The US defense chief warned NATO allies on Wednesday that they can no longer depend on the United States to make up for the type of military shortfalls witnessed in the Libyan and Afghan wars.
With the US military facing its own major budget cuts, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called on European and Canadian allies to work closely to pool resources at a time of austerity biting on both sides of the Atlantic.
"As for the United States, many might assume that the United States defence budget is so large it can absorb and cover alliance shortcomings - but make no mistake about it, we are facing dramatic cuts with real implications for alliance capability," he said in a speech in Brussels.
Panetta delivered his warning before talks with NATO counterparts, centred on the missions in Libya and Afghanistan as well as the weaknesses the alliance experienced in the conflicts.
Although US defence spending far exceeds European budgets, Panetta said American military leaders were facing $450 billion in cuts over 10 years, which he called tough but "manageable".
But if the US Congress fails to tackle the country's deficit this year, the Pentagon "could face additional cuts in defense ... (that) would be devastating to our national security and to yours as well".
