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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...en-the-Nato-alliance-says-top-US-general.html
Brexit could threaten the Nato alliance, says top US general
Lieutenant-General Frederick 'Ben' Hodges
Picture: AFP/Getty
By Christopher Hope, Chief Political Correspondent
8:02AM GMT 15 Mar 2016
Lt-Gen Frederick 'Ben' Hodges raises concerns European Union could unravel in event of Brexit, weakening efforts to resist Russian expansionism
A vote to leave the EU could threaten the Nato alliance at a time of Russian aggression in the east, the head of the US Army in Europe has warned.
Lieutenant-General Frederick “Ben” Hodges raised concerns that the European Union could unravel in the event of a Brexit, weakening efforts to resist Russian expansionism in Europe and the Middle East if Britons vote to leave the EU on June 23.
Speaking to the BBC, Lt-Gen Hodges said the result of the referendum on June 23 is of "strategic interest".
“Anything that undermines the effectiveness of the alliance has an impact on us, and so if the EU begins to become unravelled, there can't help but be a knock-on effect for the alliance also"
Lt-Gen Frederick 'Ben' Hodges
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He said: “What goes on here is of strategic interest to us," he said. “Anything that undermines the effectiveness of the alliance has an impact on us, and so if the EU begins to become unravelled, there can't help but be a knock-on effect for the alliance also."
Campaigners for Britain to leave the EU - a so-called 'Brexit' - have said Britain's position in Nato would not be weakened if it chose to leave.
Lt-Gen Hodges said he was "worried" the EU could unravel just when it needed to stand up to Russia.
He acknowledged the vote was a matter for the British people, but said he was concerned about the outcome.
Out campaigners say a leave vote would not affect the UK's position in Nato.
Lt-Gen Hodges told the BBC that Russian aggression in Ukraine and its intervention in Syria had threatened Europe's security.
Russia had "weaponised" the migrant crisis by forcing tens of thousands of people to flee to Europe, he said.
The Nato alliance and the EU needed to show solidarity in the face of Russian aggression, but that unity could be put at risk if Britain voted to leave the EU, he claimed.
The defence secretary, Michael Fallon, has also said the UK will be taking a “big gamble” with its security if it votes to leave the European Union.
However, former defence secretary Liam Fox, one of the leaders of the “out” campaign, has condemned the "project fear" tactics of those who suggest leaving the EU could weaken the UK's security and its international standing.
He wrote in the Mail on Sunday last month: “The safety of our people is dependent on two sources – Nato and our intelligence services, not the EU.
“Nato brings with it the defence commitment of the United States. It is worth pointing out that the US defence budget is bigger than the next 11 biggest defence budgets in the world combined, including Russia and China.
"Nato is an alliance of more than 900 million people, compared to 500 million in the EU. It is a strengthened and more committed Nato approach that will contain external threats, including Russia.
"Nato has kept the peace in Europe since the end of the Second World War. We do not need an EU version that drags us into supranational decision-making on security.
"Nato operates as a collection of independent states co-operating as and when they choose to do so. The EU does not, increasingly taking more decisions collectively at the centre."
Brexit could threaten the Nato alliance, says top US general
Lieutenant-General Frederick 'Ben' Hodges
Picture: AFP/Getty
By Christopher Hope, Chief Political Correspondent
8:02AM GMT 15 Mar 2016
Lt-Gen Frederick 'Ben' Hodges raises concerns European Union could unravel in event of Brexit, weakening efforts to resist Russian expansionism
A vote to leave the EU could threaten the Nato alliance at a time of Russian aggression in the east, the head of the US Army in Europe has warned.
Lieutenant-General Frederick “Ben” Hodges raised concerns that the European Union could unravel in the event of a Brexit, weakening efforts to resist Russian expansionism in Europe and the Middle East if Britons vote to leave the EU on June 23.
Speaking to the BBC, Lt-Gen Hodges said the result of the referendum on June 23 is of "strategic interest".
“Anything that undermines the effectiveness of the alliance has an impact on us, and so if the EU begins to become unravelled, there can't help but be a knock-on effect for the alliance also"
Lt-Gen Frederick 'Ben' Hodges
ADVERTISEMENT
He said: “What goes on here is of strategic interest to us," he said. “Anything that undermines the effectiveness of the alliance has an impact on us, and so if the EU begins to become unravelled, there can't help but be a knock-on effect for the alliance also."
Campaigners for Britain to leave the EU - a so-called 'Brexit' - have said Britain's position in Nato would not be weakened if it chose to leave.
Lt-Gen Hodges said he was "worried" the EU could unravel just when it needed to stand up to Russia.
He acknowledged the vote was a matter for the British people, but said he was concerned about the outcome.
Out campaigners say a leave vote would not affect the UK's position in Nato.
Lt-Gen Hodges told the BBC that Russian aggression in Ukraine and its intervention in Syria had threatened Europe's security.
Russia had "weaponised" the migrant crisis by forcing tens of thousands of people to flee to Europe, he said.
The Nato alliance and the EU needed to show solidarity in the face of Russian aggression, but that unity could be put at risk if Britain voted to leave the EU, he claimed.
The defence secretary, Michael Fallon, has also said the UK will be taking a “big gamble” with its security if it votes to leave the European Union.
However, former defence secretary Liam Fox, one of the leaders of the “out” campaign, has condemned the "project fear" tactics of those who suggest leaving the EU could weaken the UK's security and its international standing.
He wrote in the Mail on Sunday last month: “The safety of our people is dependent on two sources – Nato and our intelligence services, not the EU.
“Nato brings with it the defence commitment of the United States. It is worth pointing out that the US defence budget is bigger than the next 11 biggest defence budgets in the world combined, including Russia and China.
"Nato is an alliance of more than 900 million people, compared to 500 million in the EU. It is a strengthened and more committed Nato approach that will contain external threats, including Russia.
"Nato has kept the peace in Europe since the end of the Second World War. We do not need an EU version that drags us into supranational decision-making on security.
"Nato operates as a collection of independent states co-operating as and when they choose to do so. The EU does not, increasingly taking more decisions collectively at the centre."
