The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) is exploring ways to make it easier for the United States to sell military equipment to allies, the panel’s chairman said May 22.
Lessening bureaucratic barriers to arms sales could allow allies to play a greater role in international security, lessening the burden on the overtaxed U.S. military, Rep. William “Mac” Thornberry (R-Texas) said at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.
“We’ve got friends who want to come buy weapons and equipment from us [and are] willing to pay cash, and we make it excruciatingly difficult for them,” Thornberry said. “Improving our ability to sell — much less to provide — weapons and equipment to friends who can, as they become more capable, take some of the responsibility off us, is one of the things that we are looking at.”
In December, the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) asserted that the aerospace/defense industry remains hindered by unnecessary trade restrictions, despite exporting a record-high $142.8 billion worth of merchandise in 2015 (Defense Daily, Dec. 6). “If we believe that we can’t be the world’s policeman, we can at least arm our friends and allies with the kind of capabilities they need,” AIA President and Chief Executive Officer Dave Melcher said at the time.
But some policymakers have questioned whether major changes are really needed. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.), ranking member on the HASC’s oversight and investigations panel, said at a May 2016 hearing that foreign military sales are “robust” despite complaints about the process, and that the United States needs to keep safeguards in place to ensure its weapon systems do not fall into the wrong hands.
On a related topic, Thornberry praised President Donald Trump for urging NATO allies to fulfill their 2014 pledge to increase defense spending to 2 percent of their gross domestic product in a decade.
“I think the president has had a positive effect on encouraging NATO allies to increase their contribution to NATO’s defense efforts,” Thornberry told the Brookings audience.
In March, NATO reported that five of its 28 members met or exceeded the 2 percent goal in 2016 and that three more countries are expected to reach it by 2018 (Defense Daily, March 14).