Chicago Summit

The House Armed Services Committee, in its report accompanying the fiscal year 2013 defense authorization bill, makes note of the NATO summit scheduled for next week in Chicago:

The committee recognizes the sustained commitment of NATO to mutual defense and regional stability and security. The summit provides an important opportunity for follow-on discussions from the 2010 Lisbon Summit regarding the future of NATO, with a focus on the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, smart defense, missile defense, and the future force composition of the alliance.

The committee recognizes the contribution of NATO, NATO-aspirant nations, and non-NATO nations that have committed more than 39,000 of the more than 129,000 troops deployed in Afghanistan. NATO has been a key player in Afghanistan by conducting operations against the insurgency and supporting the growth in capacity and capability of the Afghan National Security Forces. The committee encourages the Secretary of Defense to continue working with NATO, NATO-aspirant nations, and non-NATO nations to support ISAF operations and encourage long-term bilateral cooperation between the military and security forces of our partner nations and Afghanistan. Further, the committee encourages the President to use the summit as an opportunity to obtain multi-year commitments from ISAF coalition nations to support the sustainment of the Afghan National Security Forces post-2014.

The committee is aware of NATO’s smart defense concept that focuses on developing and maintaining military capabilities to address current and future security problems. While in times of austerity every dollar counts, the committee believes each nation must also contribute its fair share. The committee is concerned that few NATO nations are contributing the required 2 percent of its gross domestic product. The committee will continue to follow the development of the smart defense concept and the areas of multinational cooperation for smart defense projects developed at and following the Chicago summit.

As part of the committee's continued oversight of the summit's outcomes, the committee directs the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to provide a report to the Senate Committee on Armed Services, the House Committee on Armed Services, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs by October 1, 2012, on how the Department of Defense may support the summit's outcomes. The report should include a description of how the U.S. military may support the development and execution of the summit results, including projected and current U.S. military deployments, training, exercises, and other engagement activities.

In related news, click here to view the testimony from a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing held last week on the NATO summit.