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Pershing II and Cruise Missiles.
Here was proof of
that determination which I stressed at the beginning of
my speech.
But my other maxim applies equally to
defence: we must be flexible enough to adapt to new
circumstances. The threat is not only growing, but
changing, partly because of new technological
developments. Both pillars of the Alliance Europe
must be strong. The European
and America
-
-
contribution is already substantial, and we in Britain
have given a lead as far as defence expenditure is
concerned, with a total contribution second only to
that of the US itself. American critics of European
performance should remember that of the available
forces Europe provides 80% of the combat aircraft, 85%
of the tanks and 90% of the manpower three million
men. So the burden is shared. This is no cause for
complacency; there is more to be done by all members of
the Alliance. But equally it is no cause for
transatlantic recriminations
-
especially in the form
of Congressional amendments. Our aim must always be to
make our deterrence credible, and that requires us to
work together.
8. At their recent meeting in Rome the Foreign and
Defence Ministers of the Western European Union took an
important step towards assuring an improved and more
cohesive European contribution to the common defence in
the Atlantic Alliance. If I say little about this now,
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