Gates warns of NATO becoming militarily irrelevant

Outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates used his final policy speech to take a shot at the U.S.'s European allies, warning them NATO could become militarily irrelevant unless they boost their financial support for the organization.

Speaking Friday at a European think tank in Brussels, Belgium — the home of NATO's headquarters — Gates warned of the "very real possibility of collective military irrelevance" of NATO.

He said nations in the trans-Atlantic alliance have to consider new approaches to sustaining the organization, adding that he's held these concerns for some time.

"In the past, I’ve worried openly about NATO turning into a two-tiered alliance: Between members who specialize in 'soft' humanitarian, development, peacekeeping and talking tasks, and those conducting the 'hard' combat missions," Gates said. "Between those willing and able to pay the price and bear the burdens of alliance commitments, and those who enjoy the benefits of NATO membership — be they security guarantees or headquarters billets — but don’t want to share the risks and the costs. This is no longer a hypothetical worry. We are there today. And it is unacceptable."

Gates said that when the U.S. handed NATO command of the Libya mission, the organization's shortcomings in terms of both manpower and "crucial support assets" like aircraft, "maintenance, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance" became apparent.

"Turning to the NATO operation over Libya, it has become painfully clear that similar shortcomings — in capability and will — have the potential to jeopardize the alliance’s ability to conduct an integrated, effective and sustained air-sea campaign," Gates said.

He noted he's not the first Defense secretary to raise such concerns. In the past U.S. officials and lawmakers have questioned if NATO was functioning as best it could, but few have been as blunt as Gates was in his speech.

"I am the latest in a string of U.S. Defense secretaries who have urged allies privately and publicly, often with exasperation, to meet agreed-upon NATO benchmarks for defense spending," Gates said. "However, fiscal, political and demographic realities make this unlikely to happen anytime soon, as even military stalwarts like the U.K have been forced to ratchet back with major cuts to force structure."

Gates concluded his speech with a call for NATO's member nations to do a better job of pooling "military assets."

"Ultimately, nations must be responsible for their fair share of the common defense," he said.

Gates's comments come a few months after President Obama announced that the U.S. would lead a U.N.-sanctioned effort to impose a no-fly zone over Libya. The U.S. eventually handed over command of the mission to NATO.

Later on Friday, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said writ large, Gates "is right."

U.S. officials are frustrated with NATO members that "have not come through," Levin said. On those nations, U.S. officials need to apply greater "pressure," Levin told reporters following a briefing with Pentagon officials on the alliance-led Libya operation.

But he also was quick to note that some NATO nations have, "proportionally," sent more troops to Afghanistan than the United States.

Gates is likely to be succeeded by CIA Director Leon Panetta, who had his confirmations hearings in the Senate on Thursday.

—John T. Bennett contributed reporting.

—This story was updated at 1:43 p.m.