White House eyes consequences for Iran war holdouts — Reuters
Photo: Donald Trump (Getty Images)
The administration of US President Donald Trump has devised several options for punishments against countries that have refused to assist Washington in the war against Iran, according to Reuters.
An internal Pentagon email outlines potential punishments for NATO allies that did not support US operations in the war with Iran.
Among the possible punishments are suspending Spain’s membership in the alliance and revising the US position on Britain’s claims to the Falkland Islands.
The policy options are detailed in a memo expressing disappointment at the reluctance or refusal of some allies to grant the United States access, basing, and overflight rights for the war in Iran.
According to an unnamed Pentagon official, the email noted that access to air bases is an absolute baseline for NATO. One of the proposed restrictions also involves removal from important or prestigious positions within NATO.
"As President Trump has said, despite everything that the United States has done for our NATO allies, they were not there for us," says Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson, commenting on the content of the email in response to journalists’ questions.
Trump upset with NATO?
Trump has repeatedly called NATO obsolete and threatened to withdraw from it if allies do not increase their defense spending. Relations between the U.S. and its European partners have sharply deteriorated since the start of the U.S. operation against Iran.
The Trump administration has already warned of a possible withdrawal from NATO, specifically discussing the conditions under which the U.S. might reconsider its membership in the alliance.
