AA / Washington / Rabia Iclal
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that Washington could reassess the value of the Atlantic alliance after the war against Iran, citing growing frustration with allies’ reluctance to support the US military campaign.
“At the end of this conflict, we will have to reevaluate this relationship. We will have to reassess the value of NATO and this alliance for our country,” Rubio said in an interview with FOX News.
“In the end, this is a decision that belongs to the president,” he added.
He criticized NATO allies for rejecting American requests to use military bases, stating, “We are not asking them to conduct airstrikes. When we need them to allow us to use their military bases, their answer is ‘No.’ So why are we in NATO?”
Rubio, who claimed to have long been “one of the staunchest supporters of NATO,” pointed out that the alliance had allowed the US to project its power globally through their bases in Europe. However, he warned that the alliance could become “a one-way street.”
“Why do we have all these American forces stationed in the region if, when we need them, we will not be allowed to use these bases?” he said.
These remarks come as several European allies have rejected or limited American requests related to the war against Iran, including denying access to bases and their airspace due to concerns about the legality of the war and the lack of consultation within NATO.
Italy recently rejected an American request to land aircraft on a military base in Sicily, while Spain refused to authorize the use of its bases or airspace for war-related operations.
Other allies, including the UK, France, and Germany, have limited their role to defensive support for regional partners and have repeatedly called for de-escalation.
*Translated from French by Mariem Njeh.
[Context: US Secretary of State questioning the value of NATO alliance after frustration with allies’ lack of support for US military actions. Fact Check: Various European allies have rejected American requests for support in the war against Iran, showing fractures in the alliance.]
