background in the public sector and U.S. federal government, most recently serving as a member of the 2001 Department of Defense Transition Team. |